The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-01
Wolf Packing Company Asks
That Decision Be Set Aside.
Fight Efforts of Industrial
Court to Regulate Business.
Action Brought in Supreme
Court Against S.HOur Order.
Employees Asked Court to Re-
Raise Salary Schedule.

The Kansas court of Industrial rela-
tions may now have to defend itself
against attacks coming from the big
employers as we'll as those coming
from Alexander Howat and the labor
unions.
This was indicated today when the
Wolff Packing company, of Topeka,
filed a petition in the supreme court
asking for permanent writ of
mandamus that would compel the in
dustrial court to set aside its tempo
rary S-hour order and accept from the
company security that the provisions
of the order would be met If the order
should be upheld in the regular courts.
To Fight Courts Order.
The action on the part Of the pack
ing house is taken as a notification
that it plaps to fight efforts on the
part of the Industrial court to regulate
its business. And the filing of this
suit is of particular interest to the
packing industry of the state at this
time when the packing houses and
their men are in a controversy over
wages and working hours.
When the Wolff Packing company
cut the wages of its employees the first
of the year. the employees. instead of
striking. went to the industrial court
and asked that the wages be re-raised
to the old figure and that an S-hour
day be established.
Judge Higgins Investigated 1t.
Several days were spent by the
court in taking testimony. Then
Judge w. L. Higgins went lown to
the plant and spent a whole day with
the employees, studying their work
and getting first hand Information as
to the strenuousness Of the various
| jobs.
As a result, without definitely fix
ing q wage scale, the court issued q
temporary order establishing an eight
! hour day and providing that the en-
ployes should be paid time and q
fourth when required to work nine
PEELED to work more than nine hours
Object, to Recent Order.
The company objects to this order
and wants the supreme court to set II
aside until the right OF the industrial
court to go into such matters is deter
mined in the regular courts. This is
said to be the same as challenge
to the court as to its authority to die
tate wage scales and working condi-
, tions to private business.
! Members of the court have been ex-
pecting such action, it is said. as this
| Is the first instance where the court
has attempted to settle a labor dispute
in case where the INDUSTRY Was ho'
clearly defined as a public utility. or
a business OF vital public necessity,
the interruption of which would di-
rectly affect the people of Kansas.
Want to Furnish Security.
II the supreme court will set aside
the industrial courts temporary Or
der, the packing company is willing to
put up what ever security is demand
ed as a guarantee that the employees
will get the full benefit of the order in
the event it is upheld in the tests that
are to be made. This would mean
that the packing house would con-
tinue to work its men on the old sched-
ule of hours, at the old pay schedule.
and the men would have to wait until
> favorable decision is rendered be-
fore getting extra pay for more than
& hours work