Evening star., 1933-10-07
OCEAN MAIL PROBE
|. RECESSED 10 DAYS
Former EmpIoye. Testifies He
Was Discharged for Being
Too Honest.
BY the Associated Press.


After hearing an elderly former en-
ploye of the Black Diamond Line tes-
tify he was discharged after he had
been told he needn't lean backward to
be honest" the Senate committee In
vestigating ocean mail contracts was
recessed yesterday until October II.
The witness was Benjamin A. Har-
nett. employed by the Black Diamond
for two years as operating manager,
who said he was also accused Of refus-
ing to cooperate" with the company
Harnett was summoned Unexpectedly
to the witness stand by Senator Black.
Democrat, Of Alabama, committee chair
man, to elaborate on a chance remark
regarding his dismissal made by a pre-
vious witness.
The incident that directly brought
was his refusal to approve an item tor
labor by Steve OConnor. whom he
identified as a son of T. v. O'Connor,
then chairman Of the Shipping Board.
Charles Hamilton, at that time chief
stevedore for the company. Harnett
said, came to him to tell about the
circumstances" Hamilton told him,
Harnett said, that Steve OConnor had
gotten into the habit Of coming to him
to borrow money and the only way he
could get it back was to get an extra
labor permit to cover the amount OF
the loan.
Il questioned him and he told me
the labor had not been performed" he
said.
Il believe Mr.. Hamilton complained
to Mr.. Dockendorff about me- Harnet5
said, referring to j. e. DockendorH,
president Of the Black Diamond.
Did you inform Mr.. Dockendorn Of
the controversy with Steve O'Connor
over the charger" asked Black.
YES" replied Harnett. that was all
discussed We had quite heated dis
cussion. I said 1t was petty larceny
and I didn't propose to be party
to it."
Harnett added that Dockendorf1 told
him: II needn't lean backward to be
honest and that I had refused to CO.
operate" He said Dockendorn asked
for his resignation, which was given.
Black opened his questioning by ask
ing Harnett If he found the Federal
Government was being overcharged."
sponse to a second question said
Due to the padding of stevedoring
bills, by introduction Of extra labor
and overtime charges"
Harnett said he was employed by the
Shipping Board after leaving the Black
Diamond, but he had been out OF work
since August Of last year.
The Black Diamonds fight against
having books Of two foreign firms, the
Asaho and Asabel companies the Amer
ican Steamship Association OF Holland
and the American Steamship Assocla-
ton of Belgium. was inquired into BY
Black.
He asked Sudman if it were no,
true he consulted jenkins, then vice
president OF the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. regarding an attempt to have
a Shipping Board auditor, Paul B. Slaw-
son. dismissed.
Isn't 1t true" Black pressed, that
you never took a step in the Slawson
matter without first consulting Mr
Jenkins?"
"Mr. jenkins" Sudman said, was the
| only man in the fleet corporation
could talk to, the only man who was
willing to give us a fair deal
jenkins" said Sudman. knew these
auditors were trumping up a lot ol
charges, that they had been doing il
for years. that the Congressional Record
shows they had been doing 1t"
Sudman testified he told Chairman
O'Connor of the Shipping Board that
a man like this should be fired"
And" asked Black, What did Mr.
O'Connor say?"
He agreed with me-"
Did he agree to fire him?"
No"
Then" said Black. snatching up a
paper from his desk, how about this
telegram from Sudman to Dockendorf
Succeeded in having chairman order
Slawson's dismissal How about that?'
If I sent that 1t probably is true.
said Sudman, after he first said he die
not recall the cable
And it's also true" Black added
that the controller (of the feet cor
poration) wouldn't do it, wouldn't fire
him "