The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-07-26

mas lOHS DoeH the Target OF the
critic of union labor and the butt
of the sorry jokesmith. So often
has the man who yields the pipe
wrench for iiving been depicted
as the tyrant of wage and working
conditions that timid folks get
nervous when he is busy in the
basement. He might decide to fore.
close on the property and carry ii
off for his pay.
Yes, there has been plenty and
to spare about the plumber, but
little has been heard of his EN-.
ployer, the master plumber. The
master plumber is the man that
tells you just how much 1t will cost
to fit your house with the fixtures
modern improvement demand. Per
sonally he is generally good fel.
low and good citizen, but his or.
ganiZation is about the worst sort
of industrial hold-up you are likely
to encounter in this highly excit
ing age of trust-busting or getting
trust-busted.
AS an instance, take the Master
Plumbers association OF Spokane
Here is an organization strong
enough to experience a resurrec
ton from perpetual injunction is
sued by the superior court. When
an attempt was made by the few
Independents now struggling for a
living here to invoke this injunc
ton process again it was the at
tempt, not the association, that
died. Death visited the complaint
even after it had been filed, ant
nothing more has been heard of it
Instead of suffering any by liti
cation successful enough to war
rant the issuance Of an injunction
the master plumbers combine has
thrived to such an extent that il
now has its secretary, E. V. Lam
bert, stationed in the city council
as member from the Third ward
In natural consequence Steve John
son, the masters recent presi
dent, is city sewer inspector. Hi!
predecessor, Ethan Allen, was dis
missed and Johnson named through
Councilman Lambert, for afte
agreeing to dispose Of Allen The
council refused to name a successor
until Lambert returned from ;
short absence and designated WHIT
should have the place.
By this arrangement Lambert is
If so inclined, able to serve his or
ganization most effectively in mat
tiers concerned with civic legisla
ton, something combines in re
straint of trade are frequently il
need Of, and with a member O
the same combine as his RICH
hand man in the position Of in
spector it is not difficult to imagine
what the combination can do t.
the few Independent plumbers de
pendent upon city inspection TO
the stamp of approval on thei
work. The simple pretext of max
ing a plumber tear out his worl
and do it over on a slight tech
nicality that would not be notice
able in the work of plumber VIII,
is right" in the eyes of the asso
citation would come natural ant
easy.
Johnson was president of the as
ISOLATION until his appointment al
inspector. His successor mas no
yet been regularly elected.
1t is justice 20 Johnson to ex
plain that nothing so bad as thil
has yet been charged to him. Sew
eral independents, there are onl,
4 in the whole city, complain tina
he has bothered them by failing t.
make prompt inspections and in
sisting on the strictest letter of thu
law in judging their work, bu
there is nothing in the latter propo
sition that any property owner will
find fault with il the policy is APP
piled without discrimination. Fol
in the event that it is so applied
the city will be safeguarded wher,
extreme vigilance is most neces
sary to public health and comfort
Whether Johnson could be con
sidered exactly competent to OF
ficially pass on the work of his owl
shop is another question, but tn,
supposition is open that profession
al pride would induce him to d.
his duty II other consideration
were outweighed by personal inter
est. However. the appointment
leaves that important matter to hi
own discretion.
But the worst feature of tn
master plumbers relentless figh
against Independents. competen
workmen it has marked for de