Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-03

their principles. their standards OF
living and their organizations
hat Is known "a labor unrcs,
today Is the natural result OF a
deNnii" set or aggravatiug causes.
every ONO OF which Is rooted either
in greed for money greed for
power. When the armistice was
signed. certain employers ,hour nj
they saw The way clear TO a re-
establishment % complc," autocratlc
control OF Industry and they SO,
abou; Il Win dclibcratlon and with
tAoroushncsS !, bring about that re.
establishment.
\ campaign of Rrnrtinn.
SD"c!h. ORGANIZATIONS FOR the pro-
motion ~ what is called the open
shop" were created throughout the
country. ORGANIZATIONS already in
cH!stcnc" We're linked together and
committed 10 the campaign for IN
Gustrlai aUtocracy. Chambers Of com
m"Tce, which are not At al! indus
tial organizations. but which are
powerful business and financial or
Eanizatons. wcr" asked 20 go on
record and to join tho nght This
many Of them did under tho loader
ship OF the. Unlted States Chamber
OF Commerce. although many OF them
.sh'' H.3l'F Il"'4 lHelE ADVISED
rcact!onary declarations
ORGANIZATIONS. known as Asso-
c!a;ed Industries. have been formed
In most Industrial ccntcrs and have
Statewide orGaulzations IN many
states. An outstanding example o.
thcs" orEa nizations Is Associated In
Gustr!cs or Indianapolis. which has
been most militant In tho fight TO
destroy the trad" unions.
Among national organizations
whi.A have soUght 70 propagate the
aUtoc!a;!c !dcn In industry. par,!cu-
iarly IN these las, few years, is
INC Sat!ona! Industrial Conference
Board, whose chief executive oificcr.
MaEnus Alexander, Is admirably
httcd TO guido tho destinies Of AN or
ranizat!on which has au,ocracy as
us gon And democracy as its In
tended victim.
During this frenzy OF orGan!sa-
tion among reac,lorary employers
tho old-tiTe open shop. antinnion
organizations. such as the National
Association o! Manufacturers and tho
Naiiona! Er"ctors' Association. have
soHEh; 10 revive their somewhat do
nl"tcd membership. As matter o,
fact. The National Association OF
manufacturers has reSor,ed 10 typl-
"a! book-agent methods TO secure
members. many o: whom have no
interest a; all in tho struggle to de-
stroy labor organizations.
Wnnt"n breach of Agreement.
Another important, factor in the
situation has been tho wanton
breach Of agreement on tho mart n,
great organizations OF EMPLOYERS
Tho conduct OF certain ORGANIZATIONS
OF employers has been exactly paral-
10! 70 the conduct OF tho /. w. w.
which docs not believe In the observ-
ancc o: agreements between employ
erS and workers
There have hoen half DOZEN no,a-
Mo examples OF breach OF agreement
or contract by great organizations OF
employers within tho past twelve
months. Two outstanding cases arc
those in tho coal Industry and in the
printing industry between tho TWO
graphical Union and the employing
printers concerning the fortv-tour-
hour week. In both OF these cases
tho employers paid no more heed to
thcir solemn agreements than ~
those agreements had never existed.
why the Miners Quit.
In tho case OF the miners. p sec
tion in the contract between the
employers and the work ers provided
that prior TO the expiration of tho
contract there should TO conferences
Tor tho negotiation OF new CON
tract. The organized mine owners
ignored this stipulation and refused
% cutter into negotiation for the maxi
ing ~ a new agreement, thus leaving
the mine workers at tho expiration
al tn" old contract without any
terms Of employment and as "a con-
sequence. they ceased work.
In tho printing industry the or
EaniZ"d employers had agreed that
on given date the industry should
go on a forty four -hour-weck basis.
When tn" time arrived for making
this provision effective tho employ
crs rcrudiated their agreement. and
oven went so far as 10 deny that
there had boon any such agreement
definitely reached. In May. 1921.
nearly 10000 printers ceased work,
At this time nearly 5000 still arc
conicndinG. tho remainder having Sc
cured the forty-four hour week.
Wage Cut Of ~ Fer Cent.
In the textile industry OF New
England employers goaded the
workers until resistance was tho
only course consistent with man.
hood. About n year and n half ago
there was a general wage reduction
Of % per cent. This tho workers
accepted. Five months ago another
reduction. this time OF 90 per cent, !
was proposed, and the workers, after
falling to secure conferences with
tho EMPLOYERS refused m coptiouo a,