Evening star., 1938-08-03
WITNESSES CLASH
IN STEEL HEARING
Unionist Fined in Track
Destruction Says He Was
in Mayors Office Then.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

ny JonN y. HENRY.
Disagreement over union attitude
toward movement of maintenance
crews in strike-closed plants Of Re.
public Steel Corp and youngstown
Sheet & Tube Co. broke out anew
before the Senate Civil Liberties Com
mittee today as union witnesses and
public officials contradicted each other
freely.
The dispute, arising yesterday, was
reopened today by John (Shorty)
Stueben, Steel Workers Organizing
Committee organizer, and John Mayo,
S. w. o. c. regional official, who tes-
titled that the union at all times was
willing to allow proven maintenance
men to continue at work, but that
Mahoning County (Ohio) Sheriff Ralph
E. Elser and Mayor Thomas Roberts
Of Struthers, where one of the plants
was located, had informed them the
companies would permit no such quail
ification.
After several days of deadlock. the
companies attempted to move freight
car said to contain food into the
Struthers plant. In the process Of
moving the car part Of the track was
destroyed, an action for which Steuben
later was arrested. indicted and fined.
although he testified today that he was
in Mayor Roberts Office when the de-
structlon took place
Mayor Vetoed Hands Of
Shortly after fbjS uoc
disclosed the Struthers City Council
passed resolution directing city off,
cials to maintain a "hands-off" at
titude toward the strike, but Mayor
Roberts vetoed it.
James J. Daley, secretary Of the
Brier Hill Employees Association in
that plant of Sheet g. Tube, came to
the stand first to tell how the "inde-
pendent" union had been supported
by the company prior to valuation Of
the Wagner Act in 1887 Following
the court decision, he said. meeting
was held with company officials and
the organization was put on a dues
paying basis.
Martin J. Walsh, chairman of the
association, next was called for ques-
tioning about the organizations atti-
tude toward the back-to-work move
ment during the strike.
I'VE were very much in favor of it."
Walsh said. adding that he spent as
much as I8 to 90 hours daily in service
TO this movement when it was
launched.
Paid by Company.
Asked if any compensation was re-
ceived for such service, Walsh said ne
was paid by the company for some
outside work such as reporting cases
of intimidation by the strikers
A special pay roll voucher produced
by Chairman La Toilette showed that
Walsh was one of four men receiving
special compensation for periods start
ing May 81 and June 10. included in
the strike interval. Walsh received
s28227.
Leaders in the Independent Fedora
ton of Republic Employees told q SIM
liar story. leading up to their active
participa ton in the back-to- work
movement.
Part of this movement centered
among wives of steel employees, it was
brought out, when Edward w. Gray.
secretary of the independent union.
testified that steel company official
had invited him to address a meeting
of the women.
A high spot in the back-to-work
agitat ton occurred on June s, when
leaders of the movement attempted
to adjourn a meeting on finding that
strikers were in a majority. Actually.
the strikers took over the meeting
for a rally of their own
Steuben testified that tellers in the
Dollar Bank of youngstown were ask
sign back owork petitions.
Bank Head Denies Story.
Carl w. Ullman. president of the
bank. took the stand to say he had
inquired into this report. but had
found no such activity. In addition,
he said, he warned employees indulg-
ing in such methods.
In the course of his testimony yes
terday. Sheriff Elser charged that
Philip Murray, chairman of the Steel
Workers Organizing Committee, was
largely to blame for developments of
violence because of his refusal to per-
nit free passage Of maintenance men
In and out of the plants.
Oklahoma City has q civic center
area where it allows free parking.