Evening star., 1939-12-18
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

The House Committee investigat-
ing the National Labor Relations
Board today was told that Philip
g. Phillips. regional director of the
board in Cincinnati had threatened
to get" an official of the Peter Pan
Co. in Winchester, KY.
Mr.. Phillips was on the witness
stand as Edmund M Toland. chief
committee counsel, read into the
official record a photostatic copy Of
a memorandum of telephone con-
versation the regional director is
purported to have had with Edward
Greenfield, president of the Peter
Pan Co. The record of the conver-
sation is alleged to have been found
in the files of Mr.. Phillips by John
L. Laskey, assistant United States
attorney for the district. who con-
Quoted an investigation for tho
Committee in Cincinnati regional
office.
Action Explained.
After reading the memorandum
OF the alleged telephone conversa-
tlon, Mr.. Toland asked the witness
If he thought his remarks threat
ening to get an employer were
those of "a fair and impartial Gov
ernment official"
Yes. 1 think under the circum-
stances in that case they were more
than fair Mr. Phillips replied.
Tho Dotor
planned, had previously been guilty
of violating the Wagner Labor Act
for discrimination against certain
workers. The company, instead OF
complying with an order of a trial
examiner, he said, discharged more
workers.
Il don't think an isolated state
mant to get person would be fair
Mr.. Phillips continued, but to q
person who has been found guilty
OF violating the law once, it is fair
The board also placed in it's rec
ord a copy of letter in which Mr..
Phillips reported that a newspaper
city editor, "a dear friend of mine"
killed a story unfavorable to the
board.
Mr.. Phillips made the statement
in letter dated January Is last to
Nathan Witt, secretary of the board,
in connection with a proposed ar
ticle" IN the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Letter Quoted.
THE city editor, who is a swell
guy and dear friend of mine,
killed the story" the letter said. It
also stated that Mr.. Phillips be-
lieved that "the city editor and my
guild friends will doubtless be able
to take care of a proposed series
OF stories for the paper concerning
board hearing in case involving
the American Rolling Mills Co.
Mr.. Toland led up to the reading
OF the letter by asking the witness
II he had at any time while serving
as director of the Cincinnati re-
gional Office suppressed any story
concerning the board in the Gin
cinnati newspapers.
of course not" he replied.
Mr.. Phillips then explained that
the Circuit Court of Appeals Gus
tomarily makes public its decisions
and that in case involving the EN-
pire Furniture Co.. wherein the
court criticized board procedure, the
Cincinnati papers carried a full ac-
count of the Empire case.
Later. he said, Malcolm Ross, A
publicity man for the board in
Washington, telephoned him about
a report, attributed to David Law
renee newspaper columnist. that the
board had suppressed" the Empire
case.
Il explained that we had nothing
to do with the release of Circuit
Court appeal decisions" he said.
when there is an adverse case It
gets on the first page and when it
is unfavorable it gets on the back
page"
Mr.. Phillips also explained that
the adverse decision was not printed
(See LABOR BOARD, Page A-5J