The Washington times., 1937-06-18
SENATE CALLS
WITNESSES0F
STEEL RIOT

mittee started today to investi-
gate all phases of the steel
strike, turning first to the Me-
mortal Day riot at South Chi
cago.
1t clashed with the Senate
Civil Liberties Committee. which
has been investigating labor war
fare since last year, when its
chairman, Senator La Toilette
(P) Of Wisconsin, refused to
turn over a motion picture of the
riot that took nine lives and left
scores wounded.
La Toilette said the film was
being used in Chicago by COM
mittee investigators in an attempt
to identify the rioters. He also
said it was the property Of the
Paramount Company.
Police SubpOenaed
The film became an important
factor in the Post office Com
mittee's investigation when Philip
Murray, chairman Of the steel
organizing committee, testified
it portrayed Chicago police" as
aggreSsorS in the riot.
The committee will request q
copy Of the film from the Para.
mount Company for secret
showing. It will also attempt to
obtain another film version of the
riot said to have been taken by
a Chicago minister and alleged
to have been confiScated by the
Chicago police department.
Meanwhile, the committee sub
poenaed Chicago police and city
officials, who witnessed the battle
in addition to members of the
committee for industrial organiza.
ton, and individual union and
non.union workers.
Warns of Civil War
The committee will call Capt.
James L. Mooney, of the Chicago
police, his assistant, Thomas Xii.
roy, and states attorney Thomas
j. Courtney. Chairman Mcclellan
Cd of Tennessee, said he will
also summon officials of the Re
public Steel Corp, for "a first
hand story" of the events leading
up to the riot.
Citing officials Of the so-called
independent steel companies as in
stigators of the current labor
strife, Murray warned that it will
spread to a general state OF civil
war" unless checked.
Meanwhile, Senator Bridges
(RJ of New Hampshire, gathered
evidence which he said supports
his charges that the c. /. o. in
terfered with the mails in the
Ohio strike area.
Calls ON President
He will exhibit asmotion picture
film which, he said, will allegedly
show pickets burning mail truck
at the Republic Steel Plant In
Warren, and produce witnesses
j. who alleged they were refused the
use of the mails to send packages
Of food, clothing, and medicine to
loyal workers inside strike-bOund
plants at Niles. Youngstown and
Warren. He said:
"The President Of the United
States cannot be without knOWl-
edge of this general situation
and the country demands action
from him now"
Bridges warned If the Senate
Committee fails to investigate his
charges thoroughly he will turn
what he called amazing evil
dence" over to the Department
of Justice and demand action.
Inquiry Promised
Mcclellan, however, said the
Bridges phase of the inquiry Will
be dealt with thoroughly and fol-
low Immediately the investigation
of general industrial warfare.
Murray clashed bitterly and fire.
nuently with Senator Bailey CD,
of North Carolina. When Bailey
insisted that "a written contract
is not worth the price Of blood
shed and violence" Murray re-
torted hotly:
"YOu are unfair. YOu are
biased. You should know veH-
bal contract never holds. A
written contract is the only as
Surance q working man has
that his employer will keep his
word"
Bailey demanded:
"Why can't both sides in this
controversy place their entire
cases before President Roosevelt
and let him decide how 1t should
be settIed?"
Murray read a newspaper de-
scription of the film depicting
the Chicago riot. He read, also,
a letter from an official of the
company which made the film,
declaring it was withheld from
public exhibition through fear it
would precipitate new violence.
Bailey said he was unable to
believe that police of any city
would charge into a group of citi-
zens with blazing guns unless the
circumstances fully warranted"
He said there must be two sides
to the story"
Farm Group TO Keep