The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-25
BURNS COPPER
SPYING EXPOSED
IN MORE LETTERS
Private Dicks Worked
Under D. of J. Men

labor spy in the copper industry are
being made by the Industrial Work
ers Of the World in this issue Of In
dustrial Solidarity which is publish
ing more of the 200 confidential let
tiers which have fallen into its posses
sion.
Today's disclosures show that De-
partment Of Justice agents acted as
foremen over the private Burns
Dicks who were retained in behalf Of
the associated copper companies in
Arizona and Southern California.
Former disclosures showed Burns
sending D. of J. men to assist his
private operatives in the work for
1 which his agency was being paid for
the magnates. These letters reveal
I the d. of ]. men as the expert direct
ors Of the lower grade private dicks.
Under Noonan's Direction.
For instance we find the Los An
geles branch Of Burns agency in
forming j. G. Crowley, who is repre-
senting their espionage interests at
Jerome, Arizona, July 10, 1928:
"This is to advise that an opera
tive will call on you soon, identify
ing himself as Z-3, and giving you
his name and address. He will be
in and around Jerome for some time
to come and will be more or less
under the direction of Noonan Of
the Department Of Justice, who
will probably be in Jerome in the
near future.
81 am of the opinion that this
operative, while not a whirlwind,
will make very good man in that
district :"
The letter is marked PLEASE
DESTROY. The "Z-3", referred to,
is j. j. Spear, an l. w. w. delegate
until he was expelled following these
disclosures. Z-3 was appointed dele
gate thru the influence of Fred
Haines, alias Harris, Burns spy who
was also delegate in the Metal
Mine Workers Industrial Union until
he was uncovered.
Operated in A. F. of L.
Burns agents operated in the A. F..
Of L. unions freely. Reports to the
Los Angeles Office from Inspector
L-42", Inspector Las" and Opera
tive "N-1", transmit to the Burns
Los Angeles Office odds and ends of
data on wage conditions and gossip
picked up in union halls in various
Los Angeles cities.
Writing from Miami, May IA, 1928
Inspector LAP tells that he overheard
Barry of the Cooks and Walters"
say that the heads of the Mexican
social organizations tell of plans to
organize the mine workers under the
banner Of the International, mean
ing the Mine, Mill and Shelter Work
ers Of the A. +. Of l.. The "Club de
Mineros", a Mexican organization, is
particularly mentioned in the stools
report as active for the union. The
rest of the letter deals with l. w. w.
miners organization movements at
Globe.
A later letter from Inspector L
42", May %, brings in President
Meyer Of the Mine, Mill and Shelter
Workers union, passing on the in
formation that local citizen had re-
ceived letter from Meyer, saying
he was sending two organizers to the
Globe-M Miami district and would have
cooperation from the United Mine
Workers.
Inspector LAP goes on to report
who will speak at the Miami central
body's meeting.
Don't Know Labor Movement.
The Burns agents, however, show
slipshop methods and lack of knowl
edge of the labor movement, as when
"Inspector L-42" says union speaker
represented the Trades Department
Of the American Federation Of
Labor.
Long letters from operatives deal
with such "shadower" details as the
trailing of A. r. Of L. and |. w. w.
organizers from town to town in Ford
cars. The agency in turn writes
sheriffs and other officials telling
where the men are and what indict-
ments they have over their heads.
Raise Stools Pay.
This Fred Haines, listed in the
Burns files as operative "W-1" turned
in SO many unionists to the companies
= chat H. D. Dowell, who handled the
paying Of the detective agencies for
the associated copper companies,
writes from Globe, Arizona to George
p. Pross, Burns Los Angeles man
ager, July 10, 1928, that "W-1s" sal
airy be increased $4,000 a month,
same to be charged to the clients
concerned.
Haines and ]. J. Spear, "Z-3", were
the two operatives sent to Globe sew
eral weeks before in response to a
request by William J. Burns, from
Washington, on the stationary Of the
Department Of Justice.
Stools Expense Account.
Z-3's expense account for the day
he lined up in the /. w. w. are IL
Eliminating as showing the expensive
nature Of labor espionage; 1t reads
Wages, $40; lunch, 75c; card and
two months dues, So; ticket to
Needles, Sail; Sleeping car reserva-
ton, $3.50; Dinner, 81; Taxi. ST.
total, $S4.36.