The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-24
Rosen Raps
Carpenters
Misleader
(Comtinued.)

| say in many sections of our coun-
try there was corruption existing to
great extent, and we were per-
sistently exposing these things. This
is not the first time Local Union 376
was prosecuted with the revocation
of the charter. It's officers were
repeatedly Disseminated against. 1t
was put on trial when it issued the
Progressive program, and later on
it was put on trial on the pretext
which was brought forth by the APP
peals Committee.
Now for those of you who insist
that the case must only be decided
from technical Interpretation of
the Constitution l want you to es-
pecially listen to me. l say that
even if Local 376 did violate the
Constitution, which we deny, the
charter could rot be revoked unless
it was done wilfully and deliberately,
as provided for in Section 10, Para
graph F.
Now a few words on hows in
terested President Hutcheson was in
examining our books. Some five
years ago when officers in control
of the Local never gave any finan-
cial reports ard did not care how the
reports of the Local were conducted,
a group of members, myself in
cluded, sent letter to the General
President stating to him that the of
ficers of the Local gave no reports
to the Local Union, that funds were
persistently misappropriated and
were being spent illegally. At that
time, when this letter was sent to
Hutchinson he answered that he was
going to investigate the matter, he
was going to look into it, but as far
as we knew the matter was never
looked into.
Hutcheson at that time of course
did not examine the books. About
two years later the membership of
the local ousted the old officials,
with the exception of one officer.
This official was the financial Sec
Rotary, the one whom we had put
charges against and expelled. The
newly elected administration began
an honest administration that fought
in the interests of the rank and file.
In about two years time that the
newly elected administration was in
power we had saved close to $4,000.
just in about two years time, and
formerly the treasury had never had
one cent. We instituted under the
advice of our accountant-he had
audited the books-a system of re-
ceipts which have right here, that
member who would pay his dues
would get his receipt and the dupli-
cate remain with the financial Sec
rotary, so whenever the matter
would have to be looked into we
would not have to run after the
book, but he would Immediately have
the duplicate in his possession and
we would look up if his accounts
are kept properly.
Yet despite all this that we had
done to clean out corruption and sys-
tematize our work, a campaign of
persecution was carried on against
Local 376 because of it's fight, as
l say, against this corruption ex-
listing within the local union. On
numerous occasions the officers and
delegates to higher bodies were not
seated and recognized. Twice the
local was put on trial by Hutcheson
and once warned if it did not cease
advocating the progressive program
the charter would be revoked. This
was in decision dated April 10,
1925. The local union, however, re-
fused to be intimidated and con-
tinued to advocate the program and
the progressive principles which it
thought were in the interests of our
organization -.
If you remember, l said that the
financial secretary was the only Of
ficer remaining of the old gang that
was loyal to Hutcheson and that
remained in office.
Therefore, when that worthy was
expelled he appealed to Hutcheson,
which he considered his friend, and
this was done after he agreed to
settle the shortage with the bonding
company where he was bonded.
J Then it was that Hutcheson sud-
denly became interested to examine
the books. Until then, he was never
interested. Not only that, but he
was anxious to take all the books
and papers away from our possess
sion. Here was ticklish situation.
If we gave him everything we would
have no evidence, an INSCRIPTIONS
general president seeking to get rid
of opposition could frame his OBJ
ponents. We then had plenty Of
reasons to suspect that he was look
ing for this opportunity. We there
fore offered the books for examina-
tins but refused to let him take the
evidence away from us. In this I
will read you the statement of the
local given to the trial committee
that came down to try us on June
8, 1926. Breads statement)
g.. Local Union 376 and it's Of
ficers did not refuse to submit the
books of the local union for examina-