The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-01-28
HARRIS BUILDS
STRAW man TO !,
HOLD RETAILER

Hull RETAILER
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of the jaunty air OF confidence they
had worn at the beginning, and they
began to resort to the methods all
unions finally adopt, when they can
not win a strike on the merits of
their Misunderstanding, assaults,
intimidation and threats.
The plants of the employers were
picketed; their workmen were
bounded and followed, on the streets
and to their homes; in some cases
their fares were paid to distant
places to- get them away from Du-
luth, and where this would not work,
opprobrious epithets were hurled at
the worknien, both men and women,
and threats of physical violence
were made if they did not quit the
scab shops, and in some cases the
open shop workmen were assaulted
and beaten.
. Wis hFathers Thought.
Notwithstanding that the unions
by there unlawful tactics, induced
many workmen to leave town, by
paying their railroad fares, and
frightened others into quitting by
their threats of violence, the en-
ployers continued to fill their de-
pleted ranks, and by September LIST
the strike was beaten, has remained
beaten ever since, and will stay
beaten for all tise in the future.
When the union printers became
satisfied that they were licked they
forsook the lofty attitude of take
it or leave it, which they had as
sumed at the outset, and began to
write the employers in the spirit
Of 'let's get together" and settle
our differences on wages by arbi7
tration. But the job printers stood
their ground to a man: There was
not single desertion. Their plants
were completely manned by compe-
tent, loyal workmen who had come
to them in the stress Of the strike,
and they very properly refused to-
I enter into any negotiations with the
men who had made demands in the
spring for four hours reduction in
the working week when all other
classes Of WOrkmen, outside the I'M
ions, were accepting drastic reduc-
tons.
What About That Promise?
1t was then, after the union found
that the jig was up, after it found
that the employers could no longer
be cajoled or row-beaten into sur
rendering to any demands the union
might make, that it came forth with
this illumination, threatening to put
these printers and all others out of
business. who dared to support those
who exercised their American right
of conducting their bNiness on any
plan they saw fit. -. =,
This threat upon the part of a few
choice spirits, who run the Trades
Assembly,, and w. E. Towne and a
few others, who run the Typograph-
ical union, to put out of business
all those who support the open shop,
Is a great big bluff, and ia known
by those who put It forth to be a
bluff, and it will fail just. as dis
mally as>the Union has failed during
|
job printers out of business, who
are in a stronger position now than
they ever were.
The reason that boycotts pulled
off by the unions are failures, is
easy to understand. In the first
place less than one-tenth part of
the population belongs to the un-
ions, and in the second place, only
about one-tenth part Of the union
men themselves pay any attention
to a boycott. Like other selfish peo-
pie they buy where they can buy
to the best advantage and not where
a few officials tell them to buy.
Labor VIII Mind 1t, Too.
1t is perfectly legitimate for un-
ion men to throw their trade and
support to those who believe in the
closed shop. But it is just as legi-
innate for those who believe in the
open shop to throw their trade and
support to those who believe in that
policy, and the retail merchants
would do we'll to bear this in mind.
and also to bear in mind that the
nme-tenths of the people. who are
outside of the unions have a much
greater purchasing power than the
members, of those organizations.
This open letter. is a plain, can
did, straightforward bid and invita-
ton from the unions to the retail
merchants of Duluth to ally them
selves with the unions and to aid
the latter in putting the Citizens
Alliance out Of business and in fast
ening the closed shop policy on this
city forever.
In this matter the unions have
taken the initiative. but the Citi-
zens' Alliance accepts the challenge,
and, in our next bulletin we shall
just as pointedly invite the retail
merchants to ally themselves with
the Citizens Alliance and help to
bring about what every leading city
in the country is exerting itself to
the utmost to get-open shop condi-
tons.
RAILROAD PATROLMEN MEET
At the recent convention of the
Brotherhood Of Railroad Patrol
men, held in Chicago, Charles
Z Copeland was reelected grand
president and A. c.. Berndt grand
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