The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05


 association institute meeting yesterd Eight hundred. men and women, members of the Alabama Coal Oper- ators association and their invited guests, attended the annual institute meeting of the organization at the camp of the Empire Coal company, Iwith Walter Moore as host
 "The open shop is the one way of maintaining industrial equilibrium, as it is the only way to insure the re- tention of individual rights" said Judge Emery. Freedom from arbi- tary restraint and the right of a man to dispose of his affairs according to his own judgment is fundamental to | American liberty. Our liberty must be one under laws free from arbitrary restraint from others. American citi- zens have the right. to go their own way and advance their own interests as they see fit A man has the right to deal with others or not to deal with them as he sees fit"
 Open Shop Movement
 Judge Emery spoke on the "Open Shop Movement-Its Justification and Progress"
 There is no place more appropri- ate to do fundamental thinking than. in these natural surroundings" be- gan Judge Emery. We see how man has improved time and utilized the resources of nature. The story Of civilization is one of multiplication of the forces of the human brain.
 Man makes his way in an eternal contest with natural forces about him. Labor is necessary to attain ends Labor is necessary to attain, mans relation to nature. Life must ! l<,1,, INa ctr rpl a work together to attain ends ana system and organization arise from this need.
 ,ea.t- Protective Tariff
 While the country has pursued in- dustrial progress under protective tariff, there has been too much free trade in ideas. We are ssunerlhg from national indigestion caused by a mixture of 57 varieties of persons. "The universay problem of labor is more than a study between com ponent parts It is great political and social question. Russia has been ruptured and ruined by social phil osophy. This shows there is no hope for right action where there IS crooked thinking. The labor ques- ton will never be completely solved majority can always reach a col lective condition of mind. There VIII always be disagreements whlch can only be minimized. We can never have the result society needs untll we determine the principle on which an agreement Is to be founded. Elm ploye. employer and the public must be in accord
 First Principles
 "The principles chosen cannot be other than those on which our social structure is established. We must turn back to the simple and funda- mental things. Washington sald III his farewell address that the gov ernment would be sustained only as the people from time to time revert back 70 the simple and first prin- ciples It is easy to get lost Tn com |. plexities without seeking simple principles.
 "Problems of today are complex in economies. Men don't die today i, for a tariff as they did when ranged I bn either side of the slavery ques-
 ton.
 "It is foolish to say that physical labor should be placed before men . tai activity. While physical labor has been stationary pnysicai iapoi has not contributed to progress In telligence has introduced all modern improvements. Modern man is heir to the brain springs of the past. eve must exercise the fundamen- tai principle of exercising our own energies. We must be stimulated by hope of our own reward.
 Economic Equality eve must not talk about economic equality. It has never existed. Every man has a talent, something that Is | better than that of his neighbor. He has the right to select the way Il I hi iNi Ia | l has the right to make contracts or | agreements with whom and where he | pleases. He is not a free man if >h | must bow to the control of others who seek arbitrary power, It takes | two to make any agreement, Tn discussing the right of organ | ization, we must not forget the | right to remain unorganized. Mer | can't advance as he sees fit when | collective control does not work tc | hest advantage. A man must be sole judge of his own actions and deeds Wise men make more progress some times by refraining from action thar by action. Every man has the righ to a marry, but he cannot marry any woman without her consent. Any individual can remain out of con kffract or go in
 "Right use of organization is al right. It is the irresponsible power which undertakes to exercise au thority without reasonable regula- tion by laws which is wrong. Orsan ization of men in labor unions mus be restrained. We must protec
 those inside and those outside wh,
 act blindly.
 III Ideal situation | The open shop Is the ideal situa
 tion. No person is to be refused
 employment without season. Ther
 is to be no discrimination between
 members and non-members of unions | Discrimination in some matters 1
 necessary to good business. There 1
 no injustice greater than unequa
 merit receiving equal reward. II Society was no place for lawles v organizations. The man who refuse ! to deal with unlawful organization Il ;s a-tnub1tc Spruica.s Tbi