Evening star., 1936-09-27
.SEATT[EEMPL0YES
D|SAVOWED GUILD
Five Signed Paper Repudi-
ating Its Bargaining Acts,
Hearing Told.
By the Associated Press.


SEATTLE. September 26.-Fred
Neindorff, non-striking financial edi-
tor of the Seattle Post -Intelligencer,
testified today at Labor Board hear
ing that loyal" employees Of the
strike-bound newspaper once cir
culated a petition asserting the local
American Newspaper Guild Chapter
did not represent them with their
employer.
Neindorff also testified q Newspa-
per Guild organizer also came to Sc
attic avowedly In connection with an
asserted Nationwide boycott against
the Post-Intelligencer's owner, VIII
liam Randolph Hearst.
Labor Board Examiner Edwin s.
Smith ordered Neindorffs testimony
about the asserted boycott activity
stricken from the record He held
any evidence intended to show q
Newspaper Guild Chapter was organ
lied here as a part Of an "anti-Hearst
vendetta" was incompetent.
Paper Describes Position.
Neindorff told of fishing trip with
Lester Hunt. non-striking political
editor. and their decision to draw up
a paper describing their position. He
quoted 1t as saying:
I'VE, the undersigned, have not
authorized the Seattle Chapter of the
American Newspaper Guild or any
other organization to represent us in
the matter Of wages, working condi-
tions or anything else"
He and Hunt signed it Immediately,
he said, and they obtained three
other signatures, later turning it over
to Edward T. Stone, non-striking
night city editor.
The board hearing. on the guilds
complaint that Frank M. Lynch, pho
tographer, and Philip Everhardt Arm
strong, drama critic, were discharged
for guild activity. Is nearing its end.
That part of Neindorff's testimony
stricken had to do with a conversa-
ton he said he and Lester M. Hunt,
non-striking political writer, had with
Morgan Hull, guild organizer.
Invited to Join Guild.
Niendorf said he first heard Of
the guild from Hull, when Hull called
him and Hunt, q former Tacoma
newspaper man, to a hotel and in
vited them to join the guild.
"He CHulD said he was going to
address the Seattle Central Labor
Council that night and would talk
about Hearst in Milwaukee (where
guild strike was in progress" Men
dorf testified.
"'You fellows know about the
strike in Milwaukee, he said, and
told him I had read the guild re-
porter but couldn't find any basis,
in the articles, for the dispute. Hull
then mentioned the Nation wide boy
colt against Hearst and said that
was the reason why he was in
Seattle.
Il told him that was an unfair
attitude; that the P.-I. had always
paid the highest wages and that it
was a poor spirit on his part.
I'VE sad that it would be poor
strategy to speak to the Labor Coun-
Gil and Hunt and I expressed regret
that he was doing it. We told him
it was injustice to the Seattle paper
paying the highest wages, and said
that men on other papers always
sought employment on the P.-I. We
asked him to withdraw from making
the talk.
II told him the logical starting
point was on the Star, notorious for
its low wages"
Watts objected and Woods coun-
tered that "the complaint states two
persons were discharged because of
guild activities and we responded that
the alleged complaint and allegations
were mere subterfuge."
Sees Vendetta Against Hearst.
Woods argued "the plan was def
nitely in mind long time. Hull was
not organizing a guild chapter in good
faith, but as part of a vendetta being
carried on against William Randolph
Hearst"
Smith questioned the materiality of
Niendorf's testimony, and Wood asked,
lis it impossible to say we not only
fired for cause but that the supposed
basis for the contention against us
is foundationless and a subterfuge?"
Watts told the examiner that "if
you can find anything in this argu-
ment that the two men were dis
charged for those two things dnefi-
cheney of Lynch and insubordination
of Armstrong;, but because Hearst
doesn't like their motives, I'll with
draw my objection"
Smith sustained his objection and
ordered Neindorf's testimony stricken.
Smith commented that he had heard
no evidence indicating Hull's actions
and motives were contrary Ito COM
mon practice, pursued by labor organ
izers for the protection and advance
ment of labor unions"