Evening star., 1933-12-15
.'Iet Courts Decide Issue,"
Steel Firm Head Replies
to Johnson's Wire.
INFORMS ADMINISTRATOR
HE is POWERLESS TO ACT
Declares to Do So Would Violate
Section IA of N. r. A.
Code.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, December 15.-In the
face of threats of court action ard N.
r. A. Blue Eagle revocation, balloting
for collective bargaining representatives
in the plants of the Weirton Steel Co.
got under way quietly today.
Employees began peaceful trek to the
polls at am. in the Weirton and
Clarksburg, w. Va. mills and at am.
in the Steubenville, Ohio, works, as
events moved toward perhaps the most
momentous Blue Eagle test since the
birth Of the recovery act.
The casting of ballots began after a
day and night Of exchanges between Er-
nest T. Weir, chairman of the steel
company, and Hugh S. johnson, ma
tional recovery administrator.
This is to inform you." johnson told
Weir in telegram, that in my opinion
you are about to commit deliberate
violation of the Federal laws and that,
if you do so, shall request the Attor-
ney General to proceed against you i'm
mediately. In the meantime, shall at
OiiSC Odn Oil OPcu ulCCtll1S W Octcluillc
whether your Blue Eagle shall be with
drawn"
Let Courts Decide, Says Weir.
'Tf We are Illegal, let the courts de-
eide the ISSUE" was the reply Of the
steel firms head.
Mote: The issue involved hinges upon
efforts of the Labor Board to super
wise free election among the Weirton
Co. employees, to determine whether
they wish to be represented for COL
lective bargaining by the company
union or by the American Federation
of Labor union Of steel workers)
Some time after the telegram had
been dispatched, but before 1t was made
public, ''Hugh" and Ernest" as they
call each other, talked on the telephone
for half an hour.
1t was understood Weir explained to
johnson that 1t was impossible for him
to take hand in the election. If he did
so. the act would have been in direct
violation of the often quoted section IA
OF the N. r. A., and, why hadn't the
Labor Board convinced the EMPLOYEES
Committee of the necessity Of a change
in their election bylaws at the time
they were In Washington last week?
The steel man earlier had reiterated
II.
R. A, but that his concern has con
tracted" with the employees organiza-
t1on and could not break that agree
ment.
from his surprise on learning that
Johnson had released the telegram, Weir
indicated he had been of the opinion
the general had approved holding of
the election, with the decision of legal
lty to rest with the courts.
Conferred With Roosevelt.
In Washington, Johnson did not men
ton the phone talk, but it was known
that before sending the wire he had
held long conference with President
Roosevelt. This gave rise to the belief
that court action on the company's re-
fusal to permit the National Labor
Board to supervise the elections had
become virtually unavoidable.
Weir told Johnson it was impossible
Tor him to interfere with the election
as arranged by the company's employees
organization without violating section
IA OF the recovery act guaranteeing
workers the right of collective bargain
| ing.
He explained that the employees, and
not he nor other company officials, had
arranged details Of the election whereby
nominations were made at a primary"
last Monday. These nominees, SO in
| number, are being voted upon today,
with 49 to be elected.
| The Labor Board ruled that nomina-
tions be made by petition and that
stand was upheld by the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers, American Federation of Labor
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