The New York herald., 1921-09-14
open SHOP THREAT
TO CHICAGO UNIONS
Builders Give Men Until To-
morrow to Comply With
Lands Decision.
100000 MEN ARE IDLE
Employers Association Ready
to Offer Places to I'm
skilled Men.
s50,00O MEN ARE IDLE

Special Despatch to THE NEW YoRK HEnALp
CHICAGO. Sept. 13.-Orders to put the
building industry in Chicago on an
open shop basis were sent to all con-
tractors In the city to-day by the AS
sociated Builders and the Building Con-
struction Employers Association. The
open shop will become effective Thurs
wage decision of Judge Lands and re-
turn to work.
Under the open shop arrangement
contractors will hire union men and
non-union men indiscriminately. Some
of the contractors were in favor of the
adoption Of the open shop policy at
once, but after discussion it was de-
cided to give to the union leaders an
opportunity to get their men in line
and get back on the Job in accordance
with the decision of Judge Lands. A
few already have inaugurated the open
shop.
Realizing the possibility of an open
shop movement. Thomas S. Kearney.
president of the Building Trades Coun-
ell, has called for the business agents
representing the thirty-six unions aftilf-
ated with the council to meet on Thurs
day morning, when union officials Will
appeal to the men to return to work
pending a rehearing of the wage ques-
tion.
II think Judge Lands was sincere
when he revoked his granting of a re-
hearing, unless the men now on strike
returned to work." Kearney said lt
is now up to us to get the men back on
the job until we have a chance to tnresh
this matter out"
William Mckinley, counsel for the AS
sociated Builders. declared the men
would be back on the jobs II the leaders
ordered them.
'If Tom Kearney ordered the mon
back on the jobs and seriously meant
II they would be back declared Mr..
Mckinley. He has been telling them
to 90 back with his fingers crossed. Un-
less something unforeseen happens be-
fore Thursday we shall advertise for
men, non- union or union, and the open
shop will be started.
1.-The open shop is here now. ] think
to stay" Mr.. Mckinley continued. There
are $50. 600 idle men in Chicago. almost
any one Oh WIlOTl can 40 carpenter NpiN
as well as the strikers. who are holding
out for s1.25 an hour. As soon as II
becomes certain that the unions will re-
fuse to recede from their position these
men will take the places OF the strikers
I'VE have decided to fill all Jobs as
soon as possible and go on with the
work. 1t means the open shop for Chi
cago." declared Il. M. Craig Of the Asso-
ciated Builders and the Building Con-
struction Employers Association. wv.
should have the support of the public in
this move. We are standing pat on Judge
Landis's ruling and will not deviate in
the slightest particular. Judge Lands
represented the public and spent months
of work for the public welfare in his
arbitration. Those who offer to pay
the difference between his scale and the
old one are working against public in
terest and deserve no support"
Members OF the plumbers union who
walked out last week. tying up the COM
plc.ion of the work on the Governments
new hospital for soldiers. offered their
services without pay to finish the work
to get the hospital ready for the wound
ed veterans. The men walked out fol-
lowing the Lands decision, which cut
their wages from S1.25 to 95 cents an
hour. The offer to work without pay
was made by William Curran. president
of the union.