The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-12-01
ISSUE IN
BOYCOTT IS
IDENTIFIED
Mayors Called Meeting
Shows That Store Closed
Shop is Stumbling Block
Between Parties.
NOTICE

NOTlCE
100 dollars VIII be paid BY Central
Labor Union Of Lake county for the
arrest and conviction Of any union
member affiliated with this body foi
breaking the windows a. the Lion
Store.
12-l s e wILTsEE. secy.
AT a meeting called IS Mayor Brown
at Hammond city hail yesterday ar
ternoon 70 which he rad Summoned de-
partment store employers and repre-
sentatives Of organized labor in an ef-
fort TO arrive at some basis Of agree
uent to end the existing boycott. all
endeeyors 70 come together failed
The meeting had. however. one result
as brought out BY both the parties It
centralized the iss1e to be one thing
an open or closed shop for the depart
ment stores and not a matter OF either
wages or working conditions
The following men were present at
the meeting besides Mayor Brown. who
presided, Messrs. kaufman and Wolf.
Whitzeu and Rees and Minas and Tn
derwood OF the stores; Messrs. Bonn
berger and Tinkham representing the
employers and Messrs. Croak, Dietrich
Abbott and Wiltsee representing the
Trades Council and organized labor
In addressing the meeting Mayor
Brown said. Gentlemen, we have met
this afternoon to endeavor to solve
the problems which you have before
YOU between the employer and EN-
ployee. Now as mayor Of the city
my interest lies on bothe sides, and
must take the city into Consideration
as a whole, not as an Individual So
in your talk / would like to have the
city Of Hammond considered in that
manner. When l say the @lty Of Ham
mond as whole, that s4ncludes the
employer and the employee both That
covers tho problem as far S / am con-
cerned- IN celebrating taa this. l
would like to have you lay stress on
that point. Now you can have your
time TO debate this and we will try TO
get somewhere"
At the suggestion OF Mr.. Abbott the
agreement which was submitted TO tbs
three stores was read.
After the agreement was read. Mr.
Tinkham suggested that the Trades
Council present their side, but Mr.
Croak contended that the agreement
was satisfactory to them and asked
that the employers point out the parts
Of the agreement not satisfactory. SO
that it might be discussed or even pre-
sented to arbitration.
The Mayor: Before We 20 any
further I would like to know if this
is the same agreement, word for word.
that the other stores have signed up" !
Mr. Dietrich stated that the other
stores were still working under the !
old agreement but that they stood
ready and willing to sign this agree |
ment as soon as this controversy IS
settled.
The mayor then called on the en-
ployers TO present their side OF the /.
controversy.
Mr.. Bomberger said that the de
partment store proprietors had no con-
troversy and did not come TO debate /
or argue grievances. He declared that !
the Controversy IS a one-sided one; |
that the employers here have no quar-
rel with the men who represent or
Eanized labor. nor with organized la
Dor; they do not seek to get into i
controversy with them. but the Trades
Council has seen At to take up the
controversy that was practically dea5
and gone, because, as / said, rs per
cent OF the people went back to work
and arc at work, for the purpose or
enforcing their viii upon the employ
ers and people outside OF their organf-
zation by taking this up"
Nov, I say they have no contro-
versy, your honor, and the reason ]
say that is: that IS per cent or IN hs
employees that left their stores on
September 18th have returned 70 work.
and large number Of those who have
not returned have made application
for reinstatement and for reasons best
known to the employees and their
former employers have not been rein
stated Further. they have no con
troversy for the reason that they are
doing normal business. considering
the season and the backwardness of it.
50 that there is nothing for them 70
complain Of
The employees Of these stores are
apparently all contented with their
wages. their hours and condition or
employment. whether or not they
are members OF the Retail Clerks Un-
ion is matter Of no concern to the
employer or no inquiry IS made or
none will be made There is just one
thing that the employer wants, that Is
efficiency-efficicnt service
He spoke of the great competition
that the stores in Hammond had to
meet on account OF the close proximity
OF the great Chicago stores and diff
ferentiated between the class Of men
who belong TO the different locals
throughout the community and the
girls who in a great majority msie
up the Retail Clerks Union. He SAID
that the stores would not submit de-
tails and control of their business to
outside interests and never viii, thst
they do not and will not discriminate
against the clerks organization and
al are at liberty TO join without
prejudice or interference Of any kind
Mr.. Croak Of the Trades Council then
said in part.
Now it has been stated that We
have forced our viii upon someone l
want to state in defense Of organized
labor that It is not the intention OF US