The Topeka state journal., 1901-07-29
DODCINC JUDGES.
That IsWhat Kansas City Strik-
ers Are Doing.
Cause Company to ReOrganize
Says Mr.. Johnson.

'sAs clean a case of diamond cut
diamond in a labor strike as has ever
come within my experience is that now
on at the Riverside Iron works, Kan
sas City, AXIS remarked Labor Com
missioner W. L A. Johnson. He was
discussing his part in the attempted
mediation last week to a State Journal
reporter this morning.
'Elin mating the interests at stake
and the welfare of the people involved,
and the twists and turns OF that strike
.aThe Tnachinists went out on their
demand for nine hours work the
walkout was kept orderly and nothing
was done out of the ordinary. phe
company refused to treat with the
men. They got some boys and a few
hands from the east who had not Iauch
idea of what strike was to work for
them. These managed to turn down
castings sent out by the molders after
a fashion, and as the works kept run
ming the men who went out began
.picketing.' The next thing to be done
by the company was to get an 1nJunc-
ton against picketing.
TT SO happens that the machinists
concerned in the strike belong to three
different local unions Many OF them
reside in Kansas City, Mo, and they
are members of the union on that side
Of the state line. The rest of the men
belong to the two local unions in kan
the conduct of the 'picketing' in charge
of the Missouri men,
More or less success attended the
efforts of the men, who stopped the
newcomers on their way to work ana
urged them to come out. Some came
Then came the move of the company
to enjoin the men from 'picketing.
They went into the federal court and
secured an injunction from Judge Phil
lips. The strikers raised the point that
only the Missouri machiniSts in the
strike were thus enJOined from picket
inf. Judge Phillips finally conceded
that that was the limit of the injunc-
ton restraining the Missouri men from
interfering with the Riverside's new
worxmen Whereupon the Missouri
union held a meeting and voted the
to the Kansas unions. The Kansans
went to work and got out n ore of the
new workmen by the 'picketing pro-
cess. and then it was time for the com
pany to make another move
I'm order to restrain the kansans
from further 'picketing,' the company
held a meeting of its directorate and
reorganfzed. The new company sent
Off and had itself Incorporated under
the laws of New Jersey Being a kan
sas corporation before this reOrganiza-
tiOn it could not get into the Federal
court in Kansas to get the injunction,
company went before Judge Hook and
secured the restraining order tempo
rarily against the Kansans.
THE nachinists were not yet
through. They raised the contention
that the original injunction against the
Afissourians was no longer in force.
The company that secured it is now
defunct. Consequently the Kansans
merely held a meeting and redeIegated
the conduct of the picketing' opera
tions to the Aissourians. and the solicit
tation Of the new men to stop work and
join the strike goes on as merrily as
ever"
scene of the strike several days last
week. He carried several propositions
between the men and the employers. but
none were satisfactory His work of
mediation is at a standstill at present
He says a settlement cannot be secured
till different humor hits boths sides
OF the controversy.