Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-01-19
Mr.. BARR'S CHALLENGE
ACCEPTED
BY SAMUEL GoNrERS

Regrettluv the vicious ard iutoley-
ant tone Of the demand q William H.
Barr, President q he National
Founders Association. that congress
determine what value. II any, the
trade unions are . ire public" and
regrettlug that tie demand comes
from an employers organization that
would Ike - destroy legitimate or
ganizAtions Of labor the Executive
Council OF the American Federation
Of Labor nevertheless welcomes an
opportunity to answer the demand in
accordance with iaoor's policy Of urg-
ing the dissemination II al times Of
sound industrial intelligence. The pub
lie is entitled u the facts.
Nothing but good for the cause and
ideals Of trade unionism would result.
IN our opinion. from an investigation
such as that demanded BY the Found
erS' Association If amada BY a COM
petent and unbiased tribunal. En-
ployers' organizations Ike the Found
erS' Association nave for 50 long
fought Industrial investigation that il
Is amazing 10 have them come into
the open with a demand for such am
investigation, and although there is a
tendency on labor's part 20 regard the
demand as purely rhetorical utter
ance intended only for propaganda
purposes and not backed up by an
honest desire to 20 through with the
program 10 final conclusion. never
theleSs, we accept the challenge.
II does not necessarily follow that
political body such a congress is
best qualified to make the investiga-
ton. Perhaps the Founders may wish
tod reconsider that suggestion in view
of the recent elections, because con-
gress in all likelihood after March 4
will be biased in favor of industrial
progress. Various church organiza.
tons have made such Investigations
independently and have invariably re.
turned in favor of labor organizations
and have not heSitated TO denounee IN
unmeasured terms the labor policies
and industrial programs of individual
corporations which are dominant in
such employers organizations as Ire
National, Founders Association. Ii
is difficult to find intelligent groups,
or even individuals. who think and
talk as does Mr.. Barr about trade
unions. Mr.. Bars vitriolie rhetoric
is similar in style and content to the
attarks of bolshevists and anarchists
upon the American Federation of
Labor, Amy such regulation Of in
dustry or government for the benefit
of the mass of the people is repug-
nant TO anarchists and reactionarieS
of both the Lenine-frotSky and the
Barr type. The future of trade UNI
hsaa az
employers in the interests of stabil-
lied industry and efficient production.
Most employers recognize this. A
few anarchistic-m minded individuals
like Barr refuse to cooperate since il
involves some recognition of human
rights and the delegation of respon-
sibility in line with democratic prin-
ciples instead of pefpetuation of
archaic Industrial autoeraey.
1t will not be forgotten that the
Mulhall investigation brought out
facts about the campaign of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
against the organizations of Labor;
and it may be said now that any
searching inquiry will reveal today
the same unifcation of powerful in-
terests against the workers that was
shown in that notorious investigation.
In accepting the challenge we con-
tend that in all fairness the same in
vestigation should cover employers
organizations and their activities, and
we therefore submit certain questions
for consideration; not as means Of
discrediting legitimate organizations
but in order TO focus all the light of
hnt ~
upon the integrity of American in
dustry.
Mr.. Bars questions are repeated
here, with comment for purposes of
Qualification, followed by series of
similar questions for use in similar
investigation of employers organiza-
tons to determine which of the two
is working for the public good.
Barr asks:
What value are they (the unions
to the members; who are the chief
benefciaries of unionism, and show by
comparison the average financial
standing of the union worker In a Civ
en- district as compared with the free
American plan worker?
"a fair subject for investigation.
1t is assumed that the phrase free
American plan worker" is merely an
elaborate designation for a, workman
not affiliated with a trade union.)
We ask:
What value are employers organ
izations to the members? Who are
the chief benefciaries of anti-union
propaganda and how much considera.
ton is devoted to the welfafe-spclal
and economic-of the wage-earner
Rarr asks.