The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-22
FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE

n IlNDhMfN1hI ISSUE
The Muskogca chaWbor Of commerce has
Just taken very unusual action. II submitted 10
ltr entire mcmbcrship sct Of resolutions which
ln substance affirm tho right ot ono man 70
quit job nnd tho equal right Of another 90
accept that job both Of them deserving the pro-
tcctlon ot government In tho exercise Of such
right The resolutions were adopted by a vote
Of $40 TO ~.
II IL significant that union leaders at Murko-
gee appeared before the chamber and bitterly
attacked It for adopting the resolutions, for
even prosuming 20 express nm opinion In CON
trovcr-y that IS purely between the railroads
and thcir employees. Tho opinion was expressed
hy one ot those spokcsmcn Tor organized labor
that "the public had no right 10 interfere ir
the controversy" while another complained
that "thc chamber hod gone on record as "a
yorlng the opon shop"
This last argument deserves moro than pass
Ing notice President Harding a fcw days since
declared that lahor's right 70 quit work was
equal TO and In no aousc greater than labora
right TO accept employment. In other words
that while the organized men could not be Coz
creed to work. neither could other men DO
coercod In way that prevented them from
working II seems amazing that such doctrine
should be disputed or that organized labor
should declare the onuncaton u such doc
triuc declaration In favor Of the open shop,
In sense. OF course tho constitution Of the
United states Is Itself declaration In favor Of
tho open shop. for its guarantees to American
citizens are a trumpct-tonRued declaration OF the
principle cnuuciated by the president. There
cnn bc no dispute of the fact that tho same
law which guarantees ono set OF men the right
to quit work when and whore they please must
unqucstlonably guarantee another set Of mon
tho right to accept employment where and
when they please; and tho obligation rests on
organized government to protect both sets Of
men in tho exercise Of their rights.
The contention VI organized pbor that It
may not only quit employment but that It may
prevent other men from accepting employment
nt tho work II has abandoned. can never re-
coive major approval in this republic II the
reply s. and such reply has been frequently
made that not otherwise can organized labor
succeed, then the answer is dat It does not de-
serve TO succeed. Because that argument and that
policy carried to its logical ultimate justfles
sabotage arson and the destruction OF prop
crty In the most ntrocous manner Nor does
It stop there, It can also be used quite logically
by tho robber and the hlghwayman to Justify
their objective without invading the rights OF
their fellows and violating the law.
Organized labor has a splendid field for fer
tile expansion, but It avail Itself of It's OPP
portunltcs only by making merit it's objective
and abandoning It's coercve policy and its prac-
tees Of terrorism. It's proper objectives may he
attained by deserving to attain them. No
commodity be forced upon the public, yet
the opportunity constantly exists for any com
modify Of a superior quality to crowd all others
out OF the market. It is coercion and repres-
sion that is gnawIng ot the very vltals OF union
ism, Just as It Is coercion and repression that
is making various other organized movements
unpopular with the public.
TN voting TO sustain this fundamental doc
! trinc, tho Muskogec chamber of commerce acted
! courngcously In contributing TO tho settlement
! Of a great issue but IN strange contrast 20 the
| nabby hosltnncy which usually ohsesses cham
! hcrs Of commerce when a decision OF this char
| actcr Is demanded.