Evening star., 1940-01-18


George O. Pratt, chief trial ex-
aminer of the National Labor Rela-
tions Board, wrote that there are
two strikes on the respondent Uhe
employer at the start of every
case" and another time, when he
was a regional director, described
himself as Judge. jury and prosecu-
tor" he admitted today before the
House Committee Investigating En-
forcement of the Wagner Act.
Mr.. Pratt explained to the COM
mittee that the reference to two
strikes" on the company when
workers filed complaint was made
when he was undertaking to ex-
plain to his trial examiners how a
regional director felt when he had
evidence enough to press a COM
plant. When he was regional direc-
tor at Kansas City, Mr.. Pratt added,
he would not issue a complaint
unless he thought the employer had
violated the act.
The allusion to Judge, jury and
prosecutor was not explained i'm
mediately.
Identifies Letter.
Mr.. Pratt also identified a letter
taken from his personal files
which was written to him as chief
trial examiner by William (BilD
Avrutis, board attorney, in which
the man acting as prosecutor Of
Joplin, Mo, described seeking finan-
cial aid from a c. I. o. union for
certain expenses in connection with
the hearings.
Mr.. Avrutis wrote the chief trial
examiner:
"Bruner Sylvan Bruner, attorney
for the Mine, Mill and 5melter
Workers Union said l could call
on him up to 500 wanted to give
me check at first) for any steno-
graphic service I might need. I had
told him that wanted the union to
make sure that I had stenographic
service should I need 1t. I had in
mind the continuation OF my trial
memo out in Joplin evenings during
the proceedings, so that nothing
should be undone because of the
weight Of WEAKNESS and drudgery.
I have already located the ideal
stenographer."
Questioned by committee men,
bers, Mr.. Pratt said the field at
torney was told that to accept ex-
nance y,nono1, frorv, a ,,v,ior x,,o,,ld I,o
quite improper"
Lewis Name Brought Up.
In the letter, Mr.. Avrutis also
suggested that John L. Lewis, head
of the Congress of Industrial Or
ganizations, lend the international
union publicity man to whip
everything in final shape; this
would be compliment to Lewis and
would cost little money on his part.
I cautioned him (Mr. Bruner) not
to ask Lewis for any money at this
stage. so that the approach should
clearly be a compliment and a
friendly approach"
At the outset of the letter, the
boards attorney said:
THE preparation of the case goes
on apace and with gleeful malice.
"Our card index of facts is nearly
complete and it's nothing short of
deadly; there was never anything
like it and, thanks to it, we'll be
able to try the case in five different
directions, varying the theme when
ever the melody begins to pail
I'VE can go ahead on a straight
factual basis or fry one malefactor
at a time by arranging our wit
nesses accordingly.
$4,000, 900 Cost.
"The union boycott cost the Eagle
Picher interests approximately S.
100000. The hearings will effectively
blast every bit of consumers good
will that the company has. 1t
simply cannot afford to have the
hearings 60 on.
IF the price of peace is a million
dollars and reinstatement of the
men, plus dis-establishment of the
CONTINUED on Page Ala, Column -