Evening star., 1937-06-07
DEMAND
OPEN HEARING
Seven Suspended Units An
nounCe Refusal to Enter
"Secret" Proceedings.

The seven lodges suspended by the
American Federation OF Government
Employees for pushing an Independent
"anti-economy" drive, today demanded
an open hearing and announced they
would not take part in any secret"
proceedings.
r The declaration was the answer to
q communication from Charles I.
Stengle, national president, informing
the seven that a committee from the
Executive Council would convene here
Saturday morning to go into their case.
The lodges are campaigning against
the proposed Government retrench-
ment program, and have called mass
meeting at the Willard Hotel Thursday
night in defiance OF orders from ma
tional headquarters.
You charge that we have criticized
the national of1ce and Congress" the
communication to Stengle said. 1T is
true that We have attacked the ma
tional ofdce, but We have not attacked
Congress nor do We intend to. We
are merely lighting to protect our jobs
and the interests of our members. We
are acting within our legal and con-
stitutional rights in expressing their
views on legislation Of interest to them.
Says Stand Inconsistent.
your persistence in sabotagine all
efforts to fight false economy meas
ures is the latest manifestation of
your consistent policy of serving the
interests OF personnel and employ
ment od1cials rather than those of
the great body Of Government en-
ployes.
Among trade unionists, organiza-
taons dominated by such policies are
called company unions. It Also has
been stated that some officials of the
A. F. G. E. are using their high Gov
ernment positions not only to ham,
per activities in behalf of Govern
ment workers, but to discriminate
against individuals who participate in
such activity.
You invite us to an investigation
to be held on Saturday, June II. In
the past you have used such secret
hearings to lend the trappines of
legality to decisions arrived at in adj
vance. We have before US the bitter
experience Of i've lodges who were
denied reinstatement In the A. F. G..
=. after hearing which was a travesty
on justice and more nearly resembled
star chamber proceedings than it did
q hearing conducted by a labor or
ganization In the United States> of
America. The A. F. G. E. has had
enough of star chamber proceedings
and Of inquisitions held behind closed
doors.
Willing TO Submit Issue.
We are willing, however, Is an ex-
preston OF our good faith, to submit
tne entire question to a public hearing
to which members Of the press will be
admitted and at which both parties
Will appear as equals, with equal right
to call witnesses, to have counsel, to
have its own stenograpbers and to
nave equal time for presentation. We
feel that such proceedings would bring
out the true facts and would conse-
quently benefit the membership of the
A. F. G. Z. Any other form Of hearing
would be = mockery and would serve
only to set rubber stamp Of approval
on the action already taken by you.
We will accept and participate In
hearing under the conditions out
lined above. We cannot participate
IN any secret 'hearines' conducted by
persons who by their very charges
against US have proven themselves Bit
terly antagonistic to the purposes of
our campaign and who, q accusers,
now propose to stand in Judgment on
these charges"
The lodges involved are from Labor,
Agriculture. Interstate Commerce,
General Accounting. Resettlement,
Works Progress and Beltsville. While
the 1885 members Of these are under
suspension, 1t has been said by na-
tional officers that II they repldiate
the action Of those responsible for
the rebellion" only the latter viii be
disciplined. Otherwise, the whole
matter will 20 to the annual conven-
ton in Philadelphia In. September,
where = row Il In prospect " that
in Detroit this past year. WHEN i've
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