The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-02-25
THE open SHOPPERS"
HAVE BEEN SMOKED OUT
(Contributed)

bllNl Ai''tNNNtI
Further efforts to camouflage the
so-called american plan or open
shop" movement will be unavaiiIng.
The interests back of it can no
longer plead that they are fighting
for d shop That will admit on terms
of equality union and nOu-union
men, for they have been forced to
admit that this is not their pur-
pose.
The Social Action Department of
the Catholic National Welfare Coun-
ell for several months has been in
Weighing heavily against the open
shop campaign as dishonest and
dangerous, while defending collec-
tive bargaining as the salvation of
industry and essential to peace and
permanence. 1t invited an attack
from the National Manufacturers
Association through its organ, In
dustry, copies of which have been
distributed to clergymen through
out the country. Now the Social
Action Department has returned
with a statement that strips the
open" shop movement Of all pre-
tense and exposes it for what it
really is.
Spokesman for the National Man
ufacturers' Association were in
formed that if that body would
make a public statement to the ef-
feet that the open shop" is incon-
sistent with proportional represen~
tation by union employees in sys-
tenn of collective bargaining the
Social Action Department would
withdraw its statements against
the open shop"
Here was offered every oppor-
tunity for the "open shop" advo-
Gates to prove the sincerity Of their
claims, if they really are sincere
What they actually did was to re-
fuse to make any statement cover
ing the ground laid out by the So
cial Action Department. They were
compelled to admit, however, that
they were waging warfare against
labor organizations and that their
so-called "Americanism' was in
tended to hide their true purpose.
Thus, by those who are backing
it, was established what workers
have always contended - that the
open shop is a shop closed against
-
tempt to deprive the workers of OPP
portunity to protest against intol-
cradle conditions the first step
downward in the direction of indus
trial slavery.
The open shop" campaign in
wolves a moral problem and the
church has been quick to recognize
it. Great religious organizations are
on record in opposition to the at
tempt Of large interests to sub
jugate and degrade the workers Of
the nation. In addition to the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Council,
which has just spoken so forcefully
in behalf of the workers, the Fed
eral Council Of Churches of Christ,
representing thirty-one denomina-
tions, has also denounced the cam
paign of Big Business. The Metho-
dist Episcopal Church and the Pro-
testant Episcopal churches also take
a forward position in this conflict
between progress and reaction.
The open shop campaign is all
money and no soul. 1t is made up
entirely Of those who place ma
terial considerations above human
and moral considerations. The phil
osophy is as brutal as the methods
employed to advance it. 1t is not
matter for wonder, therefore, that
churchmer have spoken out in de-
nunciation OF what they interpret to
be an insidious assault upon the
foundation principles of democracy,
undertaken with no other object
than the enslavement Of millions
Of orOduCprc