Evening star., 1937-06-20
The Major Issue.


Has the time arrived in this country.
Or is it coming soon, when a man may
work only as member of union? Is
the closed shop principle to apply
throughout industry? This is fast be-
coming the most important question that
the American people must answer.
To deny man the right to say whether
he Will or will not join union in order
to work Is to undermine, if not to DESTROY.
fundamental of freedom in America.
Yet that is the proposition which the
c. l. O. with its vertical unions and its
demand for the CLOSED shop and the
~check-off" system is laying directly be-
fore the people. In closed shop only
those who are members OF union may
be employed. 1t is the antithesis of the
"open shop" where man may be en-
ployed whether he belong to union or
not. Under the CHECK on the en-
ployer deducts from the pay of his en-
ployes the uniors dues and turns them
over to the officials of the union.
II the United States is to become q
closed shop for all who labor for wages
and salary, the rank and file of the work.
ers had better concern themselves with
the management of their unions and
with the leaders of those unions. If the
United States is to become closed shop,
the union leaders will have placed in
their hands more power than was ever
held by any set of rulers in this country
up to this time. This power will pri-
fnarily extend over the workers them
selves. The inalienable rights asserted
In the Declaration of Independence-th
pursuit Of life, liberty and happiness,
presumably in the way desired by each
and every man-will have disappeared.
He will pursue life and happiness as he
Is told to pursue it. The pursuit of lib
erty will have become rather hopeless.
1t is pertinent at this time to ask where
President Roosevelt and his administra-
ton stand on the question of the closed
shop. The G. I. o. and its head, John
l.. Lewis, have enjoyed many favors at
the hands OF the administration They
apparently have had the sympathetic
ear of the President. The administra-
tons failure to denounce illegal sit
down strikes gave encouragement to the
use Of that powerful instrument The
President, by his recent statement that
he saw no reason why written contract
should not be made by the steel COM
panies if they have agreed to terms asked
by the C. I. O.. has taken sides with the
union in the steel strike. It is we'll un-
derstood that the object of the c. I. O.
in fighting for a written contract with
the steel companies is the closed shop;
that If the first contract they obtain
does not grant the closed shop, their
next step, contract or no contract, will be
for the closed shop-if they have to strike
for 1t.
But are contracts to be regarded by
merely one party? Mr.. Lewis recently
telegraphed to local heads OF the Mine
Workers OF America, ordering them
not to mine coal or permit its shipment
to any of the independent steel COM
panies where the c. I. O. is now con-
Quoting strikes. The coal operators
have notified Mr.. Lewis that any such
attempt to prevent shipments of coal
Is in direct violation of the contract
which the United Mine Workers have
with them-and Lewis himself is the
head of the United Mine Workers. II
Mr.. Lewis and his lieutenants are
willing to regard contracts in such a
light, of what use are contracts?
1t seems incredible that Americans
are ready and willing to turn themselves
over to the domination of any group of
men-union leaders or what not. It may
be entirely correct that changed condi-
tions In industry make collective bar
gaining an essential condition of employ
ment. But 1t is another thing to compel
all the workers to join one union for the
purpose OF collective bargaining There
Is nothing wrong with collective bar
gaining per Sc. But when the closed shop
and the check-off, two great weapons
are placed in the hands of any leaders OF
labor, there is no longer a question Of
bargaining. The employers are helpless
The workers themselves are at the mercy
Of the leaders.