The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-06-16
DIFFERENCES
AS GREAT AS
THEY WERE:
Last Nights Meeting In Ham
mOnd Not Altogether Barren
Of Results.

] ~ 4Ad0 OSCH AOPC6 NEaL as q ECSAi-
OF last nights meeting at the Ham
nSond Chamber OF Commerce rooms
definite answer to this question might
be given today. But it can't be done.
The differences between the con-
tractors and the craftsmen arc
great as ever and II Is up 10 Chica go
TO settle Halnmond's dispute. Work
may be resumed IN Hammond pending
the settlement In Chicago and It may
not. 1t all depends upon whether the
| contractors association will agree to
pay the old scale while waiting on
| Judge Lands and whether the unions
will vote to abide by the decision OF
Judge Lands on wages and working
| conditions. Incidentally that is where
matters stood a long time ago.
Last nights meeting must not be
considered unproductive of results
Some good stuff was brought out in
the oratory which flowed for over two
hours. The hall was crowded with
tradesmen, contractors, material men.
bankers and others who were Just the
plain public.
While employer and employe took
vigorous verbal cracks at each other.
/ both locked arms and were little bud
dies on one topic. That was the
proheering material dealer How they
did pile into the local dealers in lum-
Der and other building material. It
seemed to be the one subject which
would bring applause from all parts
OF the house. Mt. Wilson started IL IN
| his opening remarks and Tom Croak
| business agent for the plumbers. added
fuel to the flames when he told OF the
offer last winter by a contractor TO
have lumber shipped in from south
ern factory which would cost from s5
TO 30 per cent less than the Hammond
yards would charge for 1t After that
the material man came in for hard
! dig at regular intervals. He did not
try 70 defend himself and no one Of
fered TO take his part
Mr.. Wilson's suggestion OF going 60
work at the proposed scale until the
matter had been arbitrated, met with
disapproval both from representatives
| OF labor ard many others present They
insisted that IL work is resumed II
should be on the old basis until an
agreement is reached George Cupp OF
the Building Trades Council said the
unions had not decided whether they
would abide by Judge Landis' dsci-
sion and II would be necessary to take
| referendum vote before they could
20 to work with that understanding.
This he believed would delay matters
| several weeks.
Q. y. Kiger Of the Carpenters Dis
trict council started some discussion
when he said that so per cent OF the
carpenters OF Hammond were working.
The lathers were said to be WORKING
100 per cent Gary. East Chicago and
Whiting projects. It was said, had fur
nished employment for Harnmond's
craftsmen
Discussion continued until Attorney
JoNeph Conroy offered q resolution
which was intended to bring naatters
70 head. 1t called for the selection
of an arbitration committee. which
would work out settlement and IN
the meantime the men were 10 20 TO
work at the old scale. His motion was
supplanted by one onered BY J. p
Croak, a plumbing contractor. which
substituted the Judge lands decision
for the proposed local committed This
seemed to meet with approval. but It
was suddenly discovered that no one
present really had authority to vote on
a matter which would be binding upon
employers and employees alike
Then George Hannauer offered a
resolution that II be the sense OF the
meeting that contractors and employees
should arrange TO resume work at the
old scale as soon as possible and that
they also come 10 an agreement where
BY they will accept the scale as fixed
in Chicago. It strai aightened out the par
iamentary obstacles and the motion
passed unanimously. There the mat
ter stands. George Cupp promised that
the Building Trades Council would
take It UP at once and President Reed
Of the contractors expressed the belief
that his organization would take ia
vorable action.
Il still remains for the board Of di-
rectors OF the Chamber Of Commerce
TO meet tonight and formulate a state
ment to the public az to their idea 81
the way the difficulty should be
solved.
First OF ell President Jesse Wilson
OF the Chamber OF Comerce in stating
homo to everybody IN forcefuI manner
the actual state of affairs in Ham
mond and gave them IN lnklng OF
what might be expected later unless
those, for whom there is work. get
busy.
AS chairman of the Red Cross be
sees and talks with the people who
como to headquarters for aid. The
number is increasing daily Instead
of the old, infrm. ailing and very poor
people who used TO call for assistance
there Is an alarming number of able
bodied men among the visitors, men
Who are able and willing to work If
given the opportunity but who must
now appeal to charity in order to
alleviate suffering in their homes
Now. gentlemen" said Mr. wilson
in opening the meeting. "if you will
come to order shall briefly state why
this meeting was called and I hope
that we are here for some purpose and
some useful purpose. mot here just
simply because we are here but for
some purpose and some such useful
purpose that means action
For i've years have been presi-
dent of the Hammond Chamber OF
Commerce. The first year I was pres
!dent. that winter. there was a terri
bic condition Of affairs in Hammond.
Hundreds and hundreds OF families
were without clothing. without food
and without work. The Chamber of
Commerce raised something Ike s4.ooo
during that winter TO assist the fani-
lies without food. and without work
10 help feed their children. Tina
after time since that winter +hers
(Conttuued on nara 011