The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-24
CALLS PRINTERS
BOARD A TRUST
Minneapolis. Woman Would
Prove Association an UnIaw-
fuI Combination

Miss Laura johnson, a former en-
ploye of the Twin City Printers Board
of Trade, told p. A. Ewert, assistant at,
torney general, yesterday that she had
records of the board of trade which
would demonstrate that it was COM
bination, in restraint of trade. She did
not produce the documents, but she
declared that her lawyer, Al J. Smith,
of Minneapolis, had advised her that
the papers in her possession were sufh-'
cient for the attorney generals Office
to bring an action under the antitrust
laws of the state.
George Paulus, manager of the Twin
City-Printers' Board of Trade, said last
night, when his attention was called
to Miss Johnson's statements, that the
association Of which he is the admin
istrative officer, is simply an organiza-
ton of employing printers banded to-
gether by no ironclad rules, and that
his mission is to educate the employing
printers in the cost of producing print
ing. He denied explicitly that the as
ISOLATION exists to elevate prices. Mr..
Paulus came to st. Paul recently from
Philadelphia to take charge of the bu-
reau, which has an Office with the st.
Paul Typ0thetae in the German Amer
lean bank building. J. NJ Hutchins is
assistant manager, with offices at So
Fourth street south, Minneapolis.
Claims She Has Records
Miss Laura Johnson, who made the
charges before the assistant attorney
general yesterday, was until Sept Il a
clerk in the Minneapolis Office of the
Printers Board of Trade. She had
been employed in that capacity for a
month, and claims an unpaid balance
in salary. 1t is admitted that when
she left the employ of the company she
took certain records of the Printers
Board Of Trade with her. She claims
she still has records of the association
which proved her contention that~it is
an illegal combination. Mr.. Paulus
says that all the records taken from
the Minneapolis Office have been re-
covered, but that there Is a small sum
of money belonging to the association
still in Miss Johnson's hands.
! Miss johnson came direct to the at
torney generals office in the state cap
ltof yesterday from a conference with
her attorney, Al J. Smith. Speaking to
the attorney generals assistant in the
presence of newspaper men she said:
"The Twin City Printers Board Of
Trade owes me back salary. and took
home some records OF the Minneapolis
office l have shown them to my at
torney- When he saw them he said at
once that they were sufficient on their
face to- warrant the attorney general in
beginning proceedings against the as
ISOLATION to dissolve it as being de-
signed to restrain competition.
II still have the records, and don't
propose to give them up until am paid
what is due me from the company
The whole scheme is one engineered
by Charles Paulus, of Philadelphia,
who came here to put it into effect in
the Twin Cities. It Is the establish
ment of the minimum price for work.
The customer presents to the employ
ing printer a sample of the job that he
wants done. The employing printer
tells him that he can't tell him that day
what the job will cost. 1t is then sub
mitted to Mr.. Paulus or his assistant,
and they make a minimum price below
which no other member of the board Of
trade will go. 1t very effectually de-
stroys competition, and my attorney
says that the attorney general is justi-
fed in beginning proceedings against
the association to dissolve it,"
Promises TO Bring Proofs
Miss, johnson presented no docu-
mentary proofs Of her claims, and in
the absence of proof Mr.. Ewert told
her he could do nothing for her. She
left the Office with a promise to sub
stantiate her statements with the rec
ords.
Charles Paulus, st. Paul manager of
the Printers Board Of Trade, said last
night that Miss Johnsons conclusions
were not at all warranted by the facts.
He said: zAf
1.-THE Twin City Printers Board of
Trade is simply an association of en-
ploying printers. It is not trust, nor
a combination against competition. !
am here to educate the employing
printers of the Twin Cities as to the
cost of producing printed matter. Many
printers do znots figure correctly, and
some of the smaller concerns do not
even keep a set of books. They have
been in many cases taking work at a
| loss. We show them how to figure on
| their work. When the price Of a job is
established there is nothing to prohibit
any printer taking it at a lower figure
than the one given as the minimum. 1t
| is simply a gentleman's agreement,
with no penalty attached for failure to
| live up to the agreements. The mem
| bership is purely voluntary. Prices are
not the only thing that we seek to in
| diligently regulate, but credits, classifi-
| cation of employees and labor saving
| methods all come under the scope of
| the association. There is nothing new
| about it and nothing illegal. 1t is SIM
| ply the American Typothetae, which
| the printing world knows all about.
I The same thing is done in every line of
| manufacture in the country.
1--WE owe Miss Johnson nothing. She
| was given employment Aug. Is and
was discharged Sept, IA for incompe-
| tency She was paid in full at the rate
| of $50 per month. She claims some
| thing due her for overtime. This we
deny and will not pay the claim. Miss
| Johnson took some of the records OF
our Minneapolis Office away with her.
but these have all been recovered
LITTLE TOTS TO RIDE
oar HYaa MIR YAy n.nnr