The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-14
CONTRACTORS
REFUSE TO
ARBITRATE
Turn Down State Labor Com
missioner Johnson.
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
He Pleads That They Recon-
slider Their Action
BUT THEY STAND FIRM
Contractor Ledbetter Gives
/ Ills Side Of Strike.
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION



ne e'i'' a1e9'9 -Io arc -
the WIGHT Master Builders assecia-
ton absolutely refused last night To ar
ti+,,ta ~. .z,ee.ra~o... ,.,.--,.., +t--, s,,7
10 1iieiH - i1---Ae 'i.1
are wen . --ii-9 - 1ii'iii
- GU - eii7 ie'--3 ia9I
- -- l'''i ii''i'1' non liV' - ai-
'ii-' loiiiieI einpioseS' anu
'--1 i'-0i'1- moment came 1Nes cast
anu lHe Iitelils was over
- e@iieu "s'eiis'iS 10
-l.9-' - li'1 coiiiili' zee on con-
anu Jaws ana perfect q per
4a'-s-ie u saii'@@ ll'l- Nheh 1has D0si-
vs. ofe- ."e PRESIDENT cameo on
p" - a. o1ins'n' state Iaoof com
,''issi'i-si' 20 MAKE a speech Last week
az l.iI asheo 1le n-einheIs 70 can this
u'-s ana ne would make an ADDRESS
a-iu sAo" theiH WY tHey should arli-
.ia.e- IN the cal Mf Johnson ana MS
business was i5it out
ne contractors Rave always said that
al thslF meetings. were open to the pub
lie, but last night within ewO minutes
alter Mr. Johnson had finished speak
ing some enc made motion 10 go into
executive session and the reporters and
M Johnson walked Out and downstairs,
where they discussed the situation. They
FULLY expected that contractors would
discuss The matter on hour or more,
but before the little crowd could get
fully into the matter here came the whole
Master Builders, association and the first
man downstairs said, we have not ap-
pointed a committee and we have moth
ing 10 arbitrate
Mr.. johnson asked several of the mem
bers about the meeting and the crowd
gathered around him to listen 10 the
discussion which was animated from be-
ginning 70 end and at times became very
warm. Mir. Johnson reasoned and pleaded
with the contractors to reconsider their
action. bur it was All IN vain. The, were
not going t. arbitrate ANYTHING. They
said they were running their business TO
suit themselves and did not want any
man or body Of men 60 advise them how
10 do It and they proposed 10 stand bv
then agreement OF three weeks ago that
is that they would not recognize the
union in any capacity
For more than an hour the sidewalk in
frort of the entrance 10 the Fourth Nat
fon3l bank building was blocked with the
CONTRACTORS listening TO the arguments OF
Nj johnson and presenting some of their
o7n. After the crowd had dispersed. Arr.
Johnson said to a reporter for the Eagle
who had listened to il ana wen OF au
the tough propositions have run up
AGAINST. and ] have bucked up against a
whole bot. this one is the worst. The con-
tractors absolutely refuse TO be fair and
consider the carpenter proposition
M T.eabetter. one of the contractors.
was standing on the outskirts Of the
crowd and the reporter tackled BIN with
the question. >.What are contractors going
20 do aith Tho proposition 10 arHtratee"
I'VE have nothing to arbitrate." said
Mr.. Ledbotter. -and as long as we are
in that position We can and VIII do moth
ing. for one. and I believe the others
are with ue. am golng 10 run my own
business as think hest and viii not be
dictated a. by any man or company Of
l men. VIII hire whom i please and pay
them What they are worth hut farther
than that viii not listen to the demands
OF the union.
..Now. win make a plain statement of
our ease 70 you and win give this little
example or rrv own experience ana II vou
viii question chem ] thInk you VIII ind
she balance IF the contractors have had
the Same s.xn-rfarce. Several weeks agc
a man came II me and asked Tor q 5oh.
H told me at char time hs had never
handled q carpenters tool and knew abs9-
lutely nothing about IT, He did not want
70 40 carnsater.s work Tie frankly aclS-
nowledeed thar he was mex mechanic.