Labor Unions and the Open Shop
By L. A. S.
THE labor unions are determined not to yield on the issue of the open shop. At a recent meeting of the Central Federated Union in New York City, Secretary Morrison, of the American Federation of Labor, said of the effort now being made by employers’ associations to force the recognition of the open shop:— The American Federation of Labor is trying to organize as thoroughly as possible, so as to fight the new movement. If one shop is composed of union men, and another shop is composed of non-union men or has any non-union men, then not a union man should work in that shop. We stand for that recognition of the union which means the employment of only union men. The American Federation of Labor has now a membership of 1,800,000. It has gained 400,000 members during the past year. On May 24 a dual organization, the American Labor Union, will be merged in our body. There is, as these words show, every prospect of a tremendous struggle in the immediate future between employers’ associations and the labor federations to determine which of them “owns the country.” It seems that peace is to be sought only through force, and even if attained in that way, it is not likely to be long maintained. “As the days of Noah were,” when “the earth was filled with violence,” “so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” L. A. S.