Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-12-23
Kansas Court Defines En-
ployers' Obligations to
Employees
EXONERATEs MILES
Men Should be Given Such Treatment
That viii Enable Them to Support
Themselves

!Topeka. Kan. Dec 23-accordins
% sweeping opinion written by
Ju1!.r Hugg:ns and ccncurred in by
.he other two Judges Of the Count Of
Industrial Relations, skilled and faith
fui craftsmen in Kansas industries
must receive living wage. Ta:s was
The order Of the court in answer 70
complaint brought by employees
against the Topeka flour mills which
reccrIIy shut down to about half thei-
capacity
"A .e:y importan; question connect
I'd with the matter before Us IS its
effect upon labor" says the decision.
"The people of Kansas have solemnly
Ia; AIRED by legislative act that work
ers eng2.@cd in this industry shau at
al times receive fair wage and have
healthfuf and moral surroundings. IT
he reduction Of the hours of opera
tion, therefore, the milierS should he
ve,y carefu. and solic:tnus concerning
the matter of laToor. Skilled and faith
full employees should be given such
treatment as viii enable them during
the period cf limited production to
srpnors themselves and families.
"The evidence before uS shows tha.
n the Topeka mills Skilled men N the
milling business are being paid q
n,oLthly wage, and therefore aEs draw
;rg pay whether ;'thc nil! IS Turning
or ncs. So fas -as it IS possible to do
50. this rule should be recognized in
al the mills of the State. for It is
necessary in the promotion of the gen
cral welfare that skilled and faithful
workers should ways be available
Cor these essential industries which so
r;tally affect the living conditions Of
the people"
Kansas flour mills are essential in
drstries under the terms cf the in
;lustr;al court law, and the mills arc
s,,"iect to regulation by the Court;
hit the Court has found nothing 70 in
licatc that the mills arc cios;2g in an
effort 10 maintain prices or cnrta:l
production. The case WAS brought be-
fore the court by tn" employees of
scme Of tn. Tcntka nils, who assert
cd tha. they had been ,hrcwE out of
work
The Court found that the mill ware
houses were full cf flour and the e.e
ra,'",s fill Of wheat. and that the
mills were ac:'lally operating al about
TO rrr cent. Of their capacity.
The opinion of the Court was writ
ton By W. l.. Huggins, presiding
JuG~c. who asserted that the people
IF the STATE were able to ge; al the
-four desired promptly. and there
seemed to be no evidence which would
warrant any further proceedings
against the mil'ers at this time.
The markets for, wheat ard -four
ere -ur:tea.,e and the buyers Of fIou:
are buying in very small quantities
.s5 the present time. The Court found
':ha- operation at go per cent. Of cap
1citr was reasonable continuity Of
Service.
The Court announced the appoint
men: cf committee to drafs the rules
and reewlationS to be adopted by the
'rurt relating to the milling Industry
of the State. The committee is COM
ooseH Of c. V. ,Tcppiry SECRETARY OF
the Southwest Mi,lcrs' Association; l.
a. Fitz, head of the milling division
Of the Agricultural: College. and G
A. Eryh. accountant for the Industrial
Court.
This committee Is 70 draft he III es
and regulations under which al mills
must be operated in the State and the
tmilers viii be required to obey them
when It comes to shutting down OF
limiting production il any way