The Topeka state journal., 1919-10-28
POehler Employees Strike After
Foreman 'Discharged."
Men Claim Burke. First Given
Shovel in Elevator Shaft.
WITH The COMPANY 21 YEARS
Lost Arm When YOuth-Son
Killed by Company Truck.
Manager Denies Most of Story
Told by Strikers.

Following alleged removal of Fred
Burke, foreman, from his position Sat
urday night. several employees of the
grocery department of the Poehler
Mercantile company walked out this
morning. The strikers declared that
putting Burke, who has but one arm,
to shoveling trash from an elevator
pit, was part of a design to make con-
dltions so disagreeable for him that
he would have to resign.
Burke was in the service of the
Poehler Mercantile company and the
Davis company before them for a
period of 21 years, it was said While
a youth he suffered the loss of his
trained himself to do much manual
labor. He had been a foreman in the
grocery department several years and,
according to the strikers, was efficient
and well liked.
Saturday night, according to the men,
he was relieved of his position and
sent down stairs to shovel trash from
shaft in which a new elevator was
being installed. He worked all day
Monday but this morning came up
stairs with the announcement, it was
said, that he was unable to do the
work. The strikers claim that Fred
Smithmeyer, the house manager, in
formed Burke that there was no other
work for him to do. Burke accepted
his check.
Petition to Smithnleyer,
Monday noon, after the foreman had
been relieved, the grocery department
Iorce sent a petition to Smithmeyer
asking that Burke be reinstated The
demand was refused. This morning.
the strikers declare, nineteen men
walked out.
Smithmeyer admitted Burke had
been relieved but said it was done for
reasons of efficiency. He said the
foreman was sent down to the check
ing room and was not asked to shovel
trash from the elevator pit, unless by
one of the route men. Burke came
upstairs this morning. Smithmeyer
wanted to quit. He was given his
check
Monday night Evertt Gill was dis
charged. Gill was said to have been.
the first man to sign the petition ask
ing Burke's reinstatement and the
men charge that was why he was dis
charged, but this Smithmeyer denies.
About two years ago Burke's 16-year-
old son was killed.by Poehler truck
and the strikers declare that at that
time Burke was promised a lifetime
, job with the company. This Smith
meyer also denies. -'--
Demand Burke Reinstated.
The former Poehler employees de-
clared today that they would not re-
turn to work until Burke was again
IndOe foreman OF the grocery depart
ment. Their walkout is purely a SYM
pathetic one. they said. They further
announced their intention of organiz-
| ing a union and demanding the right
of collective bargaining and repre-
sentation.
I'VE have no i'll feeling toward these
| men," said Smithmeyer, for l feel
that actual conditions have been mis-
! represented to them by one or two.
And it happens that these one or two
are still at work. We are already taxi
/ ing steps to reorganizel our force and
cannot take the men back unless they
return at once"
| The strikers announced their inten-
ton of seeking aid from other unions
and forming a union themselves. They
anticipate help from the truck drivers
and also hope for assistance from the
Poehler office force. They declare
| their plans for forming a union were
dropped July 1 when the company put
| into effect a 10 per cent bonus.