The labor world., 1922-01-21

by soft pedalling, but because they
go after it hammer and tongs.
1T was in this way Minneapolis
got the open shop. Years ago, her
business men We're wise enough to
see that the only way she could be-
come city, great in industry, great
in population. was by supplying the
conditions under which manufa ctur-
ers could thrive and prosper. They
were also wise enough to see that
open shop conditions We're the ones
that would attract new industries.
Discloscs Secret.
Having come to this determination
her business men in characteristic,
Minneapolis fashion. went out after
the open shop and &C it. They did
not set it by becoming deadheads
in the enterprise and leaving it to
q few official heads Of the organi-
zation to put the open shop progra m
over. The membership talks open
shop, eats open shop and practices
open shop, and the head of the or
ganization, O. p. Briggs, boasts that
there are 20 to 25 leading business
men Of the city, bankers, manufac-
turers, realtors and merchants, who
WILL at his call, leave a banquet, an
opera, a theater performance, or a
wedding, to consult and advise con-
Cerning any matter of pressing i'm
portance to. the open shop move
ment.
Neither did Minneapolis business
in XxyI,i ,isyon jYoCr
groups, in some back room, and de-
termine to put the open shop over.
silently and secretly. They are out in
the open fighting for the open shop.
proclaiming for the open shop and
saying they don't care who knows it.
You can't make a Minneapolis mans
eyelids flutter, his face turn pale
with fear, or give him palpitation of
the heart, by asking him in crowd
whether he favors the open shop or
not. He isn't afraid that his answer
might be reported to the business
agent of the cooks and walters I'M
ion, or the walking delegate Of the
painters union, for he isn't afraid
Of his pickets and he isn't afraid of
boycotts.
Trustees Now Rul That Store.
THE average Minneapolis business
man has no more fear Of a picket
gang or a boycott, than he has from
the effects Of the firing of toy
pistol. Theaters, butcher shops, res
taurants and retail stores in Min
neapolis have been picketed and boy
cotted for months at q time, with
the only result, in most cases, that
their trade has increased. One of
the largest department stores in the
city was banored and picketed for
more than a. year, and during the
period increased its sales from 20
to 25 per cent.
Minneapolis business men had a
vision that the open shop would
make that city what it is today, the
greatest manufa curing center in,
and the metropolis of the northwest
They said, if the open shop will do
this, we want it, and we want it
quick. Their lankers did not hesi-
tate, because they might lose a few
deposits; their realtors did not fall
ter because they might lose the sale
of a few lots; their merchants did
NV >lIiA'IOlS wv lllC AOSS VI u Lew
dollars in trade. They said We will
gladly exchange the dimes we may
lose in supporting the open shop for
the dollars that will come from the
increased growth in population and
business by establishing the open
shop.
"They did what all wise, cour-
ageous, determined, successful men
have always done, looked the sit
uation squarely in the eye, decided
what was the right thing, what was
the best thing, what was the big
thing to do, and then. contemptuous
of all obstacles, forgetful Of all fear,
mindful only of the goal to be
reached, went straight to their OBJ
jective. <
Open Shop in st. Paul.
st. Paul is also showing that the
only way to get the open shop is
through organization and 4 spirit of
activity, courage and determination
on the part of it's business men. With
the exception of Sa Francisco, Chi
cago and a few others like them, St.
Paul was one Of the most ridden
union cities in the country. In
March. 1920, it's business men
formed a citizens alliance organi-