The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-30

Office, or at my residence, IN person
| or by telephone. at any hour of the
| day or night. l have not been guilty
| of discourtesy to any man or woman
who called upon me-
Il did refuse to permit J. o. Stevic,
Topeka representative of the Nom
PARTISAN league, to appear before the
commission in the wage controversy
between the city and the firemen- I
did it for three or four reasons, any
/ one of which was sufficient to me.
| One WIS that Mr.. Steyic knew nothing
about the situation. or the conditions
governing it He was merely playing
politics with the firemen and endeav-
oring to create a disturbance An
other reason was that months before
Mr.. Stevic took an interest in the mat
ter 1 had determined upon raise for
the firemen this year, the amount of
the raise to be determined by the
money available for that purpose. Mr..
Stevic was no more interested in Sc
curing a raise for the firemen than
I was, and he was at the disadvantage
of knowing nothing about situat ton
which l had thoroly digested months
before. He horned in without observ-
| ing the formality of taking out stack
of chfps and 1 barred him from the
game.
Under similar conditions I should
do it again. and the fact that L de-
clined to permit this meddler to
waste the time of the commission is
one OF the things in my record as
mayor to which 1 point with PRIDE
If the labor elements of Topeka de-
sire additional representation in the
city administration and its affairs, and
they are doubtless entitled to it, they
should be open and above board about
| it and not be led about by men who
do not represent the best there is
among them, nor attempt-to deceive
the public 1t is hoped that the new
7
revival of the best interests among the
union men and will permit all to have
a hand in the final vote
One of the most able men on the
city commission, w. L. Porter, is
member In good standing of the
Plumbers union, and it is folly to
charge that laboring men and women
have had no voice. Many other city
officials are closely allied to Iaboring
men and labor organizations. While
there are some matters to be adjusted,
1t is a matter of fact that the labor
ing people, the members of the unions
in Topeka, were never better paid. as
a rule, than they have been during
the past year. Many union men in
this city are receiving far and away
greater remuneration than they ever
received before and than is being re-
ceived by those who work not espe-
| cially with their hands
1t is not right, as appears to have
DeeH OOne at the meeting SUNDAY. To
put poor man" and a '1aboring
man" in the same class. The labor
ing men of Topeka are even more
able to conduct a campaign for a
city office than many others not SO
classified.
Even the present city administration
could hardly be classified as a rich
mans club.
The unions have a great opportunity
today to take a greater interest in
city affairs and to lend their valuable
support and experience to the conduct
of the city's business. Hundreds of
the most capable and best men and
women of this city belong to labor
unions and from among them are
those fully as capable to serve the
city as can be found.
It will be unfortunate. however, for
Topeka, If there is an effort to .array
the labor class against another class.
Labor is. entitled to representation, so
are the business men Neither should
/ have a monopoly. butt both should
work together. Results are accom-
| plished by the combination of capital
! the result of their united action Years
| ago the city got away from the party
conventions or party spirit in city at
/ fairs and it is to be hoped that We
/, will not get back into the old rut.
1 The State Journal says th<se things
! pelnS a warm Irfenu OF IdboF, beHeE-
! ing in union organization and having
all the departments in its plant con-
! Quoted by men and women who are
members of union labor, and employs
/ no other kind. This. paper believes in
| collective bargaining and the organi-
I zation of labor. 1t does hope that
the great strength of the labor unions
! of this city will not be dissipated by
/ injecting into the ranks as leaders
agitators rather than constructors. 1t
thinks the laboring people of this city
are overwhelmingly opposed 70 the
nefarious l. w. W. element among
laboring men, The good people of
| this city. and there are just as many
good ones who work with their hands
! and their skill as there are who work
thru capital, will repudiate as labor
leaders members of the Non-partisa n
League. an orga MIA ton that has been
/ shown to have been closely allied to
the l. w. w. the Bolsheviki of the
labor element.