Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-08
IAFL Hides
Big Issue.
|PeeIer Says
Court Action Pending
Against 3 Aides
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

otlll Soiilt III liiSA tSSoJs
dealing with corruption in the
American Federation of Labor
because the AFL is holding its
annual convention in Seattle
and the boys are trying 10 di-
vert attention from the works
of their colleagues by waving
the flag and mounting loud
promises to prevent unnecessary
strikes in war industries.
Now / suppose every one
knows that George Browne is
a vice president OF the AFL and
a member Of its governing body,
called the executive council, and
that he is under indictment in
New York on federal charge of
extorting S550,000 from employ
ers through the alleged misuse
of his power as president OF the
Movie Employees Union.
But / am not sure that II is
generally known that two other
bosses operating under Brownies
charter and under the general
authority and prestige of the
Az l. fasiise have been Indicted etf
similar charges since Browne
was formally accused.
They are Nick Circella a,
Brownies personal viceroy in the
Chicago area, and Louis kauff-
man of Newark. the dictator
and business agent of Local IA.
Kaufman has been business
agent of the local since 1920.
which was long before Browne
became the national president.
Kauffman's local held no elec-
tons at all in one 10-year
period and they extended their
terms by resolutions adopted in
meetings in which no man dared
oppose the gang.
Under Kaufman. there were
two classes of members, the
seniors and the Juniors, or
slaves.
The juniefs were fully quail
fled operators OF movie ma
chimes, but they were kept in
the junior status so that they
would not be able 10 vote.
They were, as the court said.
obligated 10 surrender their
jobs 10 the seniors on demand
|. JUNIORS had TO pay 10 per
- cent of their paY-life to $50
a week and Is per cent above
$50, and $50 a year dues, SO that
a junior making 500 a week
had 10 kick in 1916 year,
whereas a senior paid only $3.50
on the same salary.
A junior could not become a
senior except by consent Of the
seniors voting and even then he
had TO pay an initiation fee OF
$500.
"Only IL men have been made
seniors since 1919" the court
said, "seven OF whom were
closely related 20 officers of the
local: and two others wero
closely related To high officials
of the Newark police depart
ment.
Zone of these was made n
senior because of the influence
OF his father who was n high
police official.
"K AUFFMAN, the business
IN agent; Cooper, the presi-
dent; Oppenheimer. the secre-
tary, and Gehring, the assistant
business manager, and perhaps
others, have been on the pay
rolls OF the largest theaters for
years." the court found.
"Some of them 1.-THE juniors)
worked rs or more hours day
while getting paid for only half
or less of that time. The excuse
II that their time (the officers)
Is taken up with official busi-
ness and that the officers sal
aries are small.
kaufman has not worked
since 1929, but has been I'm re-
ceipt of salary from one Of
the best paying jobs I'm Essex
County and one of the juniors
has performed his work for
nothing.
Zone witness calculated that
he had earned more than $4,000
for which the officers received
the pay; another, $4,000. The
condition resulting from this
system Is but modified slavery.
(01NHE juniors are no more
Il than serfs, obedient TO the
will of the dictatorial officers OF
whom the business agent, Kauff-
man, Is the supreme dictator.
The position Of the seniors, ex-
cept the favored ones, is not
much better"
As to the insufficiency of the
officers pay, the court found
that Kaufman got $50 a week,
plus 500 a week, or more. from
a theater in which he did not
work, $45 a month for auto
maintenance and annual pres
ents" of $1,000 out of the treas
ury in 1880, 1881 and 1882.
In 1881 he also got $1,000,
"ostensibly for services on a
wage scale commission" plus
expenses when attending con-
ventions, Notwithstanding the
fact that the national body paid
the officers travelling costs and
SO a day for living expenses.
/ fhink ihic tntiIl hn continued