Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21

THE whole question is shall the Heurich
company be forced into the combination
and be compelled to subject itself to
criminal prosecution under the antitrust
law?
I'VE have nothing to do with what con-
clusion Mr.. Brinkman came to. Suffice 1t
to say it was shown to him that every con-
tingency which could arise or exist or in
which organized labor could be interested
was already covered and provided for by
the contracts between the Heurich COM
pany and the various unions.
These contracts provide for wages. hours
and the settlement of all diSagreementS and
differences by arbitration.
Reply to MT. Brinkman.
'Tt is true. as Mr.. Brinkman says. moth
ing was said OF the matter until the con-
tracts between the several breweries and
the International Brotherhood of Station
airy Firemen had expired
1.-The contracts for the current year were
promptly signed by the Brewers Associa-
ton. and the Heurich company was inform
ed that II could become party to the same
contract by connecting itself with the asso-
citation, under an agreement entered into
between the said association and the Cen
trail Labor Union; and for this reason be-
cause 1t had been admitted that inasmuch
as the Efforts in 1903 to force the Heurich
Company into the combination had failed
the Brewers Association disbanded. and
the Heurich company claims that it was
only revived when by some means they
learned that the firemen claimed their con-
tract with the company had expired. and
then the present effort was begun.
This the first information that the
Heurich company had obtained that the
brewers association of the United States.
as is claimed by Mr. Brinkman, is endeav-
oring to form agreements with the several
organizations having members pmDlDNeu in
the various breweries with view to render
ing strikes and lockouts a thing of the past,
and institute in their stead the principle of
arbitration and Cancellation.
No knowledge of Election.
MIR. Heurich has never been advised that
he has been elected trustee of the National
Brewers Association, nor does he believe
it to be true. Mr. Brinkman further states
that by the terms Of the contract presented
to the local brewers and signed by Mr.
Heurich provision was made for the dis
ruption of Beer Drivers and Stab!emens
Union. No. 234. and other labor bodies that
might oppose them. When the other brew
did not readily assent to such a propo-
sitiOn they were thereupon threatened with
a reduction in the price of their product
This state emphatically is false" said
Mr.. Tobriner. Mr.. Heurich never pre-
scented such a contract to the other local
brewers. nor did he ever threaten them
with a reduction of the price of their
product 1nasmuch as the combine has
for the purpose of attempting to prejudice
organized labor against the Heurich COM
pany violated the provisions of a secret
compact which was in force between the
local breweries from 1886 until February.
1903, when what was known as
the brewers committee was dis
banded. our company does not
feel itself any longer committed to secrecy,
and now say emphatically that any agree
ment in relation to boycott and -lockouts
which was signed by the HeuriCh Brewing
Company, was at the same time signed and
entered into by the National Capital Brew
Ing Company, the Washington Brewing
Company. the AbnerDrury Brewing Com
pany and the Consumers Brewing Com
pPny.
Original Regulations.
Il have in my possession the first paper
regulat ting the action of the breweries. sign
ed in 1S9j. by the National Capital. the
Washington and the Heurich compan,.3,
which were then the only local breweries.
This paper is in relation to strikes ana
lockouts
Mr.. Tobriner said he had other agree
ments. one of which was shown to the re-
porter 1t was a strong protective docu-
ment. and provided for the thorough CO.
operation of the several brewing companies
to Withstand strikes. boycOtts and lock-
outs.
In conclusion MIR. Tobrlner said.
We want nothing to do with the Brew
ers' Association. We do not intend to per-
nit them to regulate our business nor are
We inclined to be indicted under the anti
trust law
Mr.. Carry's Story.
Mr.. Albert Carry. president of the Ma
tional Capital Brewing Company. stated to
Star reporter today that he regards the
present conditions as "a bad state of af
fairs
II will tell you the story of this beer
war he said. from my standpoint The
brewers had an agreement for one year.
and during that time everything worked
well and satisfactorily to all interested. ex-
cept that Mr.. Heurich had some complaint
against the Consumers Company.
The complaint was that he (Heurich) had
lost the sale of upward of 10000 barrels of
beer during the year the agreement was in
force. When the agreement terminated at the
end of the year the brewers could not come
10 a new agreement and the Heurich COM
pnay started out to make contracts at a
reduced price with some of the customers
of the other brewing companies.
When this was done Mr.. KatZ owner Of
the Arlington Brewing Company. formerly
the Consumers, came to Washington and
offered to give Mr. Heurich back all the
trade he claimed had been taken from him.
but Mr.. Heurich declined to accede to the
proposition and the so-called beer war went
on"
"Afterward." continued Mr.. Carry Il
saw Mr.. Heurich in Mr.. Tobriners office.
and he told me he had lost the sales Of
~ 900 barrels and he declined To come to
an agreement until he had the amount OF
sales restored
"On the strength of this / called a meet
ing of the other brewers and we concluded
to give him back the 1860 barrel trade
Mr.. Heurich declined to accept it, and
would not do anything to settle the exist
ing difficulties. He remarked to me. You
can stand it. Let us see what those fellows
are doing.
AT the present time this city produces
and consumes 2JO0OO barrels of beer an
nually. all the product of local breweries,
of which 10 per cent is better grade OF
beer and sold at 81 and 81 per barrel. The
balance Is sold at 81. less than 10 per cent
is below the cost price and big loss to
the brewers"
Mr.. Carry concluded that the whole mat
ter is to be regretted. and added that Mr.
Heurich's one object appears to be to
crush out the weaker breweries