The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-30

OC6A4A0 S4do44A4AS 4Oo 1O110.
 The cast of characters consisted of several hundred white collar relief workers and Wayne Morse, their supervisor and one-time Oregon university professor. Cause of the incident was fear of the diScontinuance of the WPA pro- ject that for the past year and a half has given the relief workers and 8 thousand others in the field steady employment.
 The project was 8 compilation of statistics on paroled prisoners. Field workers gathered the data and the Washington staff, using the ornate, high-ceiled "great hall" of the Justice Department as a work room, sorted and assembled it.
 Facing a sharp reduction in it's budget, the WPA plans to con- clude this work July 1. It already has begun dismembering the field staff. With the axe hanging menacingly over their heads, the Washington staff decided to make an effort to save their jobs.
 Mass Action Threat
 Their first move was to send delegation to WPA Deputy Ad- ministrator Mrs. Ellen s. Wood- ward. When she offered little hope, the group bitterly informed her that if the dismissals went through "there will be some suicides on your head"
 Next the workers sent 8 strong ly worded communication to Morse threatening mass action" unless they were retained.
 The truculent challenge drew a prompt comeback. Striding into the great hall" and taking stand on a stairway overlooking the workers, he laid down the law in emphatic language.
 "I never want to receive an-
 other communication like this,"
 Morse exclaimed. "Where do you think you are? We are do-
 ing all we can to help you-the attorney general, Harry Hop kins, and myself.
 But we are not going to stand for any more talk about mass action. That is not going to get you anywhere - except into trOuble."
 The several hundred relief work CTS received the caustic lecture without interruption, returned si- lently to their desks when he con- cluded.
 Old Visitor
 When John E. Edgerton, Nash vile, Tenn, mill owner, told a congressional committee that he thought $11 a week a fair wage, newspapers played up the state ment, together with the rebukes of the committee. But few people were aware that the occasion was not Edgerton's debut in Washing ton.
 About 8 year ago the 0ne-time head of the National Ass0cia- tion of Manufacturers was haled before the SEC and asked a lot of embarrassing questions.
 The Securities Commission had issued stop order on 8 stock Notation backed by Ed gerton, and it held formal hear ings to question him.
 High point of Edgertor's testi- mony was the disclosure of a unique devise he evolved to raise funds to combat the MIRA. He wanted to destroy it, he explained because it was "abOlishing the wage differential between the South and other sections"
 Edgerton approached some of his fellow industrialists with the idea of setting up a campaign fund. They demurred, fearing de- lection by the government. So he proposed that share of National Boston Mines corporation be sold at price above the prevailing market and the difference be con- tributed to an anti-NRA fund. The SEC order stopped the scheme. Point of Interest
 The 10-year old Boy Scout nephew of a veteran congression- al secretary arrived in Washing ton several days ahead of the Jamboree now in progress, and the uncle took him on a personally conducted tour of Capitol Hill.
 He showed him the Senate, pointing out some of the famed members. But the lad seemed strangely unimpressed. The uncle then had him taken on the floor of the House by an obliging con- gressman. The youngsters only reaction was that it sounded ter- ribly noisy"
 The uncle then showed him the press gallery, introducing several reporters. The boy eyed them with obvious disappointment, la- ter explaining to his uncle, "Why, they were sober, and I thought all newspapermen wore their hats all the time"
 By this time the uncle was a bit discouraged, but he decided to make one more try to interest