The resistance of this Association to the unjust, unreasonable and un-American "no-card-no-work" policy of the molders' union has been constant, persistent, and vigorous. Your Association has squarely met the issue every time, and at every place the union has sought a fight. The fact that so large a number of the foundries of the United States and Canada operate open shop and so large a majority of the molders are outside the union, is conclusive proof that the effort to make the open shop a better place in which to work, is becoming pretty generally recognized by the workmen themselves.

REPORT OF SECRETARY AND TREASURER

The report of the Treasurer showed the assets of the Association the largest in its history. The average number of employees reported for the year was likewise the largest, a gain of about 10% over the previous year. Fifty-six concerns were admitted during the year and twenty-two were lost by resignation, the resignations being due to financial reasons, changes in management and concerns going out of business. The remainder of the Secretary's report dealt with THE REVIEW, the increasing influence of the magazine, and the importance of keeping the "open shop" side of the labor question before the public. Concluding he stated:

"With our government the largest purchaser, and the desire of all to go to any extreme to eliminate strikes and insure a steady and efficient production of war supplies, the closed shop becomes a serious question. President Barr has called attention to the fact that closed shop leaders have been selected to represent labor on all government boards; that there is a concerted effort on the part of these leaders to force the manufacturer of every article which the government requires to operate under closed shop conditions. With the prestige of their government positions, there is danger that their ambition may be accomplished unless more is done by the manufacturer to inform the public on the questions at issue. (Continued on page 490)

486

STOP THE STRIKE

If you are an American citizen with any regard for the wel we urge you to give thoughtful consideration to this outline ma

The map shows in black the States in which important stri having important labor disturbances are shown in white. There

Read your morning newspaper in whi and the triumphant march into Italy of th Stop the strikes or lose the war!

*From "American Industry in War Time"

LOSE THE WAR*

'your home and your country, and for your future prosperity,
ne United States.

ve occurred since we entered the Great War. Those States not
ourteen white States and thirty-four black. That tells the story.
described the war situation-the condition of Russia
man hordes, then study the map just mentioned.

487

COMMENT

President Wilson, in his address to The American Federation of Labor at Buffalo, November 12th, put forth forcibly the duty of every American citizen.

"If we are true friends of freedom-our own or anybody else's," he said, "we will see that the power of this country and the productivity of this country is raised to its absolute maximum and that absolutely nobody is allowed to stand in the way of it.

"When I say that nobody is allowed to stand in the way, I don't mean that they shall be prevented by the power of the Government, but by the power of the American spirit. Our duty, if we are to do this great thing and show America to be what we believe her to be, the greatest hope and energy of the world, then we must stand together night and day until the job is finished.

"While we are fighting for freedom we must see, among other things, that labor is free; and that means a number of interesting things. It means not only that we must do what we have declared our purpose to do, see that the conditions of labor are not rendered more onerous by the war-but also that we shall see to it that the instrumentalities by which the conditions of labor are improved are not blocked or checked."

The National Founders' Association, at its recent convention, pledged its support to the President and the resources of its plants for this very purpose. It believes that nothing would go farther to accomplish this purpose than the adoption of the proposal of the National Industrial Conference Board to the Council of National Defense, which has been endorsed by 50,000 manufacturers. This proposal embodied the following recommendations:

(a) That applied to existing statutory regulations intended to promote safety and health, it shall be agreed that for the period of the war there shall be no suspension or modification of such provisions, except upon recommendation of the Council of National Defense after due investigation by its

agencies and when, in its judgment, required by the exigencies of war.

(b) Applied to wages, demands shall be tested by the prevailing local standard of the establishment in effect at the beginning of the war with such modification as may be shown to be necessary to meet any demonstrated advance in the cost of living.

(c) Applied to hours, the standard shall be those established by statute or prevailing in the establishment at the beginning of the war, subject to change only when in the opinion of the Council of National Defense it is necessary to meet the requirements of the Government.

(d) Applied to what are commonly known as "open" or "closed" shop conditions, it shall be understood and agreed that every employer entering the period of the war with a union shop shall not by a lockout or other means undertake to alter such conditions for the duration of the war, nor shall any combination of workmen undertake during the like period to "close" an "open" shop.

(e) Adopting these standards as the basis of its operation we recommend the creation of a Federal board to adjust labor disputes for the duration of the war; the activities of this Board to be confined to disputes growing out of employment on the subject matter of war production for the Government. To such board shall be primarily referred for final settlement all major disputes of the nature suggested, with full power to create all machinery necessary to execute its functions. Its decisions must bind all parties to the dispute. It should be constituted equally of representatives of employees, employers, and the Government, representatives of the latter to hold the deciding voice in the event of an equal division of opinion. It is to be further understood and agreed that there shall be no interruption of production by strike, lockout, or other means within the control of employer or employee.

The National Industrial Conference Board pledged the manufacturers it represented to the program, offered to cooperate with any and every other manufacturer, whether a member of the Board or not, and asked that the Council of National Defense call a conference of National trade union officers to the end that they also join in the pledge.