The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-23
LABOR To FIGHT.
Unions Will Try to Better Con-
ditiOns of Clerks.
The Industrial Council Adopts
Strong Resolutions.
TO BOYCOTT STORES.
Houses Must Close at $50 p. m.
or Lose Union Trade.
Body Comes Out Against Sunday
Theatre Opening.
TO BOYCOTT STORES.

Union labor is to fight those mer-
chants who keen their stores open after
$50 d. m, except on Saturday and
Santa Fe nights. Organized working
men are to begin a movement to aid
those working people, whether organic
ed or not. who are made to work night
after night until 9, 10, IL and sometimes
IL o'clock by clothing dealers, grocers
and other business people. These places
will be boycotted bv labor until they
grant their employees reasonable work
hours. While the unions feel, and all
great eStaf liS1n1entS cOncede that elSnt
hours make up days work, the In
dustrial Council. which is to head the
fight, will not try to secure an eight
hour day. What the unions want Is
shorter working day. In some stores
clerks have to work y hours or more
during week days. and from IA to 16
hours on SATURDAY. The unions claim
that this is not Justice. The Industrial
Council holds that the clerks have no
way of improving their condition, with
out risking the loss of their positions
in the attempt. and that help must come
from the outside.
That the unions mean business in this |
matter Is shown by the following resp
luton, which has just been adopted by
the Industrial Council:
Whereas, The great body of our stores |
recognize the rights of their help by |
closing at and 6-0U D. M, ana
Whereas, There are such certain |
clothing, shoe, grocery, and other places |
of business kept open long after $50 |
p. m. and thus not giving their clerks
an opportunity for recreation, enjoy
1nent Of the family circle. or self-im-
provement: therefore. be it
Resolved, BY the Industrial Council |
of Topeka, Kan, that we appeal to the
general public to free these helpless
slaves from such a condition of serVi-
tude, by refusing to trade at such
places of business after the hour of
$50 D. n. and be ii further
Resolved, That copy Of these resoe
buttons be given to the daily press of
this city for publication.
Amos Explains Move.
Discussing the movement, which is to
begin at once, w. NJ Amos, a promi-
nent member Of the local Typographical
union, and secretary of the Industrial
Council, when seen this mOrTEng, said:
The Industrial Council has for some
time. been studying the working con-
ditions in a certain class Of stores in
this city with a view of discovering
whether or not they could or could not
be bettered. The council entered upon
the investigation for the purpose of as
certaining how many hours clerks
worked and under what conditions. The
result of the probing was a surprise
even to members of the council. A
certain class of stores in this city work
their employees like dogs In some
places clerks put in u and IA hours a
day and longer on Saturday. This Is
wrong. Clerks are human beings, with
feelings. Horses do not have to work
this long, in many cases.
These clerks stand behind counters
for hours and hours, day after day, ;
week after week, month after month
and receive very small pay. A clerk
who +, ceives $40 per week is an ex- ,
pert. It sometimes takes him years to /
secure even this salary. Now mind you ,
I am not speaking of the higher class
places of the city, but of those stores
who live on the trade of working peo-
pie. to a great degree, and then work | {
which remain open to catch the last !
penny regardless of their employees
rights. 7
"A great many places in this city :
clothing stores, exist because /
the working people support them. These
places, many of them, pay miserable
work their clerks like animals
give them their trade but also to bring
them patronage. These are the places
the Industrial Council and the forces
Of organized labor will move against
Clerks in these stores have the right 20
some consideration and we are going to
see that they get it.
LAS matters stand at present these
people never have a chance to enjoy |
life, never have the opportunity to ne !
With their families. They rush home to 4.
heir dinners and then back to the
grind 81 the store. Sunday is the ONLY
lay they can call their own and many
# them are worn out on that day and /.
ire unable to visit a park or do any,
hing except remain at home and rest. L
We want to make it possible for clerks :
% take their wives and children out I