The Connecticut labor news., 1922-03-24
MANIPULATION OF FIGURES BY ORGAN
OF EMPLOYERS TO FAVOR "OPEN SHOP"
PROPAGANDA IS SHOWN UP BY DONLIl
By John DONLIN

1reSldcnt, BulldlnS radeS Depart
mcnt, American Federation of Labor.
international Labor News Service.
A particularly vicious example of
the manipulation of statistics in the
propaganda for the so-called open
shop" appears in the February issue
of American Industries and is receiv-
ing circulation in the building trades
through organs that should know
better.
Noel Sargent, manager of the Open
Shop Department of the National
Association of Manufacturers is the
author. l believe that any person
familiar with the building industry
will rcpudiate his figures.
For years labor has been suspicious
Of statistics freely quoted as proof
that union organization is contrary to
the best interests of the country. The
statistical method should be a means
Of preserving truth, but its peryer-
sions by propagandists of the Sar-
distrust by labor of all scientific
methods. This is unfortunate.
Mr.. Sargent's figures do not in any
particular support his contention that
Figures and facts show that there
is o. per cent. more accomplished
where the construction industry is
not closed to independents; unem-
ployment is 126 per cent. greater in
closed towns"
Mr.. Sargents method is to select
IS "open shop" cities in the United
States and compare them with IS
"closed shop" cities in the United
States from the standpoint of build
ing activity. He then compares the
activity in the building trades with
general unemployment
The cities which he lists as open
shop" are: Los Angeles, Oklahoma
City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Detroit,
Atlanta, Milwaukee, Richmond, San
Antonio, Grand Rapids, Seattle, Du
luth, Salt Lake City, Spokane, Akron,
The "closed shop" cities listed by
him are: Cleveland, Indianapolis,
Newark, Kansas City, Mo, Chicago,
Cincinnati, Dayton, Pittsburgh, SYRIA
cuse. Louisville, New Orleans, Provi-
dence, St. Louis, Scranton, Butte.
lection. Everybody knows that the
unemployment area of the United
States lies in that industrial center
which is east of line running down
Lake Michigan, to the Missippi,
and down the river to Tennessee. 1t
includes Kentucky, West Virginia and
all the states north of them.
Mr.. Sargent picks II of his IS
"closed shop" cities from the unem-
ployment area. He picks only three
cities from the unemployment area
for his open shop" group. The aver
age unemployment in relation to
population in the Middle Atlantic
States is 81 per cent. Sargent avoids
these states in picking his open
shop" cities, but he freely takes
"closed shop" cities from it.
The same dishonest method is ap
piled to the Pacific district, in which
the relation of unemployment to
population is 10 per cent. He Dor
rows freely from this district for his
open shop" group, but not a single
city from the Pacific district is in
cluded in his CLOSED shop" classical
ton.
1t is obvious, therefore, that Mr..
Sargent is in reality comparing the
east with the west from the unem-
ployment standpoint.
Any classification of the cities
which makes any attempt at being
fair will show the dishonesty of Mr..
Sargent's method. 1t is a violation
should not be disseminated in the
building industry. Those who are in
terested in honest building standards
and who appreciate the necessity of
retaining some confidence of en-
ployes in their employers, earnestly
protest against such false propaganda.
Building activity has little relation
to CLOSED" or open" shop. Increase
in population and the resultant need
for housing is the principal factor.
Local conditions largely determine
the degree of building activity. Build
ing is active in Los Angeles because
of the increase of population and be-
cause work can be continued through
out the year. There is no building in
Butte because the city's only industry
has been shut down. Workmen have
left the city and building is at a stand
still. There is increased building in
New York City because of the pass
age Of the tax exemption law. There
fore the manipulation of figures in the
Sargent manner gives only mathe-
NAUTICAL result which has no meaning
from a practical standpoint and can
only be given a semblance Of form
by vicious distortions.
The committee consists of Judge
7 e,,; d Ar H;cl-Ay cb,;~r,,,. o,,;c