Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1921-06-03


north side of the court house Tues
day evening to hear open shop ques-
tions discussed and explained by men
thoroughly familiar with the situa-
ton, and the unusual feature of the
meeting was that the crowd, instead,
gradually melting away, grew and
multiplied until nearly the entire
northern portion of the park was one
solid mass of cheering and enthusi-
astic men and women, all crowding
forward to hear the truth as ex-
pounded by loyal disciples of organ
lied labor and the fallacies and rot
tenness Of the so-called American
Plan exposed
This tremendous outpouring of the
bone and sinew Of the city must have
been an eye-opener to those individual
members of the Chamber of Com
merce at whose instigation that body
was holding meeting just across the
street for the purpose of putting UP
deal to enable them to amend their
constitution, which now wisely pro-
hibits meddling with the labor ques-
ton, and insert a clause granting
authority to get into the fight, with
the ultimate idea of declaring for the
open shop. AS the final disposition of
that question must be decided by a
referendum vote Of the membership
its adoption is in doubt.
Despite the rain just about the tine
set for the meeting big crowd was
on hand when the Buckeye Band
marched up shortly after half-past
seven, and wher the parade formed
in front of LabH Hall sevnral thous-
and were on haA,i eady t. show their
loyalty to the ca1se.
After marching around The square,
the people assembled about the
speakers stand AMI the meeting was
called to order by Victor Walk, resi-
dent of the Newark Trades and l.abcr
Assembly, who briefly stated the oh
ject Of the meeting, saying among
other things that the Labor Unions
of the United States we're organic }
for self-protection and advancement,
to guard the hom1 and iireSide to
inculcate the principles Ct loyalts, pa
triotism and true Am eriranisn:, an /
uphold the government al all times.
That this claim was not without
foundation had been proven by the
stand taken by labor during the late
world war. Organized ,ahol was con-
servative at all times and in all places,
this is particularly the case in New
ark, where it is ready to meet and CO.
operate with the employer. But never,
at any time will it recognize the open
shop. Mr.. Walk then introduced
John E. Sullivan
Secretary of the Columbus Federation
of Labor and editor of the Columbus
Federationist who in a mastery
manner outlined the situation giving
some instances of the dire results of
the open shop and the schemes re-
sorted to enforce it and strangle
union conditions. He cited a recent
case in New York city where twenty
seven union workmen were sentenced
to the penitentiary and several con-
| tractors indicted, at the same time,
were let off with nominal fine
| Many of the schemes resorted to by
the higher ups during the war to ad-
vance their own financial interests,
tended to discredit lab)' before the
eye of the public. In Columbus, for
instance, in the freight house, one
foreman was in charge lder private
ownership, at a salary of 5000 a
month; but when the government
took control four men at S240 a
month, were necessary 10 handle the
job, and the working force was re-
duced by laying off ten men who were
paid 62 cents an hour Thus labor
got the credit of being slackers he
cause of less work at greatly in
creased cost. The dollaI-a-year
patriots were also scored. These men
who were serving the government for