The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-12-31
E,r,o,nl, sthe Cleveland Post,

~: From the Cleveland Pos, II. 81 Z
Ohio has become 81 main ia tile
ground Of the open shop war, new
being waged in various industrieSab by
employers associations throughout
the land. E%" ~ q i & sss,5 Ssss:
Fifty thousand Ohio workers have.
been involved this year in struggles,
in which the open shop has been an
issue. + ! "A '.,>.s Il. ID s.s. ,s
Open shop strikes or lockouts now.
IN progress in Ohio affect the follow
ing crafts: Job printing trades in
every large city in the State, the.
milk drivers and patternmakers in
Cleveland, the electrical workers sin
Toledo, building trades: In !. Toledo,
building trades in Youngstown and.
Elyria,, nlolders in Alliance and Mas
sillion, street railway workers In
Dayton. Erie Railroad shop workers
in Marion.. ,enginemen in Nelsonville
brick plants. Attempts earlier in
the year were madt to force the
open shop, with partial success in
various crafts in Cincinnati. Ports
mouth and Springfield. st. "a. -
A manor woman, not a member
of a union. IS likely to- say, "Well,
:what about it? What do I care
about the. unions? It went make
any difference. to me if the unions
are smashed" ~
" But it will make a difference to
you. 1t will make Il difference to
all of us. IT. the open shop tri-
umphs generally, followed as even
tually it must be by reductions in
wages and increases in working
hours. the prosperity Of the entire
community will he affected. -
The merchant will suffer because
low wages can't buy as often or. as
much as. high wages. -. +@'
| The money shortage will operate
ell along the line until it hits the
professional man, none harder than
the DOCTOR. the dentist; the lawyer. 7
The unOrganized worker, whether
in shop or office, suffers because it
is impossible to injure one part OF
the economic body without affecting
the body as a whole.
We are of two grt ups. We Am err
:cans-these who can live without
| working and those who can't. All
of the latter group Will be affected
by the success or failure of the open
shop movement and good many of
the former group, whether they re-
alize it now or not.
:. Hence the open shop movement
bec>mes something more than a dis
pute between corpora tons and
unions. 1t is a matter of vast pub
lie concern, n1eriting the sober, ana
]ytical attention. of every believer
in fair play and the maintenance of
American standards.
The open shop almost always
means the closed s;,op-closed to
all men who believe that in union
there is strength and that only, by.
organizing. as their employers are
organized, can they obtain and MAIN
tain recognitionsof their rights.
There are employers who say they
want the open shop merely because
they dislike to deal with the unions.
They say they are for high, wages
and good working Conditions. Doubt.
less many Of these men are sincere,
and indeed there are today in Ohio
factories in which union and non
union men work side by side at A
wage rate and under conditions
compatible with the union Standards
But. the employer hasn't always the
full say: He is subject to circum-
stances and the conditions of COM
petition. Standing: together, work.
ers can resist unfairness. Fighting
e-handedly, which is the only
kind Of fighting trey can. do under
the open shop, they can accomplish
nothing. For instance. under the
open shop there IS nothing to- pre-
vent an employer from taking adj
vantage of the present widesprea d
unemployment, driving bargains
with hungry men-indiyidua1ly,n not
collectively, playing off one man
against another, whipping them one
at time. Let but one EMPLOYER in
an industry adopt this policy and all
o41er employees = that industry
would be compelled TO follow suit:
They would have to or competition
would put them out Of business.
1t is an undeniaDlotfact that under
the open shop an employer CAN re-
duce wages and 4, .nset working con-
ditions and however fair minded md
humane, lie < WILL::dJ this rather
than be put out of business by com.
petition. ,.j@s .z.s ~. ,.:.t-=r
Little of the effect Of the open
shop can, be seen at This stage Of the
war i'll Ohio. NIt Will be years be.
fore the fun crop OF the open shot
sowing will be ripe; but the haryes,
is certain and then fruit will be bit.
! ter. 1sz.. .5s<E.Ss.. ~ -
Collective bargaining goes, BY. the
board under the: open shop: With.
out collective bargaining down &c
wages and up go hours. back to the
dark ages Of industrialism for the
worker. The bosses being organized
and the workers being -unorganized
disorganized really. the bosses Fl,
the workers, pay as they will and
| tell them how many hours: they mus
put lin for it. I 1t is a take it OF
leave it" attitude; with all the aid.
vantage on the side OF the. boss.
If1asthe old days, before men or.
ganized the condition Of the workers
was little better thanSthat of serfs
The .12-heur and IA -lrour worlzda,
was common and the wage paid, wa.
only enough@ to keep body. and sou
tOpAf10er EEnnl1y hxr gfra,oro n 1ot ~, - :