Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-05-05
HOW THE open
SHOPPERS" SPREAD
THEIR PROPAGANDA
tRv RDWARn n pAWSONA

tBy EDWARD 4. pAMSoNl
The sepen Sheps agitation which Isl
being conducted hy employers and
their newspapers in all seetiens u
the United States. i the result Of a
Iearefally prepared scheme u the
most powerful bosses organisation m
the world, the National Association
Iof Manufacturers. Ever since the
end Of the World War. when the
leading employers af the country dc-
cided that they would crush The
American Federation ~ Labor and
all other labor organizations which
+ had hcttered wages and working con-
ditionS. the bosses "nnion" has heen
preparing the national attack.
/ The National Association af Manu-.
/ faeturers is affiliated through its
members with every employers or
/ ganisatien Ia the United States.
/ Through the open shop department
iaf the National Association = ilooi
of propaganda against labor organi.
I satianS Is being sent 10 cities where
labor organizations have become
strong and have checked the bosses
in their ruthless exploitation Of men
and wanten workers.
Although practically all the news.
papers Of the United Stats arr rons
| trolied by the National Association II
Manufacturers through tiwct owner
/ ship or through the powerful inilu-
enee Of advertisers, the epen shop
department uf the Association has
extended lis activities 10 conducting
agitation IN the public schools in
| favor of the "opon shop" and against
all labor organisations.
''rhe Open shop Encyclopedia a
large. well bound book of misinfor.
nation about labor organizations.
was prepared for introduction Ia the
school through debating societies aud
classes in economies. Teachers Nerc
written Ia and urged 10 give the stu
dents an opportunity 20 study labor
conditions with the aid of the "ency.
clopedia,s unsuspecting teachers In
many large cities fell into the trap,
They arranged debates which attract
cd the attention Of the officers Of the
American Federation ef Labor be-
cause of the hostile note aroused by
| the vicious propaganda OF the emf
ployefs' association At the laat CON
vention of the American Federation
| of Labor IL was decided 10 meet the
falsehoods OF the open shop depart.
ment of the National Association of
Manufacturers with educational 1T
efature, explaining 10 school children
the purpose of the labor movement In
the United Statea.
That the purpose OF the "open
shop" movement II 20 cut wages and
| Increase working hours IL seen
throughout the arguments In the
| 'sencsclopedia." but the authors are
careful TO give the impression that
1ihs Btsffpiis esssay .s,s ss aasmnloysa n. Wan
tion Is given Of what VIII happen g
those who are forced out OF work
through resumption os the speed'ng
systems OF sweatshop days.
An example Of the sort Of stuff
that Ii given IN the encyclopaedia 70
school achIldrcn Is the following quo
tation from a chapter entitled Out
put Restfiction:"
III, for example, million coats
are made daily, and the makers I'M
lcreased their product 10 two million
without any additional cost of labor,
the cost of coats would be greatly
cheapened. Hut II carried out. prnc-
tically half the coat makers would be
thrown out Of work, q calamity more
obvious than real, ~ they would be
able 10 find work In other lines while
the coats Of all would be cheaper, In
| clnding their own
No explanation III given how mil
lions of workers are TO find jobs ~
"other lines" II the "open shop"
movement wins out.
A chapter ON "rhe Rights Of indie
pendent Labor" contains statements
| that are amusingly ridiculous 10 those
| In the labor movement, but when
may he believed by inexperienced
school teachers and students. The
chapter opens with this declaration;
"The National Association Of Man
ufacturers Is confident that when the
ptlblic understands the true nature OF
the closed ahop, with its restrictive
ullea. limitations upon efficiency, and
Inherent creation Of distrust and dis-
cord. that the public viii fully sup
port the open shop
Al he conclusion of chapter OF
Misrepresentation comes an article
entitled. "a Scab * a Hero by r.
w. Phelps. editor Of the Pacihc
Coast Mechanic" In this article the
author says.
| |tOf my DWn pafAt VIZ tss' -,
scab's heritage. love the soaps
| freedom, and the courageous lnac-
pendence which imnels him % do his
little do IN his own way. whatever
else may be said Of the seab, be mas
no boss in the offensive meaning OF
the word. There are no shaekles on
him: no debasing binders; no tags,
and no parasitic overlordship 70
make a mere manikin out OF him. ne
rs free 10 come and go, 70 join or not
10 ioin. 10 work or TO play, to do or
not TO do, as his own inclinations, me-
own interests, his own eohsciehes
may suggest, and, IN the sum OF y,
that is liberty, personal hpefly ~ oile
Of It's best and most essential mean
ings."
That Is the sort of poisoned propa-
ganda which has enlisted college men
on the side Of the employers IN scores
OF great strikes. The college youst.ils'
and boys from the High Schools oieeh
are modified for duty IN traeuoh
4 strikes and other clashes by the mas
ters' declaration that they can lhefe-
nv wage a heroic battle for the pun
Il lic.1 The strikebreaker and the seaD %
are pictured as heroes and made the
il LOCAL OFFlCEl
I'll rl,o,.a ur;ll ha a meetll