The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-02
Labor Commissioners Holds Up
City Charitable Labor.
Says s1.25 a Day to LabOrers Is
Not Sufficient Pay.
CITY UNABLE TO PAY MORE
Plan to Help Poor and Needy
Must Be Abandoned.
Hundreds Are Anxious to Do
Municipal Bridge ShoveIing.

If the state labor commissioner does
not change his mind before Monday
morning, the board of city commission
ers will -Sandon all wor- under the
Aelan bridge and in cutting and trim
ming trees. that the idle men of the
city may have labor to support their
families. The labor commissioner says
the city is disobeying the state law
In paying only $1-25 day to laborers.
The city created the tree trimming
and Melan bridge work for the benefit
Of the needy. Only 81. 25 a day was paid
to the laborers because the work was
planned out for charitable purposes. At
this price the city found it necessary
to turn away hundreds of men who
wanted work at this pay.
The state labor commissioner rules
however, that the city is paying below
thu current rate paid to common labor
er@ In this locality and as g. result they
ara nos ohey1ng the law. The city is not
able to pay more than $1-25 a day and
cannon afford to pay out more than
this to emergency labor. It means that
the work that has fed hundreds of fami-
lies and given warmth to hundreds of
chilled homes will be abandoned. All
on account Of a state law.
Indignation at City Hall.
The order from the labor commits
sioner aroused indignation at the city
hall this afternoon. The hundreds of
families that have been supplied by
watched carefully by the city officials.
They declare that if a man wants to
work for $1-25 a day and support his
family until better work opens up in
spring. It is his business and not the
business of the state. They insist that
It is q case of men working for $1.25
q day and living or going without work
and starving. Not man of the 500
that have applied for work has COM
planned of the pay, the city officers
say.
Commissioner Tandy, who is in
charge of the work at the Melan
bridge asked Commissioner Doyle of
the state, the current rate for COM
Tandy asked him to tell the city what
they should pay and the city would
consider it. But Doyle says it will be
necessary to gather statistics before
any answer can be given.
1t Is shame, said Mayor Billiard
this afternoon. We have arranged
work and have been besieged with re-
quests for work and have kept fafni-
lies alive. On the other hand we have
been able to get a lot of work done
for the city. Then to have a. state law
stop it can't understand it. I can't
see where there is Justice or fairness
in an order of this kind. This is an
emergency case and everyone agrees
that men have to have work They
are all glad to get the $1.25 q day.
Il told Doyle to come up before the /
board of commissioners Monday
morning and explain the law Com |
missioner Tandy said. He made the /
demand that we pay more wages, but |
didn't give any price or any informa-
ton as to how much more we should
pay. It is discouraging to have a law
like this thrown up at us when We~are |
trying to help the poor and needy |
The work at the bridge will stop Sat !
urday night until something can be
done"