Evening star., 1939-11-03
Dies Orders Inquiry
Into Union Activities
In Canal Zone
Man Called Communist
Declared to Be G. 10.
Organizer There

Wy SOIsaASS uSIS
A complete investigation Of union
organization activities in the Panama
Canal Zone was ordered today by the
Dies Committee.
Rhea Whitley, committee counsel,
was instructed to make thorough
study Of the subject after witness,
Frederick G. Phillips, former Ma
tional Maritime Union official, told
the committee a man named H. A.
6toudt, whom he identified as q
Communist, was an organizer for the
G. I. O. union in the Canal Zone.
Phillips said Stoudt was appointed
to his job through the influence of
John L. Lewis. G. I. o. president. on
the recommendation of Joseph Cur
ran, head of the Maritime Union.
Phillips told the Committee that
although only about 7 to 10 per cent
of the organizations membership
was Communist, this minority held
50 many strategic positions 1t was
able to maintain control.
McQuistion Stands on Rights.
Meanwhile. in Police Court. Will
liam G. McQuistion, who preceded
Phillips as Dies Committee witness
in its investigation of un-American
activities, refused to waive extradi-
ton to Louisiana on murder
charge.
McQuistion, who has said the
chafge was a frame-up, was ar
raigned before Judge Walter j.
Casey on warrant charging that he
killed Philip Carey In New Orleans
on September II. Granted a 30-day
continuance, McQuistion was re-
turned to the No. precinct station
to await hearing on December S.
McQuistion was arrested after
Tuesdays session of the Dies Com
mittee by Police 1t. Horace w. Line
burg. He was brought to Police
Court today by Detective Sergt.
Richard j. Cox of the fugitive squad.
In his testimony. Phillips, who
said he was illegally" expelled from
the N. M. U. for opposing Com
munisn. said American seamen do
not like Communism" but that most
Of them were 'intimidated.
"Red-Baiting" Called Reds Charge.
Those who openly opposed the
Communist faction, Phillips said.
often lost their jobs by being
framed or were beaten up by the
beef squad"
Any member who attempted to
discredit Communist official, he
testified, was widely accused of red
batting by the Communist element.
Opponents of Communism, he said.
also were called "ship-owners'
stooges' and labor spies" so that
they would be discredited among
the rank and file Of the union.
Through these methods, Phillips
said, Communists had gained "a
great deal more control in the last
few years." and were becoming
more of a danger all the time"
Communist agents seem mostly
to have a lot of money-enough to
buy drinks for people" Phillips said.
Baseball Bats Mentioned.
Phillips identified correspondence
from Thomas MCGOWAN, Boston
agent for the Marine Firemen, OIL
ers and Water Tenders Union, to
Moe Byne, another union official. in
1887, in which MCGOWAN expressed
disappointment because a proposed
waterfront meeting was not held,
because We were lined up with
baseball bats waiting for our
friends"
Chairman Dies directed Commit
tee Counsel Whitley to turn the cor
respondence over to the Justice De-
partment. Noting the mention of
baseball bats, he commented, THAT
would seem to be a very effective
way of violating civil liberties"
In another letter, which Phillips
said was in the handwriting of Nc
Gowan and addressed to Byne, Mr..
Whitley read, "We shall see that
Brother Stewart meets with an ac-
cident before then"
Mr.. Whitley put in the record the
newspaper clipping which quoted
MCGOWAN as saying that Chairman
Dies had turned stooge for Amer
lean ship owners"
Curran Report Described.
Phillips told the committee that
on January is, 1889. Curran reported
to his union concerning Canal Zone
organization work Ito lay the basis
for work among $4,000 civil en-
ployes"
The statement brought an imme-
diate question from Representative
Thomas, Republican, of New Jersey
why a union of off-shore workers
should be interested in on-shore
workers "at this critical time"
Il want to 60 into the subject with
great DETAIL" said Representative
Thomas.
Phillips said that since he had
been ''on the outs with the union,
he was not familiar with its work at
the Canal Zone, but said the subject
had been brought up at several
union meetings by Stoudt and Cur
ran.
The committee next called to the
witness stand William G. Ryan of
Milwaukee, 36, a writer, who said he
belonged to the Communist party
from 1929 until he went to Spain to
serve In the Loyalist forces in 1887.
Technicians Used as Soldiers.
He told of getting, in 1887, Q
leaflet issued by the American So
ciety for Technical Aid to Spain"
calling for services Of electricians,
mechanics and other technical men
for the Spanish government.
He added that the leaflet said