Arizona republican., 1920-03-29
OPEN SHOP |S
 TOPIC AT SUN.
 EVENING CLUB
E. c. Phelps Presents in Fair and Just Manner Views and Reasons of Open Shop Advocates

A fair and concise explanation of the position taken by advocates of the
 open shop" in Phoenix was given by
 E. C. Phelps at the Sunday Evening club meeting conducted by Rev. G. D.
 4okum in the K. of P. hall last night.
 Freely admitting that unionism has an important place in industry, MT. Phelps explained the '"open shop" movement
 as follows:
 Occasions arise in the life of every man which inpel him to take a stand on questions, the outcome of which de-
 termine largely whether justice and equality shall prevail. Consulting my own personal pleasure and not leaving self out of the question, assuredly l would decline active participation in the discussion of the sharply drawn Issue which just now is absorbing the attention of the people of Phoenix, and, for that matter, the people of our whole country. But since the principles of liberty and justice are our heritage can we, as American citizens, main tain our own self respect and claim the right to enjoy the blood bought liberties that are ours unless we are Figllant and fearless in supporting that 1 which we believe to be right?
 Supports Right of Organization
 Since true success is based on in- | dividual development it is imperative | that we scrutinize the banding to- l gether of men for any purpose, for it !
 
 binations of men to be worked out l without submerging individuality or destroying initiative. Therefore, any organization that makes men mere figure heads instead of developing them in the fullest manner is to that extent undesirable and must necessar- fly be modified fl it would claim the support of honest, free and unselfish men. l would not have you think for 1 one moment that I oppose the organi- 1 incr fnY- ie U opinion that under present conditions of our industrial life that it would be most unfortunate for our country if labor organizations should cease to exist It is the sad truth that a great many men of large means and great power who give employment to labor fail deplorably to take into considera- tion the just claims of labor. The employer who classes labor as a mere commodity instead of a human institu- tion with feelings, hopes and aspira- tions is open to criticism not much less severe than some radicals among the laboring men who resort to vio- lence.
 often been merciless in it's designs and that labor has on some occasions been over exacting and has held in it's ranks men of low character, deter the great majority of the American people from a full and free discussion of the labor question:
 Should Have Justice For All
 T have no doubt but what the lab bring men who are today advocating the closed shop are honest, but it is my opinion that their plan and be- lief in this matter is based on fear rather than sound reasoning. It is ad- mitted by many laboring men that if the public would manifest an interest in seeing that justice is done for both the employer and employee the neces- sity for the closed shop would not exist. But since the laboring man has in his own mind recollections of unfair treatment he has thus far been un- able to view this question in the light I of public policy, but rather in the man. I Ter which he thinks gives him protec- T tion. though it be at the expense of {, society.
 We who have the same interest in $ the employee that we have in the em- . ployer and who look upon this ques- ton as one that comprehends the gen. |, eraI welfare of our city. are deter : mined to be as jealous in trying tr which labor is entitled as we will be to resist labor encroachment on the : rights of others.
 We must admit that under present ! conditions in our city and in our coun- :. try that unions are necessary to ob- tain readily the things to which the man is justly entitled. As these results have been directly to the benefit of the 1aboring man, will he forget his union because the open shop idea prevails? Certainly not. 2 Labor organizations have accomplish ed enough for their members to entitle . them to a longer existence. But when you build your whole structure on the ( idea and practice that unorganized men can not work on a job with union T men. you at once prescribe what the employer may do in a matter all his V own, to say nothing of the fact that [ by so doing you restrict production by creating conditions under which others cannot obtain employment. 'sEvery Man Has Right To Work" I
 My contention is that every man l