The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-07
BLACKLIST IS
STATE threat
IN WAGE Case
Raise Highway Pay, or
Face Loss of Contracts
Is Warning.

SDdUR ROAD COI1UIdCJOIO, VIII al z
sweating labor at 20 cents an hour,
would better restore a decent wage
scale before they are blacklisted by
the state highway commission"
This bit of advice was cleaned by
The Times today after interviewing
Chairman Albert j. Wedeking of
the commission, and all but one of
the commissioners.
Although the commission did not
meet as scheduled Wednesday, the
plan to deal drastically with con-
tractors who took state contracts
figured at a minimum of 40 cents an
hour for common labor and then
cut the wage to 20 cents, has not
been abandoned, Wedeking said.
Brown Holds Up Session
"The meeting was postponed be-
cause Director John j. Brown is
awaiting certain data from the
state of Kentucky in regard to the
Evansville bridge project" Wede-
king explained in long distance
telephone conversation to The
Times from his home at Dale, Ind.
81 am very anxious to obtain the
data gathered by The Times and
the Indiana State Federation OF
Labor regarding contractors who
are paying 20-cent wages.
Whether we meet at Louisville or
Indianapolis later this week or the
first of next, we will act in this mat
ter. ~
Brown announced on Wednesday
that the meeting may be held III
Louisville, with the Kentucky COM
mission, because of the bridge matter.
Should there be further delay than
the first of next week, q. special
meeting may be called to deal with
the wage problem, it was said.
Possibility of ten-day delay, II
the commission awaits all details
asked of Kentucky, was seen to-
day when Brown was informed a
financial report of the Kentucky
commissions bridge-building funds
can not be compiled before that
time, due to absence of clerk.
Murden for Action
This was heartily Endorsed by
Jess L. Murden (Rep, Peru, first
member of the commission to adj
vocate action to curb the wage cut
ting as disclosed by The Times.
ct am ready to attend a meeting
any time and do what we can to
halt this outrageous wage cutting,
Murden sserted today. He is at
his summer home at Rochester.
IT even would favor going right
out on the projects and seeing for
ourselves that decent wage is re-
stored. Contractors who are engaged
in such practices hardly can expect
favors from the commission in the
future"
These sentiments were seconded
by Commissioner Robert Boren
Den.) from his home at Fountain
City.
Have Moral Right to Act
"There may be no legal right for
us to interfere on contracts already
let, but we do have a moral right to
do so in such instances" Boren told
The Times.
81 am ready to join Murden and
Wedeking in any practical proposal
they can make along this line"
Colonel A. P. Melton, Gary, is In
command of his regiment at the
annual Indiana national guard en-
campment at Camp Knox, KY, and
may be unable to attend the COM
mission meeting. He is the other
Democratic member of the commits
sion.
Data Sent Wedeking
The Times and Secretary Adolph
Fritz of the Indiana State Fedora
ton OF. Labor today sent the re-
quested data to Wedeking setting
out names of contractors, sub
contractors and projects upon which
20 and Is cent wages are being paid
Leading offenders principally art
old-time railroad contractors wht
are used to paying low labor cost.
to men who live in box cars along
the tracks.
Most Indiana contractors are
paying from 80 to 20 cents for com.
mon labor on state road projects.
Denies Debating Slash
Denial that the Mccarthy I'm.
provement Company of Iowa, con.
tractors for paving U. S. Road so
between North Vernon and Seymour
dictated to Dunlap & Co. of Nortl
Vernon, subcontractors on culver
work, reduction of wages from
IS to Is cents hourly was made to-
day by Homer c. Dell of DUNLAP
& Co.
Instead he attributed the reduc.
ton in wages to "a local man wht
informed a representative of thu
Mccarthy company that all thu
men needed could be hired at q
cents to 80 cents an hour, and TIL
same local man was responsible TO
the men in Dunlap g. Co.'S gant
| uortiap for o. cents an hour