Evening star., 1938-10-27
MURPHY BACKED
SEIZED STRIKERS,
WITNESS ASSERTS
Government Must Protect
You,' Workers Were Told,
Dies Group Hears.
u. A.W. HEAD EXCUSED
FROM INVESTIGATION
Martins Request Granted After
He Says He Feels Labor Peace
Would Not Be Aided.
BACKGROUND

BAChGROUND-
Special House committee has
been engaged since last midsum-
mer in pursuing subpersiDe actiu-
titles in the United States, attention
being concentrated almost Uhollv
on those OF Communist party.
Critical OF government handling
OF deportation cases. committee has
clashed with Labor Department.
Gilman came this Deek ,cith er-
change of bitter Dords betreen
President Roosevelt and Commit.
tee Chairman Dies.
Ey the Associated Press
House Investigators heard testimony
today that Gov. Frank Murphy of
Michigan had told a crowd of workers
In Lansing that this Government
must protect you" at q time when
some of their fellows were under ar
rest for violating a court order.
The witness, J. H. Creighton, Lans-
ing newspaper reporter, said in re-
sponse to question that it was "rea-
sonable to infer" that Gov. Murphy,
IN speaking of protection from "dicta-
torial and arbitrary judgments" was
referring to an injunction restraining
pickets from keeping non-strikers out
OF Lansing automobile plants.
Mr.. Creighton was testifying before
the House committee investigating un-
American activities.
Addressed Workers.
The witness said the Governor made
his remarks while addressing q throng
Of workers massed in front of the Cap
itol steps on Lansing's so-called labor
holiday Of June /, 1887.
The labor holiday, he explained, was
called in protest against the arrest of
seven or eight persons charged with
violating the court order. He said the
injunction was issued by Circuit Court
Judge Leland w. Carr.
Mr.. Creighton declared that Lester
Washburn, now a regional director OF
the United Automobile Workers OF
Michigan, was later convicted of
violating the court order and that the
conviction was upheld by the State
Supreme Court.
Under questioning by Mr.. Dies, Mr.
Creighton said that Gov. Murphy told
reporters at a press conference q
couple of weeks after the labor holi-
day that he believed the demonstra-
ton had been Conceived and engi-
neered" by Communists.
Workers Closed Paper.
Mr.. Creighton estimated that 5000
or 1000 persons were gathered in front
OF the capitol, that there were perhaps
5000 more in the downtown area of
Lansing and an additional 1000
massed around the Jail.
Flying Squadrons of workers, armed
with clubs, closed his newspaper, the
Lansing State Journal, and a depart
ment store, Mr.. Creighton declared.
He added that before the demonstra-
ton was over many downtown places
OF business closed voluntarily.
The introduction of further testi-
mony about Gov. Murphy followed q
decision of the committee to proceed
with its work, although two members
wanted to suspend and President
Roosevelt had rebuked it for permit
ting previous criticism of the Gov
ernor
Agree to Continue Probe.
A majority OF the seven members
have agreed to proceed, said Chairman
Dies, Democrat, of Texas, overruling
the suggestion of Representatives
Dempsey, Democrat, OF New Mexico.
and Healey, Democrat, of Massachu-
sets that hearings be stopped until
after the November 8 elections.
President Roosevelt had accused
the committee. in sharp language, of
allowing itself to become a political
forum.
Mr.. Dies said he and Representatives
Mosier, Democrat, of Ohio; Mason.
Republican, Of Illinois, and Thomas
Republican, Of New Jersey, had voted
to proceed. Representative Starnes.
Democrat, of Alabama, was not
reached.
Opening today's session, the chair
man excused Homer Martin. president
(see UN-AMERICAN, Page A-3J