The Washington herald., 1921-04-19
GARY ISSUES CALL
TO COLORS AGAINST
CLOSED SHOP RULE
Steel Head Urges Federal
Control and Regula-
ton of Unions.
FORSEES DISASTER
Labor, If Not Checked, Would
Gain Control of Govern
ment, He Says.
FORSEES DISASTER

NEW YORK, April 1s.-The open
shop movement came out into the
open in Hoboken today in a frank
speech by Judge E. II. Gary, chair
man of the United States Steel Cor
poration. to the annual stockhold-
ers' meeting, urging the govern
ment control and regulation OF
labor unions.
Coming from the commander Of
the last great stronghold of the
open shop in the United states.
which has successfully resisted all
efforts of labor organizations to OBJ
tain voice in it's negotiations with
labor, the Gary speech was re-
garded in financial and Industrial
circles as a call to the colors
against the closed shop.
II successful in their contem-
plated progress, labor unions would
gain control of the shops, then a
general management of business,
then of capital and ultimately Of
the very government, Judge Gary
declared, preliminary to urging
laws to control all economic organ
izations Exceeding specified mem
berships o. specified amounts OF
capital Capital, he said. should be
placed, under similar restrictions.
THE natural effects of labor
unions are expressed by inefficiency
and high costs" said Judge Gary
preparing his case. land in the end
the general public must pay for
extortionate, unnecessary and un-
reasonable costs of production. The
public is primarily and fundamen-
tally Interested in the existence and
conduct OF labor unions"
Disaster In End.
The ends to which the efforts ot
labor unions tend mean destruction
and disaster, Judge Gary continued
Often they seek to control pol
itics and openly as a body advocate
the election or defeat Of even a
President" he continued. They .op-
pose or favor divers kinds of legis-
lation. They would regret police
departments. Worse than every.
thing else they would dominate
the Supreme Court OF the United
States, our citadel OF defense to
person and property-to civilization
itself. This attitude strikes at the
very foundation of our great re.
public.
Possibly there is a solution Of
or an antidote to the labor unioT
problem. I do not believe in sociar
ism In government management ol
operation but do advocate pub
licity, regulation and reasonable
control through government agen
cies. Members of commissions oI
departments should be nom partisan
"Laws-clear, well defined. prac
ticable-covering these natter
might be passed, and IL so. shoulc
| apply to all economic organizations
groups or bodies exceeding certain
specified numbers or amounts. Botl
organized labor and capital shoult
be placed under these laws. eacl
entitled to the same protection an
| subject to the same restriction
and provisions. Labor union lead
ers heretofore have asked and re
ceived discriminatory exemptions
That Is wrong. 1t would be just a.
! bad II the situation were reversed
Will labor unions consent to this
Heretofore they have objected. Her
would be a test.
Gary declared security holders o
corporations must be recognized a
entitled to WELD control. AS to tn,
12-hour day. Gary said. the ofiicials
! after much consideration Of tn
problem OF how to reduce to work
ing day had been unable as yet t
reach a conclusion because. chiefly
of the workmen's insistence on lon,
hours for the sake of increased in
| come.