The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-25
LABOR BLASTS.
MOVE TO CUT
PUBLIC WAGES
'SelflShneSS' Brand Is Put
on Board of Trade
Demands.
VIEWED POLITICAL TRICK
County Workers TrembIe at
Pledge of 100000
Slash in BUDGET.
VIEWED POLITICAL TRICK

Labor leaders who characterized
The indianapolis Board OF Trades
demand for reduction of public en-
ployes' wages as selfish" and none
OF their business" today Joined
forces with 5000 wage earners, en-
ployes of city, school and county
governments in opposition to the
demand.
Revealing almost universal wage
slashing by industry and private
business in Marion county, the
Board of Trade in letters to govern
mental officials Monday proposed
that public employees be reduced tc
SIMILAR pay levels.
First action of labor groups
groups against the Board of Trades
recommendation as the "cure-all'
for high taxes was taken Monday
night by the Central Labor Union
This group went on record in con-
domination of the proposal
Union Heads Join
Today heads of international Ia
Dor organizations had joined the
battle.
Leaders in labor's anti-wage re-
duction fight included Adolph
Fritz, secretary of the Indiana
State Federation of Labor; George
H. Lakey, first vice-president of the
International Brotherhood Of Car
penters and Joiners; S. E. Pollen,
ecretary-treasurer Of the Brother
hood of Locomtive Engineers, Di-
vision IL; w. r. Trotter, statistician
of the International Typographical
Union, and T. L. Hughes, secretary
of the International Brotherhood
of Transfers.
Furore was created among county
employees today after the county
councilmen indicated a cut in wages
would be part of their move to
slice 100000 from the 1882 county
budget.
Seen Political Move
Majority of the county workers
interpreted the proposal OF the
Board of Trade as instigated by
politicians of the former Republican
regime, who are trying to "get
even"
Labor leaders, though, see the
proposal as a move on the part OF
Board of Trade members to cut
pay of employees in their own bust
nesses, and point out IAN alibi to
their workers by showing them how
much wage reduction was &C
cepted' by public employees"
City and school employees, relying
on statements of heads of their de-
partments, that cut would not be
approved, have a feeling of security
that is not shared by county
workers.
Nearly 800 persons on the county
pay roll must wait until Sept. 8
when the council is to act officially
on the budget, before they will
know what the wage reductions will
total.
Sumner Against Cut
The situation already has broken
political alignments among county
commissioners and officials, with
Sheriff Charles (Buck) Sumner as
sorting he will fight councilmen If
an effort to save the present wage
scale for his deputies.
Statements of the labor lead
ers
Hughes-I can't tell you what II
like to say about the situation, bu
it would be best for all members o
the Board of Trade to mind thei
own business.
Trotter-This organization is OPP
posed to reduction of wages at thi
time. SelfiShneSs, and self1shneS
only. is the motive behind the pro
posal of the Board of Trade.
think that public employees salarie
already are very low.
Should Be Last
Fritz-The federation takes the
stand that the last group ever tc
ask for cut in wages should bt
the Board of Trade, members o.
which sit in their offices watching
misunderstanding all day long
I don't know what can be accom-
plished by cutting wages and Grip
bling the purchasing power.
Lakey-The International Broth
erhood of Carpenters and Joiners is
opposed unalterably to any reduc-
tion in wages. We feel the best
way to improve conditions is to
maintain wages and get the people
back to work. They don't want
charity. They want work.
Polen-I feel that to reduce
wages of the higher public en-
ployes and officials would be
commendable. I don't think the
regular employee with the smaller
pay is being overpaid. He SHOULD
not be reduced.
To Consider Demand
Pollen said the wage cutting issue
will be presented to members of the
engineers union tonight, and thi:
afternoon a special committee Of
the Central Labor Union was tC
consider the demand of the Board
OF Trade.
Agitation to follow the reduction
program for the county has beer
created by John E. Shearer, Repub-
lican, who will retire as county COM
missioner at the end of 1881, it was
claimed.
What stenographers in bushes:
offices are getting $4,000 a year?'
he demanded. IAN the court bailiff'
do is say Hear We, hear ye' and they
get an average OF $50 week
Salaries should be readjusted to the
level Of those paid in other firms o.
the city"