The Connecticut labor press., 1919-10-04
DWELL GIVES FACTS ABOUT
 LAVIT'S CASE
Comprehensive Explanation in Regard to Why Business
 Agent Was Deposed.
HE WAS NOT PROSECUTED
Lavit Refused to Listen to Reason and Showed Animosity to
 Grand Lodge.

Grand Lodge. l Bridgeport Oct 3:-James H. O'Nei1, 1 wIlO- was chairman of the executive board of the Machinists' Union at the ! time Samuel Lavit, business agent, was
 removed, makes comprehensive state
 ment about the case to show that Lavit
 had fair hearing and was not per
 secuted as many of his friends have officials of the Connecticut Federation l of Labor were on record at the time as opposing Lavit's policies and they back ed the Grand Lodge officials. A part of
 MT. O'Neil's statement is as follows:
 Saturday, August 2, the executive
 board met at Lavit's office to talk the affair over with Lavit. After few preliminary remarks Lavit called Attor- ney Hugh J. Lavery, counsel for Lodge
 30, on the phone. l explained the
 situation to MT. LaverN telling him that
 Lavit had been removed upon ir1struc- tions from the international president,
 and calling his attention to the clause
 in the constitution which gave the pres
 ident that power. We then sent MT.
 Lavery a copy of the constitution and
 he said he would take the matter under advisement.
 11e to lO us al q
 further conference to be held Monday conference Attorney Lavery said there was no doubt that the president had the power to remove the business agent.
 At this same conference Lavit made the suggestion that if the Grand lodge would not object to his sitting on an advisory board he was willing to step out This proposition was submitted to MT. Davison at conference held Sun day. August }, at the Lorraine hotel. One of the executive board members asked Brother Davison if he would offer any objections if Lodge 30 paid Lavit his salary of $45 a week to act on an advisory board until he had his ease heard by the general executive board. -- 2 "Mr: Daviso1l's answer was: I will do nothing to hurt Lavit, as do not believe in prosecuting anybody. 1 do not object to him acting on this board, but he cannot do business officially for the Grand lodge. I will even pay Lavit's fare tc Washington and return and he can pick committee of two, three, or the whole executive board to go with him. There 1 will show him and his committee the evidence which the Grand lodge has and which justified his re- moval After he returns from Wash ington, ii he still insists upon a trial 1 will see that the general executive board comes to Bridgeport to try Lavit. i'll conjunction with the local executive board
 Brother Davison was asked if he in tended to take Layit's book away from him. He replied: No. Not as long as Lavit lives up to the laws of the p1,+ I | secession movement or continues his attacks upon the Grand lodge through the public press
 After leaving the hotel l was in- structed by the executive board to call Lavit on the phone and tell him that the 1 executive board wanted to meet him. Lavit invited the board to his house. | We submitted Davison's proposition, as described above, to Lavit.
 We told Lavit that we were in aC- cord with Davison's proposition which l involved:
 "(a) The removal of Lavit as busi ness 1gert.
 "(b) That Lavit might go to Wash ington to see the evidence.
 "(c) That a trial might be held in I with the general and local executive boards sitting as judges, if Lavit insisted upon it.
 On the first proposition LaV1t ad- mitted to the executive board that he was removed and there was no question about that.
 "On the second proposition, Lavit re- fused to go to Washington.
 And since he rejected the second, he third, of course. was not considered.
 Then we discussed the advisability of Lavits going on the advisory board. It was the unanimous opinion of the members of the board that Lavit should accept a place on the advisory board, One member make the remark that if 1e did not he could Ego to h-l, or I'm trough
 At this point Lavit attempted to get Attorney Lavery on the phone but was lot successful. He asked the executive board time to consider the advisability 3f going on the advisory board.
 Fellows he said, this is what l lrn up against One of my friends has old me that if I don't stick and fight ned break my d-n face in.' This re- mark surprised everybody and one of he members of the executive board said: That's the worst of you Lavit. You're taking the advice of too many We left Lavit that day feeling that he vas personally willing to serve on the advisory board and only wanted Attor icy Lavery's advice to be sure.
 "Mondav. August 4, we met Lavit at lis office and warned Lavit that he must ease making attack on the Grand lodge ,r they would remove his book. In other words, we told Lavit what Broth r Davison had told us the Saturday ,efore. Lavit made no reply to this warming.
 Tt was at this same meeting that -avit rejected the plan of acting on the board. We did everything we :ou1d to induce him to reconsider his .efusal, pointing out to him that by loinp fhis it would give Us a chance to