Evening star., 1940-01-17
Labor Bourd
Continued From First Page

added, 'herded union members into
the clubs. 1t was clear case of
Come to Jesus, brethren, or I'll blow
your CUTS out"
DO you think" asked Roger Robb,
associate committee counsel, "it was
the act of fair and impartial Judge
to call on witness who had testi-
fed in the case and leave him
money!"
It certainly do,' Mr.. Whittemore
replied.
Later in the examination it was
brought out that Trial Examiner
Whittemore had received at his re-
quest statistics bearing on illiteracy
and homicides in South Carolina.
Bearing on Issues.
will you tell the committee" de-
manded Chairman Smith, what
that had to do with the merits of the
case you were trying as a judge?"
1T was background of the coun-
try" Mr.. Whittemore replied. "I
think it had bearing on the issues. j."
will you explain how the homi-
eide rate in South Carolina would
effect your judgment in that case?"
The witness indicated it was part
OF the picture.
What did you have to do with the
background in trying that issue be-
tween the union and the company"
the chairman pressed.
Il thought it would be helpful in
arriving at the facts"
Then you were trying the case on
possibility and speculation?"
I wanted to get all the facts"
the witness insisted.
Mr.. Whittemore told the COM
mittee he was an author and a pub
licist and not a lawyer. He is q
graduate of Tufts College.
He said he once edited a Republi-
can newspaper and another time
handled publicity for both the Demo-
cratic mayor of Manchester, N. H.,
and the Republican candidate to
succeed him. The witness added
amid laughter, that the Republican
candidate failed to win.
Mr.. Whittemore said he once had
been registered as a Republican. but
always had been an independent
voter.
Secret instructions relayed from
washington to an N. L. r, B
trial examiner presiding at a
nearing to refuse to hold tho
proceeding In the COMPANY
town" because of threatened dem
onstrations and what-have-you''
and to insist on taking the case to a
nearby town were revealed TODAY tn
the committee.
A copy of a letter which the trial
examiner was told to destroy was
produced by Edmund M. Toland
committee counsel. It concerned
the case in which C. I. o. union
charged the American Rolling Mill
co. OF Ashland. KY, with unfair
labor practices. The letter was sent
by Philip G. Phillips, N. L. r. B.
regional director at Cincinnati, to
Chief Trial Examiner Pratt and a
copy forwarded to George Bokat,
the trial examiner assigned to the
case.
Change in Site Sought.
The hearing had been scheduled
for catlettsburg, a few miles from
Ashland, and Mr.. Phillips in his
letter suggested the trial examiner
disregard all efforts of company at
torneys to take the case to Ashland.
The regional director added:
The company has been using no
end OF persuasion to get me to
change the hearing place to Ash
land"
Mr.. Phillips added:
i think you had better tip the
trial examiner of as the motion will
be renewed before him and the COM
pany will tell all about the great
convenience that holding the hear
ing IN Ashland will entail. The at
torneys for the board will be, unable
to give their real reasons for OBJ
jecting. I do feel that the chances
for demonstration and what-have-
you are such, however, that we
should not transfer the hearing to
Ashland.
Hotel Facilities Cited.
incidentally, have your examiner
stay In Ashland rather than Cat
lettsburg, as the hotel facilities in
Catlettsburg are very poor. There
Is direct bus service, however, from
Ashland to Catlettsburg, and the