Denver labor bulletin., 1916-03-11
DIGGING UP ROOT
OF PRINTING EVILS
Employees and Employers Co.
operate for Benefit of Both
Home Industry Meeting Last Sunday
Started Movement to Keep Den
yer Printing in Denver

Wv hats wrong with the printing in
dustry in Denver; and if there is am
thing wrong, how can We remedy it -
This subject was a special order at last
Sundays meeting OF Denver Typograph-
ical Union No. 40, the program being ar
ranged by the Home Industry Committee
of the Union, consisting of President
frank j. Pulver, Vice President A. P.
knnl and Secretary +. C. Birdsall. Tie
employing printers had been invited to
attend the meeting, and several Were
present. The purpose OF this getting to-
gether to discuss the situation is to bet
ter the commercial printing conditions in
this city.
J. Harry Carson, president of the Car
son-Harper Printing company, was the
principal speaker for the employers. lie
said, viewing the situation from the po-
sition of the larger printing offices, one
OF the chief reasons for present condI-
tions was the below-cost bidding of the
small one or two-man shops. Another
was the failure of the printing house
proprietors to stick together for Their
own protection in way that woull
eliminate ut-throat" methods of doing
business. He further stated that the city
government. instead of setting fair
standard for printing, asked for bids and
then peddled work out in pieces to those
who made mistakes in figuring or bid low
on one class of work in expectation OF
securing an entire schedule OF work. Tho
public utility corporations followed this
same practice. Mr.. Carson admitted
that these conditions were solely the
fault of proprietors, in which the unions
could give little or no help in CORRECTING.
He thought the estimates OF the amount
OF work going out Of Denver was exag
gerated, and stated it was worth at lea-t
Is per cent of the cost price to any Den
yer business man to have his work done
here, as he would get that per centage of
his money back in trade.
City "Steals" Its Printing.
Otto +. Ihum of the Union Printing
spoke briefly from the stand
point OF an employer. and asserted that
the city and county OF Denver was prac-
tically stealing its work from the print-
ers thru the system OF peddling out jobs
from $3.50 up to competitive bidders, the
bidder securing only that part OF sched
ule upon which he was low. He OK
pressed belief that much good could come
from a joint committee OF the union AMI
employing printers working to keep Den
'er printing in Denver.
Wallace Barrett, Fred Miller, Albert
Rosenthal and other employing printers
who are active members OF the union,
spoke along similar lines, and said they
had suggestions for pushing the home in
dustry campaign which they desired to
submit to a joint committee.
"Grasshopper" Business Methods,
In discussing the matter of printing
going to other cities, it was disclosed
that several important jobs had gotten
away from home. One case was cited
where Chicago house had bid $1,000 for
n Denver catalog and got it under the
$4,000 bid Of Denver printing tirm.
Much of the railroad work however, hat
formerly went to Chicago is now being
done here.
Edward C. Dean of the union made an
talk on what he characterized
the ''grassbopper" business methods OF
some employing printers. He said they
jumped for a job with no idea OF where
they were going to light.
Demonstrates Good Faith.
In explaining the unions interest in
this subject, President Pulver said that
one OF the main objects sought was to
keep printing in Denver, and this was
matter of mutual concern between en-
ployer and employe. "To demonstrate
its good faith in this work." said he,
''the Typographical Union has authorized
the appointment OF a standing Home In
dustry Committee. This committee will
be pleased to work in harmony with our
employers at all times, and we trust that
one result of this meeting will be the
naming of committee from the employ
ing printers to act jointly, meeting at
frequent intervals, and by thus acting
correct some OF the evils that
operate against the Denver printing in
dustry."
Tho having no active organization at
present, it is expected the employing
printers will adopt some method OF Sc
lecting a committee to act with the union
i'm this matter