The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-20
REJECTS POLICE HELMET JOB.
CONTRACT ISN'T DRAWN TO BE
ACCEPTED, COL. KNOX SAYS.

hko Hhtters' Union MADE IL 80.
Hour Clause, Prevailing Rate OF Wages,
Rival Union Label and Other Things In 1t
Told to "see' Somebody; wouldn't.
About the first business OF Importance
which Col. Edward M. Knox attended to
on his return from Europe last Thursday
was to reject the contract submitted by
the Police Department to his hat making
establishment for the manufacture Of
1900 helmets for New York's policemen.
The Knox Company recently underbid
all rivals for this contract, but between
undertaking your rivals and getting the
Job you have bid for there seem to be many
possible contingencies.
The Knox hat making concern got tangled
up last winter in one of the innumerable
interunion controversies which are gradu-
ally making business life all but unendur-
able and carried Its point against one OF
the unions. The company at the same
time refused to have any dealings with
that particular union-by name the United
Hat Makers Of North AInerica-its men,
bers or representatives. The employees
Of the Knox, Stetson, Cornell and several
other Of the largest hat making concerns
are organized In a union called the indie
pendent Hatters OF America.
The United Hat Makers OF North America
has the reputation of being active in the
political fold. When it was announced
recently that the Knox bids for police
mems helmets was the lowest and that the
contract was going to that company. there
were bitter complaints, strongly tinctured
with threats, of political retribution il the
Tammany authorities permitted the job
to 60 to firm distinctly out Of favor with
the United Hat Makers. 1t was even limited
that unless some other disposition of the
hat contract were made there would be an
appeal Of the matter to political potentates
now In convention at Saratoga.
1t was a Painful situation. The Knox
company had made the lowest bid, and
apparently there was no way out Of giving
the contract to the concern. But there
is a good deal in drawing a contract, and
not little talent was put into the one
which the Police Department had awaiting
Col. Knox's signature on his return from
Europe. II was a contract which Col.
Knox had only to read over once to know
he wouldn't sign it. He didn't sign it.
On the contrary he notified Chief Clerk
Kip over the telephone that under no cir
cumstanoes would he accept it.
THE reason | did not sign the contract"
said Col. Knox last evening, was be-
cause IL was an impossible contract, pur-
posely made 50 for Interior reasons. which
are obvious enough.
The contract, Us drawn, was grossly
illegal TO begin with 1t insisted that pei
sons employed under it should only work
eight hours day. All our work is piece
work. The number Of hours day man
works does not figure at all. A good
IL -t.sxx xrh~ n.NlAar
over night, comes to the factory by or
o'clock in the morning and works until
8 or o'clock in the evening, can make $l2,
sl4 or SIS in day. Another type Of work
man, who shows up at 10 or IL o'clock, or
maybe at noon with his head booty
only make g or a in day.
THAT contract proposed that men en-
gagged here on piece work should be re-
duced to one dead level OF eight hours
work day 1t rs utterly Illegal to attempt
shall work. That is exclusively his own
business. No contract would be valid
which undertook to encroach on personal
liberty in that way. The men make their
own hours and the more work they turn out
In day, the more money they get.
That ia one reason why the contract
proposed as impossible Then there was
clause that the prevailing rate Of wages
for days work be paid Our people
don I W Ork Dy tne Qdy lHey Wolh ny tuo
piece. The prevailing rate Of wages clause
was as absurd as the eight hour clause.
Then there was nobody responsible who
could be held for the money due to us.
The helmets were to be turned over to a
representative OF the Police Commissioner.
The policemen were to pay him and take
the hats But he was not responsible
to us for the money. The commission
wasn't responsible. Nobody was respon-
sible. We had nothing to rely upon legally.
Gn'
turned over to us Se could whistle for it.
More than that, il We failed to meet the
conditions of our contract 20 per cent OF
the amount due to us was to be deducted
What was to become of it? There was
nothing in the contract to show. 1t might |
be converted to any use. "
Further still, there was the union label;
1t was not merely that we were required |
to put union label in every hat. but
particular union label was specified we
The United Hat Makers of North America.
We have nothing to do with the Hat Makers
OF North America. II is concern Of the
Sam Parks order, where lot Of walking
delegates and agitators sit around in saloons
own. We will have nothing to do with
that gang, yet 1t seems as If contracts can
not be got from the present Police Depart
ment unless it meets such conditions as
that gang to me al 'e en o cents sA
thousand The whole cost Of putting them
in the hats would have been next to nothing
But would not have them In and would
not accept contract that insisted on their
being In.
"Our factory Is a union factory. II is
made UP OF members OF the Independent
Hatters OF America. Our men are all
steady, sober self-respecting men. The
first thing you see on entering the factory
is sign which reads: No malt or spirituous
iiuuors allowed on the premises Our
men are not OF the drinking, saloon haunt
ing kind. We have our own union just as
we have our own benevolent association
and our own annual medical attendance and
ali the other equipments of first class
manufacturing establishment. Our men
are in no way connected with the union
whose label was insisted on in the con-
tract and want nothing to do with it.
But II was all as plain as the nose on
your face. The contract was not drawn
To be accepted Ii WAS not intended that