Evening star., 1938-07-29
STEEL ARSENAL
BAREDATHEAR|NG
Big Cache of Gas and Guns
Was Ho|dover From 1916,
Says PurneII.
By the Associated Press,

Youngstown Sheet g. Tube Co. on
cials testified today that during the
1887 little steel' strike, the company's
arsenal contained $4,000 worth of tear
gas, eight machine guns, 452 revolvers,
314 pistols and 1870 shotguns.
Frank Purnell, gray-haired presi-
dent Of the steel company. told the
Senate Civil Liberties Committee the
tea gas was a holdover from 1884
preparations for a strike that did not
materialize.
Chairman La Toilette. Progressive, of
Wisconsin questioned Mr.. Purnell as
to how workmen must have felt in
the knowledge the company had such
large arsenal.
II think certain amount is neces-
sary, from the demonstration we had
in 1916" the steel executive testified
He was referring to a riot in East
Youngstown now known as Campbell,
where large section of the town was
destroyed amid disorders.
j. M. Woltz, superintendent of COM
pany police at Youngstown for Is
years, said most of the guns were
bought in 1916 after the riot. The
eight machine guns were buried in a
coke pile during the 1887 little STEEL
strike and subsequently were de-
stroyed, he said.
Spent S52,115 Fearing Strike.
Explaining the tear gas precautions
in 1884 Mr.. Purnell said the COM
pany became concerned because of
reports of a possible strike and spent
$52,115 to get ready. He introduced
pictures of the 1915 property damage
to justify the company's action.
When the 1887 strike came, Mr.
Purnell said, he personally advised"
Mr.. Woltz to put the machine guns
away and not to have them available
for the itchy fingers Of any excited
men"
The Youngstown Sheet g. Tube Co.
has had collective bargaining in its
plants since 1918, when an employee
representative plan was installed I'M
der the direction of Mackenzie King,
later Premier of Canada, Mr.. Purnell
testified.
He personally does not believe in
the use of industrial detective agen-
cies, Mr.. Purnell said. because their
presence in plants aroused "suspi-
cions" and their service did not pro-
duce information worth counting on"
DO you mean that their reports are
unreliable?" asked Senator La Fol-
iette.
Not on the whole" replied Mr.
Purnell, "but their business Is of
nature to create a demand for this
service"
80 we have found" remarked Sen
ator La Toilette dryly.
Agency Engaged Twice.
Woltz testified the company had
hired an outside detective agency
twice-once in connection with the
theft of 500 pay checks in 1894 or
1885 and again when the home Of the
firms general superintendent had
been bombed
Questioned concerning testimony of
previous witnesses that labor espionage
Information had been exchanged be-
tween Republic Steel and their firm,
both Mr. Purnell and William B. Gil
lies, operating vice president, dis
claimed knowledge Of any such prac-
dce and asserted they had not au-
thorzed their police officials to engage
In it.
Senate investigators were endeavor-
ing to add to the information gathered
IN the last two weeks about labor es-
pionage procedure in the little steel"
strike last year.
Preliminary investigation of Repub-
lie Steel Corp. was completed yes
terday
Replying to charges that Republic
police INDUCED in surveillance, init
midation and violence in an effort
to halt the C.. I. O. unionization of
Republic plants, company officials as
serted that many of the union Or
ganizers were Communists, with crini-
nal records.
List of Organizers Read.
Charles M. White. operating vice
president Of the corporation, read a
lengthy list Of organizers who he said
were affiliated with the Communist
party.
The shadowing of the organizers was
admitted by Earl Butler, excitable
captain Of the company's police force
In Youngstown, who had arisen to
make an indignant denial Of repeated
assertions that Republic policemen
were thugs" whether lin or out Of
uniform" I
Il want this testimony to stop some
where near the TRUTH" said Senator
La Toilette, obviously angered at re-
peated instances of conflicting testi-
mony. The testimony before the
committee has been that these men
followed the organizers at your in
structions.'
That's right" said Mr.. Butler.
Previous evidence had been to the
effect that company guards beat up"
several organizers for the Steel Work.
ers' Organizing Committee during 1896
and the early part Of 1887, prior to
the big strike.
Senator La Toilette asked MI White
II he believed that, In the light Of the
evidence submitted, the activities of
Republics police force were conducive
to industrial peace.
Distorted View" Charged.
Prom this testimony you must
have tremendously distorted view of
the relationship between the manage
ment and the men in the plant, Mr.
White replied. "The things we have
heard here are certainly shocking and
are things that am not proud of,
but don't think you can get clear
picture until you get the other side"
Senator La Toilette asked Mr. White
about the effect Of labor espionage
upon relations with the workers, and
the latter replied that 1t was no more
conductive to good relations than to
have an outside union attempt to bribe
officials Of an employe representation
plan to take their unions into the
G. I, o.
Would you spend your stockholders