Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-10-24
A. F. |. Official Says
award 10 Currier
Would Cause Strife
Tells Senators Thot Firm
Has Six-Yeur Record
Of Lcbor Disputes

b. the Associated Press.
B. j. Gray, acting president OF A
r. L. Building and Construction
Unions told Senators today thai
award of a defense housing contract
near Detroit to a low bidder en-
ploying c. I. O. workers, would cause
widespread industrial strife
The Office of Production Manage
ment has labor sterilization agree
ment with American Federation OF
Labor building and construction
unions.
Mr.. Gray told the Senate Defense
Investigating Committee that the
P.J. Currier Lumber Co, low bidder
on the project, had a six-year record
of disputes with A. F. L. unions In
Detroit and that its recent c. l. o.
contract was negotiated through q
company social club"
Says Wages are Lower.
The Currier company claimed its
bid was S431 900, below the next best
offer. Mr.. Gray said the bid was
low by 100000 and this was possible
through lower wages for workers to
be used. Hugh Fulton, committee
counsel, said an analysis of the bids
showed the Curried proposal did not
include public utilities and was low
by about 100000.
THE awarding of the Wayne
County housing project to the Cur
rier Co. or any subsidiary controlled
by this company will cause indus
trial strife that will be beyond the
power or authority of A. F. L. lead
ers to control and will be spread and
affect the business Of other citizens
who have contractual relations on
fair standards of wages, hours, and
other working conditions with their
employees" Mr.. Gray testified.
The A. F. L. leader was called by
the Senate committee to answer
charges by the C. l. o. that the
sterilization agreement between five
Federal agencies and the A. F. L.
resulted in virtual monopoly for
A. F. L. unions in defense projects.
Delay Laid to Protest.
Earlier witnesses charged that the
bid of the Currier Co. had been
held up here because of the A. F. L.
protest.
Sidney Hillman, co-director of
o. P. NJ, told the Senate group he
had advised against awarding Cur
rier the contract, because he feared
o labor civil war" might result.
Mr.. Gray began his testimony to-
day by fatty denying a long series
of charges made in testimony yes
terday by A. D. Lewis, head Of the
G. I. o. United Construction Work
ers Organizing Committee which
signed contract with Currier
He denied that the Sterilization
agreement to bar strikes on defense
projects gave the A. F. l.. monopoly
or violated any Federal laws.
Resembles Brother.
Mr.. Lewis. who looks and talks like
his brother, John L. Lewis, also told
the Senate committee that c. l. o.
union members believed they had
the right to strike on defense prof.
ects if they were unable to enforce
rights granted them under Federal
labor laws. ...
Regarding the Currier contract,
which has been stalled in official
Washington for weeks, Mr. Lewis
asserted that "collusion" between
the Office of Production Manage
ment and A. F.. L. on this award
will cost the Government between
s25O0O0 and 100000 more if o. P.
MS advice is accepted by the Fed
eral Works Agency"
Aid in "Raiding" Seen.
Mr.. Hillman said that award of
this contract to Currier would aid
c. I. o. "raIding of A. F. L. unions"
and might disturb the entire Detroit
labor force now busy on millions of
dollars of defense contracts.
Mr. Hillman charged, that the
Currier-C. I. o. contract was a
deal" but Mr.. Lewis fatty denied
1t could be classed in labor parlance
as sweetheart agreement add
ing that the only thing in this class
was tie o. P. MA. F. L. labor pact.
Mr.. Lewis said that the "a. F.. L.
Is coddled by Hillmap's Office and
given a license to exploit all the
workers on defense projects He
claimed that rival c. I. o. construc-
ion unions with 400 local chapters
and $4,000 members had been I'M
able to get defense jobs because
contractors believed only A. F.. l.,
Unions were acceptable to o. P. NJ,
Somervell Denies Mandate.
Brig. Gen. Brehon Somervell de-
MED yesterday that the War De-
oartment sterilization agreement"
With the American Federation of
Labor is mandate to contractors
On defense construction to reach
exclusive bargaining contracts with
A. r. L. unions.
The chief of the construction d.
vision of the Quarternaste Corps
told House Military Affairs Sub
that 80 out of Sc pending
Jobs under his division might be
classed as open shop" jobs
He fatty denied that the Blair
Construction Co, building Camp
Chaffee near Fort Smith, Ark, had
any such instructions to bargain
with the A. F. L., and said that con-
Germs closed shop contract with the
A. F. L. was purely matter of the
roppanv'S oun p01irV
The sterilization agreement" of
July % between defense officials and
the A, F. L. building trades unions
he said, dealt purely with stabilizing
relations between the Government
and the A. F. L. on contracts.