Evening star., 1942-07-08

ENTHUSIASTICALLY dpplduucd Al Aeo ioC
word by the Right Rev. John A.
Ryan of Catholic University, an
ardent New Dealer.
The book is plainly supporting
argument for the closed shop but
It contains some interesting COM
ments about the possible abuse OF
that device in labor technique. AS
to terminology, DR.. Toner puts the
weight of his researches behind
the statement that to-day the union
shop and the closed shop mean sub
stantially the same thing
This comment is all the more
interesting because Of the effort OF
many writer's to prove there is a
substantial difference between the
two. Dr. Toner says:
The recent emphasis on the dis
tinction between these terms-the
one giving the employer the lib
erty to hire any one who will join
the union, and the other requiring
the employer to hire union men
only-probably is reflection of the
practice of the CIO.''
Discusses Churches Attitudes.
Although DR.. Toner defends the
closed shop with vigor, he declares
that mo responsible person can at
tempt to draw the conclusion that
this study, directly or indirectly,
casts a favorable light on Commu-
nists or racketeers who used the
closed shop technique to further
their own selfish ends
Most interesting perhaps in the
book is the manner in which DR..
Toner discusses the attitude OF the
Protestant, Catholic and Jewish
churches toward the closed shop
principle. He says:
unions have always defended
their legal right to ask for closed
shop-a right that is now admitted
by Federal and State statutes.
they have also stressed the moral
right to seek closed shop, claiming
that this rests on the social necessity
OF unions and the dictates OF simple
justice.
unions have sought support for
their moral defense of the closed
shop in the teachings OF the
churches. However, little positive
proof can be offered that the
churches have specially favored the
closed shop. Professionalism, putting
into practice its dogmatic individu-
alism, cannot conceive of conditions
where cooperation for the common
good might require an infringement
upon the right of dissociation-re-
fusal of an individual worker to join
the union of the majority. Judaism S
opposition to competition and in
sistenoe on cooperation gives the
closed-shop principle comfort but
not confirmation. The attitude OF
the Catholic Church is that IN Ger
tain circumstances, according to the
Right Rev. John A. Ryan, there
would be nothing immoral nor un-
lust in the unions case Of the closed
shop.
"The teachings of the Popes and
their Interpretation and application
for American industry by the arch
bishops and bishops lend substantial
although not specific Endorsement
to the closed shop. Nowhere is 1t
named as an evil to be condemned.
It receives indirect approval in the
papal idealization Of the ancient
guilds which were voluntary or free
associations in respect to member
ship-that is, they were open SO
that a worker was free to join or not
tn ioin-but compulsory or closed
in regard to trade or craft; that Is
no ore who was not member OF
the guild could work at craft or
trade"
Comedies Vices.
Dr Toner points out that labor
unions. being human institutions,
are subject to the vices as we'll as
the virtues of their leaders and that
in that respect "the closed shop
presents the same dangers that are
inherent In the concentration OF
mower in the hands of any lnstitu-
tion-political, economic or social,
He adds that the danger Is more
threatening, however. When the
mower is held by union officials VINO
through the usurpation OF power o1
voluntary associations, may almost
at will refuse membership to some
workers or rescind 1t from others,
and that "in either case the result
is to deprive a man of the opportu'
nity to earn living.
To overcome this DR.. Toner rec
ommends that every union must
be open generally to qualified work
ers on reasonable and non -discrlml'
natorv terms and that workers
who have been refused membership
and those who have been suspended
or expelled from a union should oe
permitted to appeal their cases 10 an
impartial chairman or a labor
board"
The book by DR.. Toner has been
published by the American Council
of Public Affairs, a non n-proft Or
esnization here, which takes no
responsibility for the views expressed
by the authors, but presents the
work OF scholars in various fields OF
the arts and sciences for the interest
they may have to the public
generally.
10 Reproduction Rights Reservedo