The Detroit times., 1913-07-17
LABOR SECRETS GIVEN
HIM By TOWNSEND, DE-
CLARES COL. MULHALL

labor leaders, TO defeat ship subsidy
legislation.
While the senator, later in the day
branded the sworn testimony as al
absolute falsehood," Mulhall pro
duced correspondence. that was late
offered in evidence and read into th'
record, upholding his statements tina
he had successfully approached Town
send.
The following letter. written 10 +
c. Schwedtman. secretary OF the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
under date OF March 26, 1898, was
offered by Mulhall 10 uphold hi:
charges and was read into the rec
ord. II says, In part:
al called on MIR. Sherman, Mr..
littlefield, Mr.. Alexander, Mr..
Southwick, and several other con-
gressmen on Saturday, and about
capitol, ! saw Mr.. Townsend, Of
Michigan; Mr.. Burton, Of Ohio,
and Mr.. Mckinley, Of Illinois, to-
gether with Mr.. Hitchcock sur
rounded by large labor lobby.
realized right away that the Com
pers people had Mr.. Hitchcock
(Mr. Taft's manager), up there
for the purpose Of trying to force
through some legislation, and
waited without being seen until
after the conversation was over
and ! met Mr.. Hitchcock coming
through the rotunda. as he was
about to leave the capitol.
"a left Mr.. Hitchcock and went
to the office building of the house
Of representatives and called on
Mr.. Townsend, of Michigan, whom
! saw with Mr.. Taft and the la
Dor leaders.
"Mr. Townsend made a clean
confession of the fact that the la
borites had brought Hitchcock
and the others to the capitol for
the purpose of defeating the ship
subsidy bill, which was before
congress on Saturday afternoon,
and that Hitchcock did do all
that was in his power to have
that bill defeated to please the
Gompers people. Townsend stated
that he had given up the fight on
injunction bills and had taken no
part In the ship subsidy fight. This
was given to me by Townsend in
confidence"
In another letter, written by Null
hall TO Schwedtman. earlier in the
same month. Townsend is said to
have been unfriendly to the manu-.
facturers and 10 have been working
for anti-injunction legislation. This
letter says in part:
There will be plenty to do, I
am sure, but we are getting our
forces In better shape all the
time and with experience In
every direction, as we now have,
we viii show them trick or two
even at the political game.
I'VE have gotten busy, especial
W with the congressman, whom
you mention In your letter. Mr..
Miles has taken on himself the
wisconsin man, and We have
sent special people after Mr..
Townsend in Michigan. I think
we can accomplish considerable
and feel II in my bones we are
going to win out In this"
Senator Townsend's reply was
sharp and TO the point. IL follows:
never talked TO MuIhall but
once. That was when he came
to my Office with Mr.. Emery and
virtually ordered him out.
never talked TO Hitchcock
about labor legislation or shin
subsidy. never talked TO Mui.-
nall about ship subsidy. therefore
gave no confidential information
concerning the plans.
The statement that had
abandoned the fight for ant.ln.
Junction legislation is another
falsehood. fought right straiaht
through for IL, and the manufac.
turess opposed me in my cam.
pa'9n because OF the position
took. Soon after our bio foh,
Tor the anti-injunction LEGISLATION.
the court rules we're so CHANGED
that they practically met the
points desired In the Madden
bill"