The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-11-27
THE "OPEN SHOP"


organized opponents of union labor,
declares that they are "dealing in
snivelling hypocrisy at time when
honesty and frankncss in all economic
matters were never more necessary
and boldly asserts that they are not
concerned at all with principle, how
ever vociferously they profess to be.
"What they want is a labor market
In which they can dictate wages, hours
of employment and working conditions,
regardless of the social consequences of
such economic tyranny" charges the
World. 1t does not spare a portion Of
organized labor for it's recent mis-
takes, but it surely does reveal the
true purpose of the nation wide "open
shop' campaign. We submit the edi-
torial in it's entirety to the considera-
tion Of our readers:
"When William H. Barr, president
of the National Founders Association,
describes the progress Of the open
shop campaign as "a stimulant to the
patriotism of every one,' he is dealing
in snivelling hypocrisy at time when
honesty and frankness in all economic
matters were never more necessary.
"The champions of the open shop
are not actuated by any patriotic i'm
pulse whatever. They believe that the
open shop is more profitable to them
selves than the closed shop and that
to destroy the unions would put more
money in their pockets. That is all
there is to the controversy. The OPEN
shop advocates wear mask Of patriot
ism because they are afraid to meet
the economic issue.
"A nationwide campaign has been
inaugurated against organized labor.
The plans were all laid during the pres
,idential contest, and the Harding ma
jority was interpreted as evidence that
public opinion has swung wholly to the
side of reaction. Associations of man.
ufacturers and their professional walk
ing delegates have been boasting that
the Harding administration would be
an open-shop administration, and, cur
iously enough, union labor helped to
furnish the votes that that provided
the Harding majority.
Undoubtedly public sentiment is not
at the present overfriendly to organ
lied labor, and organized labor itself
is largely to blame. To say that it
has behaved badly during the last two
years is to state the case with extreme
moderation. In many industries it has
been bold and shameless profitcer,
arbitrarily raising wages beyond any
reasonable limit and deliberately stiff
ling production. In other instances
it has followed such corrupt and vena]
leadership as the Lockwood committee
investigation has disclosed in the build
ing trades Of New York, where crooked
labor bosses were in partnership with
crooked contractors to plumber build
ers and rent-payers.
"It cannot be said that all organ
lied labor has abused its power, but
there has been enough of it to create
strong popular prejudice against the
unions. The attitude of many of the
labor leaders has been the old familiar
public edamned attitude that Wal
street used to assume before it learned
Its lesson, and the open-shop propa
gandists are now engaged in capitahz
ing for their own pockets the public
reaction against trades-union despotism
GAS matter Of principle, there is
much to be said in favor of the open
shop, but we should prefer to have il
come from the non-union men them
selves. The organized employer advo
Gates of the open shop are not con
ccrned at all with principle, however
vociferously they profess to be. What
they want is labor market in which
they can dictate wages, hours Of en-
ployment and working conditions, re
CARELESS Of the social consequences Of
such economic tyranny. They want tx
treat labor as part Of the raw mate
rails of their factories, to be bought
at their own price and used as they
see fit. That is all there is to The
organized campaign in behalf Of thu
open shop, which increases in conf
dence as industrial conditions become
more unsettled.
"The attitude of its advocates i.
well illustrated by further remarks Of
the president of the National Found
ers' Association when he demanded thu
complete elimination of the labo1
clauses from the covenant of tn,
League Of Nations. As it happens