The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-01
men
QUIT JOBS IN A
FIGHT ON TRUSTS
Topeka Men Refuse To Sign
Contract of Employers.
They Claim 1t Violates Sher-
man Anti Trust Law.
USE ONLY CERTAIN MATERIAL
That Is Stipulation Contractors
Insisted Upon.
Picnic VIII Be Held Until
Terms Are Modified.
Topeka Men Refuse To Sign
Contract of Employers.
They Claim 1t Violates Sher.
man Antitrust Law.
USE ONLY CERTAIN MATERIAL

the Electrical Workers union, are out
of work today because they refuse to
be party to a contract drawn In vio-
lation of the Sherman antitrust law"
This was the sensat ationaI statement
made this morning by President G.
r. Sheldon, of the local union, fol-
lowing the refusal of the union to
sign a contract submitted to them by
the Association of EIectrial Contrac-
tors. Thirty Topeka electricians, all
union men, met at Labor hall this
morning and prepared for a picnic at
Gage park, such picnic to continue
until such time as the contractors will
submit a contract devoid of the stipu-
lation which it is claimed would con-
stitute a violation of the antitrust
law.
Charge Combine.
The union men said this morning
that the contractors signified willing
ness to pay the raise in wages asked
by the union but they declared that
the contractors also wished to include
IN the contract a stipulat ton that the
union men would agree to work with
and install only material furnished
by members of the Electrical con-
tractors association. The stipulation
is also said to include the promise of
the union not to permit contracts with
the union to be signed by any electri-
cal contracting shop which is not a
member of the Electrical Contractors
association.
The president of the electrical
union, local 226, said this morning
that the refusal of the men to work
under the contract is not a strike at
all. He asserts that it is a freeze out
on the part of the shops controlled
by the Electrical Contractors associa-
tion.
Protect the Public.
"a -,.,,f,1.,,
men of the local are not working now
and Will not be working until the dis
agreeable stipulation is removed from
the contract is that the local union re-
fuses to be party to an agreement
which is intended to make the public
and one or two innocent contractors
the goat.
The union men assert that tie in
sertion of the stipulation in the con-
tract which the secretary of the Eiec-
trical Contractors association admits
was submitted to the union is made
/ with the sole intention of freezing out
of business one or two local electrical
contractors who are not members OF
the contractors association.
President Sheldon, of the local
union, says that two shops have al
ready signed the contract with the
union minus the disagreeabIe stipula-
ton. The shops which have signed
are the Jordan Electric company and
the Klussman Electric company.
One other shop is said to be ready to
sign and two others are undecided.
II. 5. Lee, of the Topeka Electric
company, admitted today the exis-
tence of local association of cleo
! trical contractors. He also made the
admission that the stipulation referred
to above was submitted to the union
men. He admitted that the advance
! in wages from TO- cents an hour to
= 7Nf fI7a CnT1
the contract was not signed.
VIII Issue Statement.
| Lee said that it is the opinion of the
| association that the insertion of the
/ stipulation regarding the working OF
/ the union men in shops not mem bers
| of the contra ctors' union is but an ef-
] fort of the contractors to use the same
seIf-protective tactics thet the union
men use. Lee said this morning that
/ +ha Electric Contractors association
would issue a statement Of their posi-
| ton in the matter this afternoon.
! Ice Explains 1t.
! This afternoon Lee categorically de
MED the statement attributed to him
in the morning report of the strlEe
I insofar as the submission or a stlpuIa-
ton to the union is concerned Lee
explained that what he said was an
/ expression of his own personal opln-
/ ion and was directed at so-called \
"curbstone" electrical contractors and
! not at any contractor maintaining n
! recognized place of business in the
: city.
/ Hopkins May Investigate.
: Issues in the electrical workers con-
! troversy have not reached state de-
partments, according 20 a statement
: this afternoon by r. !. Hopkins, at
! tornev general. Hopkins said his Of
] flee had not been called upon to take
! a hand in the dispute and he knew
4 nothing of the contracts which had
been proposed.
The matter has not been called to
! our attention" said Hopkins. Il know
! nothing of the trouble and in the alb
sence of a complaint from anyone.
have not investigated
Hopkins was asked if the policy of
his office were to instigate investiga
tions on their own motion where
claims of antitrust law violations are
made.
That might be" he replied. 1--WE
might investigate the matter and there
might be violation of the antitrust
laws, altho a great many matters en-
ter into these things. 1 have heard