The Connecticut labor news., 1922-02-24
Trade UniOnism Imper- fled by Masked Alt tacks, Is View of Father Spalding in nOuncing U II f a i r Methods.


 This question is asked by Rev. Henry $. Spalding, $. J., editor of The Queens Work, widely circulated Catholic paper and answered in the affirmative
 Just as democracy IS on trial in the western hemisphere, and humanity is awaiting its success with bated breath" " SO, too. says Father Spalding, IS labor unionsrn on trial here, and toilers ''n every part of the world look with an- Nious minds to its failures or triumphs. "
 Labors struggles for recognition are just as important and far-reaching as this nations carly struggles for politi- cal liberty, Father Spalding believes, for if labor unions fail here that fail ure will seal their doc min other lands and centuries yet to come. c
 The peril that confronts unions,
 says Father Spalding, "cOmes from
 united and concentrated forces
 which will test to their utmost the
 power and the right of the work
 inenen to organize" He adds:
 Agencies of Capital Busy.
 'These forces are made up of agencies of capitalism, forces so numerous so widespread in their influence, so deter mined to crush labor unions that their very existence is threatened. The peril which threatens organized labor IS not of minor nature It Is not only seri- ous, but 1t touches the very life of the organizations. We are face to face with the momentous question: Shall labor unions exist iii the United States?
 Capitalists may deny and have de- nied any intention of destroying unions ; and labor leaders may not be able to point out every source of danger or rnravcl every plot of their enemies, but they are well aware that the danger has come.
 Pew capitalists are as bold as Judge Gary, who frankly states that he is op- posed to labor unions but numbers of capitalists are willing to join with the steel company and combat the unions. For this purpose they are using the il- 
 The open shop movement has
 become snare and a deceit and IS
 used as term for misforming or
 satisfying the general public, while
 i'll reality 1t Is the means of exter-
 mnating union labor.
 Union-Breaking Is Object.
 While l am not submitting the evil dence for the statements contained herein, 1 am not making the charges without proof to back them up in case they should be denied 1 do claim that there IS a concerted action of capital istic agencies banded together to de- stroy unionism in the United States and that this is being effected under the cloak of the open shop
 This so-called open shop policy Is strengthened by a nationwide system of propaganda. Do not imagine that this is a policy of yesterday or today. While no one may be able to put his finger on the exact date of its origin, it Is sufficient to recall that the Open Shop Review,'> published monthly in Chicago and representing the policies of two powerful employers organizations, IS rounding out its twentieth volume. No one can read the columns of this review without reaching the conclusion that the founders of the publication have at heart the gradual lessening of the power of unionized labor and its final disso- lution.
 'In reporting the breaking down of and its powers in railroads and other industries the daily press makes no apology for and offers no re- grets for the introduction of the open shop"