Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-01-28
oLANDER EXPLAINS
WHY UNloNI5Ts OPPOSE
"eHOP COMMITTEE" PLAN

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Rotary Treasurer OF the Illinois State
Federation, in reply to a letter from
Mr.. r. h. Williams. Superintendent,
OF the Lamont Consolidated Schools,
or Lamont. Iowa. who wrote Secretary
olander for information on the sub
ject of Industrial Councils" or Shop
Committee Plan of Organizations:
1T is rather difficult for me 10 un-
dertake an answer TO your letter OF
January 3rd, for the reason that there
is no general definition which can be
given TO the so-called Industrial
Council or shop Committee Plan
which Is being advocated by some of
the large employing groups OF this
country, except that the scheme con-
sists of rather peculiar mixture OF
the Industrial philosophy preached by
the !. W. w. and the so-ealled open
shop theory, az advocated by the
United States Chamber OF Commerce
In effect, II Ia the application OF the
One big union theory. altered In such
fashion az TO place the organization
under the control OF shop foreman and
superintendenfs, who will I'm turn re-
main under the control of the higher
employing officials. The |. w. w.
advocates the organization of work
ers In such a manner as to place many
groups or trades in one general organ
ization and subject to one general
system of control. The so-called In
dustrial Council or Shop Committee
Plan as advocated by employers rep
resentatives. proposes similar organ
ization of the workers. In this respect
the two schemes are identical The
I. w. w. plan il to refuse recognition
to any organization of employers with
the ultimate object of eliminating the
employer entirely. The so-called
open Shop Plan" OF the United
States Chamber OF Commerce, Is to
refuse recognition to the trade unions
with the ultimate object OF eliminat-
ing those unions. In the process OF
attaining Its purpose. the |. w. w.
states II will deal only with the In
dividual employer without any organ
ixation agreement, and reserving to
itself the right to change wages and
conditions OF employment at any time
II sees At to do so. The United States
Chamber of Commerce plan provides
for similar tactics in that II calls upon
employers to refuse to recognize trade
unions and insists that employers
should reserve to themselves the ex-
elusive right to determine wages and
working conditions and to make such
changes az they see fit at whatever
time they choose. The so.called In
dustrial Council scheme, or Shop
Committee Plan and the alleged open
shop proposals. are so similar to each
other that II is difficult to tell them
apart. There Is this difference, how
ever. that the former pretends to al.
low some form of organization among
the workers. while the latter does not
indulge In this hypocrisy. 1t is true
that there are high priests OF the
so-called open shop. policy who say.
that 1t does not deny the right of or.
ganization among the workers These
gentlemen are. Of course. as hypocriti-
cal as any that may be found among
the advocates OF the so-called Indus.
trial Council scheme. But the open
shop policy itself. az distinct from
those who seek to mislead the public
In Its advocacy, gives its meaning
plainly wherever II Is in force, and
does not even pretend to allow the ex-
istence OF organization among the
working people. You can take your
choice between the two without any
fear that after having accepted one.
you might then want the other. Both
are based upon denial of the right
OF the workers 10 Join In voluntary
associations under their own control
for the purpose Of acting collectively
In an effort to secure improved work.
ing and living conditions for them.
selves and their families, and thus to
improve the general standards of the
community.
"The titles Industrial Council or
Shop Committee Plan seem to imply
some recognition of the right OF the
working people to have a voice in the
determination of wages and working
conditions. Even a casual examination
of the schemes. however, Is sufficient
to expose their hypocrisy Both In
volye the proposition that no one will
be permitted to hold a seat In the 40.
called industrial Council nor will any
person be permitted to act on any
Shop Committee whose Job Is not
under control OF the employer. The
employer reserves the right to detail
any one of his group to give special
attention to the problems which are
to be considered. He reserves the
right to meet with his group when and
wherever he pleases, without interfer-
ence on the part OF the workers, and
to hire such experts as be feels he
needs. He denies all those rights TO
the workers. He holds that they may
not be represented by any one whose
Job Is not subject to his control: that
they may not detail men and women
from their own number to devote their
time In special study OF the problems
concerning them; he denies their
right to meet outside OF the shop: he
insists that they must not hire ex-
perts to advise them. In other words
the scheme involves the most auto
cratic form ofcontrol by the employer
under very slim pretense that the
working people are to be permitted TO
have some say in the matter.
THE name. Shop Committee is be.
Ing used by the advocates OF this
scheme 70 mislead the public into
belief that II Is based upon the trade
union practice of appointing shop
committees or shop representatives
who are responsible to the workers
organization and Who hova ~ th.g.