Evening star., 1937-02-24
STEEL GROUP NEXT
TO FACE PROBERS
Senate Committee, After
Recess, to Look Into In
dustry's Labor Policies.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

In recess for a week, the Senate
committee investigating espionage
and coercion in labor relations today
turned to the task of preparing for
its initial venture into the subject
of labor policies of the steel industry.
In addition, several matters of "un-
finished business" were due for con-
sideration during the interim.
Scheduled to resume open hearings
next Wednesday, the committee plans
at that time to hear testimony and
review evidence bearing upon labor
relations policies of the American
Bridge Co. of Pittsburgh. subsidiary
of the United States Steel Corp.
Prior to taking on this task, how
ever, the committee hopes to make
its decision this week on what action
is to be taken in the refusal on two
occasions OF Robert A. Pinkerton,
youthful head Of the Pinkerton Ma
tional Detective Agency, to surrender
requested information.
Spies Not Identified.
Pinkerton refused, upon advice Of
his counsel, to disclose the identities
of agency spies who were in General
Motors plants in Flint, Mich, during
the sit-down strike, and likewise re-
fused to turn over to the committee
about so original espionage reports
from the Detroit srea.
Bearing upon the decision to be
made in the Pinkerton case is the
status of the committees case against
the Railway Audit and Inspection Co.,
a strike-breaking and espionage con-
Germ that destroyed its records and
whose officials refused to heed COM
mittee subpoenas for appearance
After being indicted for contumacy,
five officials of the company filed de-
murrers to the indictments and coun-
sci for both sides have been awaiting
a response to these demurrers before
proceeding further.
Yesterday the committee heard
testimony by organizers Of the United
Automobile Workers in the Flint area
that anti-union policies of General
Motors Corp. have become more
vicious" since settlement Of the recent
strike. Appearing in the morning
session. Joseph B. Ditzel and Robert
c. Travis told Of terrorism and in
timidation in Flint and Saginaw dur
ing the strike period.
Along with Travis testimony he
submitted to the committee a mass
Of aff1davits and documentary evi-
dence in substantiation of his charges
Of increased union hostility by cor
poration officials. In this material
were quotations by two plant officials
in Flint that the company is building
up a new and more extensive private
police and espionage force.
Other information was to the effect
that squad of so armed men are
guarding the Flint Chevrolet power
house, with live steam pipes fitted
into the defense set-up.
Ordered to Leave Jobs.
During the afternoon meeting three
union organizers working in the Fish
er Body plant in Baltimore appeared
to tell the committee that they had
been ordered to leave their jobs yes.
terday morning because some other
workmen objected to their presence.
They were promised pay for yester-
day and were told to return this
morning, they testified.
Called to the stand, plant officials
claimed the anti-union group was in
the majority and would have forced
cessation of production If the union
trio had been allowed to stay. They
told the committee they hoped to ad-
Just the trouble by this morning.