The labor world., 1922-01-21

zation to bring about open shop con-
ditions: Under the able leadership
of E. D. davidson, man Of rare
grit and determination, it made Won
derfIl progress. 1t is the deliber-
ate judgment of tht writer that,
considering, the obstacles it had to
overcome, st. Paul has smade a
greater relative advance in the past
year toward the open shop goal than
any otEer. city in the country.
LAS an evidence Of its accomplish :
ments it may be mentioned that in
a bulletin sent ouv few days ago
by the Manufacturers Association of
the. United States, giving tabulated
statement of the amount of building
| done during the past year, In 80 or
40 of the leading titles of the coun-
| try, st. Paul has placed we'll toward
| the top.
Harris Is Militant.
"How have such results been ac-
| complished in such a short time :?
Not by getting a few hundred men
| to sign the constitution and by
laws, pay their annual dues, and
then leave the rest to luck and
chance, but by every man getting
on the firing line and fighting for
the open shop. in season and out
Of season. Not by being gun shy of
the unions and having heart failure
over the prospect Of loss Of union
trade, but by going straight after the
thing they started to get, the open
shop. Not by saying, Il believe in
the open shop, but I am NEUTRAL"
not by declaring, II am in favor
of the open shop, but I don't think
it is good policy for me to take a
stand" but by boldly proclaiming,
II believe the open shop is the best
thing for this community and I am
going to stand for it no matter what
happens"
''That is the way business men
would go after a new railroad, a
new industry. new waterway to the
sea, or any other project of benefit
to the community, and that is the
way to get the open shop. If it is
worth going after at all, it is worth
going after hard.
1t Is His Religion.
"Most of the business men of Du-
luth know what the character and
reputation of the business men of
Minneapolis and st. Paul is for in
telligence, shrewdness and thrift.
The business men eOf those cities
have formed open shop organiza-
tions and are raising and expending
from $4,000 to 10000 a year to
bring open shop conditions about.
Do you think they are throwing
their money away, or that they
know what they are about? They
believe that the cities which estab-
llsh open shop conditions will grow
and producer and that those that do
not will lag behind. They believe
that the way to get the open shop
is for every man who believes in
the open shop to talk open shop,
practice open shop and fight for the
open shop.
Duluth business men have estab-
lished an open shop organization and
it is to be presumed, therefore, that
they realize the advantages that will
come from open shop conditions. But
are they going about it in the same
Whole-hearted, enthusiastic way that
the business men Of Minneapolis
and st. Paul are? Unfortunately, the
answer is that there is not the same
degree of activity, courage, or deter
mination, upon the part of the busi-
ness of this community that there
is in those cities.
Who are They?
There are some bold, COURAGEOUS.
determined spirits among the busi-
ness men of Duluth who realize what
the attainment Of open shop condi-
tlons means to the city, and who
are outspoken and uncompromising
in their attitude on this question,
but there is, as yet, too much of
caution, too much of timidity, too
much of fear among the rank of
business men, and this applies to
| many who have joined the organiza-
tion as we'll as to those who have
| not.
ASK these same men how thew
stand on the proposition of obtain
Ing new union depot, Improvement
of dock facilities, the betterment of
| transportation or terminal condi-
tions, and they will greet you with
shouts of enthusiastic approval. But