October 3rd, 1919.

Mr. T. L. Conder, Business Agt.,
11 Belmont Ave.,
Charlotte, N.C.

My dear Mr. Conder:-

Your letter of Sept. 30th came to the office during my absence. This is the first opportunity I have had to reply to the same.

As you well know, I am deeply interested in bringing about a spirit of co-operation in this State between employers and employees. I am trying to get all the people to understand that our interests are one. The employer certainly cannot say to the employees that they are not a vital link in our chain of prosperity, neither can employees deny the vital importance of the employers. The main thing is for employers and employees to work with and not against each other. To this end I think it is important for employers and employees to confer freely and frequently together, and to meet each other on the eye level.

Candor compels me to say that I am not sufficiently familiar with the differences between the carpenters and contractors in the city of Charlotte to render an intelligent opinion. I know absolutely nothing about the wage scale that is proposed in the contract submitted to me, and could not pass upon its fairness. Paragraphs one and two, therefore, of the proposed contract relate to matters upon which I am not competent to advise. Certainly paragraph three is sound to the core. With respect to paragraph four I think that that ought to be strengthened by the addition of the following line:-

"Employers and employees both heartily and in good faith subscribe to the principle of the open shop. The employers pledge that they will in no wise discriminate against any man, either in his employment or treatment, because he may belong to a labor union, and the employees pledge that they will in no way molest, interfere with or be discourteous to any fellow worker because he may not belong to a labor union."

With respect to paragraph five I beg to say that in my opinion that should be stricken out. It would tend to interfere with free competition in the labor market, and while I have examined into the legal phase of it carefully, I incline to the opinion that it would be a violation of the law.

I thank you for writing me about this matter, and assure you of my very great desire to serve all the people in every possible way.

As requested by you, I am sending copt of this letter ot Mr. J. D. Foard.

Very truly yours,

[unsigned]

B-G