The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-04-27
Asks Labor
Meaning
Of "Unfair''
Final Arguments Will Be
Heard in Boycott Case
on Saturday

All Of tho evidence is now in and at
torneys are busy preparing for the ar
guments in the boycott injunction suit
which has been on trial in Room Of
the Hammond superior court since last
F'ridty. The last witness testified at
noon today and the case was continued
until Saturday morning when the at
torneys will present their arguments
for and against tho injunction.
Definition ftho word unfair" in the
sense that 1t was used on the placards
of the pickets in front of the three de
partment stores was the subject OF
much discussion yesterday afternoon
when Henry Gabler testified.
Gabler. who is an officer Of the state
building trades council and who has
been affiliated with union labor about
fifteen years. told of efforts in which he
had participated at bringing the de
partment store mana gers and striking
clerks to an agreement.
On cross examination. attorneys for
the plaintiffs asked him for his con
struction of the word unfair" as it was
used when the statement was made that
a person or organization was unfair to
organized labor. Gabler was evasive
and explained the term in about every
usage except the one sought. Finally
he said that when the person or organi-
zation did not meet what were consider
ed just demands Of the union workers
as to wages. hours and working condi-
tions. the person or organization would
be unfair
Attorney BomberRer asked II refusal
to sign a union contract would make n
firm unfair and Gabler replied that he
wouldn't say that It would The stores
are contending that there are no differ
erces between them and the clerks. They
say that wages. hours and conditions
are satisfactory but that the unions
have seen ht to brand them as unfair be-
cause of their refusal TO sign an agree
ment with the union.
Gabler said that after the strike was
called he had paid $l.25 a week assess
ment for the benefit Of the clerks union
but did not know what was done with
it. He said the assessment was discon-
tinued in January.
Tom Harle, business agent for the
teamsters' union. testified that he knew
nothing of any threats or intimidations
being carried out against patrons of
the stores. Charles Shade. now located
In California, and Jack Croak, plumb
ing contractor. were also put on the
stand to show that although they had
been brought into the suit as defendants
they had not been connected with tho
Hammond locals for some time prior to
the strike of the clerks.
S. Z. N-iltse took the stand again this
morning to testify regarding certain
statements which were made at the
meeting called by Mayor Brown, F. C.
Dietrich. Jr.. member of the Calumet
avenue bakery firm. testified that he is
a member Of the teamsters' union and
knew absolutely nothing about the strike
except the mere fact that there was
one
The defendants then in order to get
parts of speeches made by Attorney
Bomberger at the mayors meeting en-
tered in the record. placed Harry Folk !
court stenographer on the stand. Folk
had reported the meeting and identified
the statements which were read. The
Plaintiffs then insisted on having Mr..
Bomberger's complete utterances. char
acterized as "the Fourth of July ora
ton by the defendants. read into the
record The transcript did not have
the speech made by Attorney Tinkham
and while the propriety OF having the
reporter get this was being discussed
the court announced that he believed It
useless to 60 to this trouble rs he was
not interested in the differences which
existed prior to the alleged boycott
After moving to have the copies Of
the 1919 contract and the proposed 1920
between the stores and clerks
entered as exhibits which was refused
on objection of the plaintiffs, the de
fendants rested
In rebuttal the defendants brought
several witne sses who testified to hav-
ing heard one Of the pickets refer to
patrons of the stores as scabs. Their I
testimony was intended 70 impeach the /
picket herself who had said on the /
stand that she had not spoken r. any 4
one and had not called anybody names. I