Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-03-03
John P. FREY and OTIS J.
BAER DEBATE "OPEN SHOP"

AHeSe more advanced civilized eoun-
tries were protecting the weaker civ
ilzatons, so the diplomats used the
term and the more civilized countries
acquired absolute control over the
destinies of people less civilized and
exploited them for their own use.
Then, there was that ether nice
sounding term-Assimilation
a stronger people reached over and
grabbed a weaker people. This was
done under the term of benevolent as
similation.
We know something about the
term industrial democracy. Public
speakers use it, press and magazines
use II and we get something in our
minds of what the term signifies. But
the term Is used to express some very
| different conditions.
The Car of Russia used the term
industrial democracy for that form
of absoluteness-denial of personal
freedom. In fact, for all his entire
program in Russia he has used the
term industrial democracy. Those on
the continent of Europe and a few
in this country advocate nationaliza-
of natural resources, etc, by the term
of industrial democracy. Trades
union movement uses the term to de-
note that condition where labor has
voice, so here is the same term
used by it. Denial at one extreme;
expressing Woodrow Wilson at the
other extreme-meaning entirely diff
ferent things.
So it is perhaps with this open
shop. The term is a modern term.
1t only came into use the last fifteen
years, but the condition to which it
refers is very ancient one. In fact,
the best known open shop of ancient
times which. Il have been able TO learn
anything authentic about was the
gentlemen who was the owner of the
national brickyards of Egypt-also
happened to be the ruler of the land.
If you will turn TO the fifth chapter
of Exodus when you get in your easy
chair after dinner tonight, you will
find there an open shop incident.
Here were the Israelites, unskilled
men apparently and mostly employed
in making bricks, and their terms of
employment were unsatisfactory and
they formed a union; they formed a
national organization and were able
to hold delegate meetings. We know
they must have done something of
that kind because they were able to
formulate their differences and then
they did just as we do at the present
time-they appointed committee
and instructed them to see the gen
/ efaf manager OF the national Egyp-
tian brick yards. So Moses, as chair
man, and Aaron as one assistant on
the committee went to see the gen.
eral manager and you will find he
told them he wouldn't listen to them,
Instead of listening to the COM
plant, we are told, he hardened his
heart.
This is the original open shop that
| know of.
. The open shop condition is one that
has always existed in the beginning
of most industries. In fact, when
the British workmen first began to
discover the necessity of conserva-
tive action for their self protection,
they Immediately ran into an open
shop movement although at that time
it translated itself into parliamentary
activities. In the time of Edward
III the employers had prevailed upon
congress or upon parliament to en-
act what is called the Statute of La
bors, which rade it penal offense
for two or more workmen to COM
bine together for the purpose of en-
deavoring to secure higher wages or
any other improved condition of en-
ployment. The penalty of the Inv
was sometimes having the nose cut
off or sometimes having ears chop
ped off, and other punishments of
that nature were frequent in those
early days.
From athe time of Edward ii until
1924, it was contrary to law, it was
a lawless act, for workmen to COM
bine together to improve their con-
dition, and incidentally, / should call
your attention to the fact that if the
English workmen had not been
breakers of the law, if they had not
refused to obey the law, there never
would have been a trade union move
ment; they never would have been
able to organize their forces and edu-
cate the public and make it possible
to secure the repeal of all of the con-
spiracy of the Legislature baseu upon
the original Statute of Labor under
Edward ii.
So, in England, for many centuries
the open shop movement was one
that had not only the sanction of
Parliament and the board, but in adj
dition was one which was pressing so
far as the statutes were concerned,
to the employers, because it made 1t
contrary to law TO belong to union.
Now, | am quite familiar with the
thought which some Americans hold
that the open shop is really a shop
where a man can work without him
drance, without prejudice, whether or
not he is a member of a union; a
shop where no man needs to be a
member of a union to secure em-
ployment; a shop where justice is
guaranteed to him if he is not a
member of the union. That is the
theoretical open shop as we have 1t
presented to US. | know there is al
ways some difficulty in discussing
inthe question or the term you use.
| want it thoroughly, accurately and
clearly understood, and | don't want
to give you any trade union construc-
ton or Interpretation of the term
"open shop" You would feel | was
prejudiced, so / want to go to the
highest authority | can secure, and
that is the employers themselves, who
favor this kind of a shop.
Last year, your state had the honor
Of entertaining the representatives OF
the State Manufacturers Association,
who met in a national convention IN
Chicago. One of the questions that
they took up there was the open
shop, and ] am going to endeavor to-
define what ! am going TO discuss