Evening star., 1942-07-30
.DavisonAccused
'0fFdi|ing toHire
Union Workers
Smith Supporters
Charge Denied
By Candidate


union labor in the construction OF
his home was made today against
Emmett C. Dawson. who is opposing
Representative Smith in the Demo-
cratic primary for the Eighth Vir-
ginia District House seat.
Mr.. Dawson, who has been in
dorsed by many labor organizations,
quickly denied the charge and said
union workmen had built his house.
but the contractor In charge Of the
building told The Star that only
non-union men had been employed.
The charges were made In letter
to Mr.. Smith from Joe Mcdonnell,
a union plumber of Wellington Villa.
In Fairfax County. It said:
When Mr. Emmett c. Davi-
son built his house in Mount Ida.
which was then part of Arlington
County. was the only contractor in
Arlington County at that time en-
ploying union plumbers and I lost
the contract because was high
man." Mr.. Dawson awarded the con-
tract to contractor who never EN-.
ployed union labor. 80
Dawson Is Union Oficial.
II was certain a man drawing
the big salary Dawson was getting
and still is, as a high union labor
leader, would have given me the
contract for the plumbing work
instead Of the non-union contractor
and sub-contractors he had do his
work"
Mr.. Dawson, secretary treasurer
Of the AFL International Associa-
ton of Machinists. stoutly denied
Mr.. McDonnell's charges. He said
the contract was made in 1921 with
B. M. Smith and provided that
union labor be used.
Representative Smith is follow
ing his usual tactics of trying to
separate labor" Mr.. Dawson COM
mented.
B. NJ. Smith was out of town,
but member of the Arm said, I'VE
have never employed union labor
and we have never made any con-
tract to do So"
william Hall, construction fore
man for the B. M. Smith firm, said
he had supervision OF construction
Of Mr.. Davison's home at lis Mosby
place, which was then In Arlington
County, but has since been annexed
by Alexandria.
Another Letter Made Public.
I'VE certainly did not use union
men and Mr.. Dawson understood
that at the time" Mr. Hall said.
Il, Of course, don't know what was
In the contract"
Willy Arnheim, chairman of
Labor's Committee for Mr.. Dawson
for Congress, could not be reached
for comment.
| Representative Smiths supporters
also made public another letter from
D. w. Horgan, treasurer Of the
Alexandria local Of the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Trainmen, declaring Mr..
Horgan's name was being used on
Mr.. Davison's campaign stationery
without proper authorization. Mr..
Horgan said he would vote for Rep
resentative Smith because, lin my
opinion, he is the best qualified"
Mr.. Dawson replied that the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
had voted him its support.
The labor candidate also charged
his opponent with employing "un-
ethical" tactics in reprinting a letter
IN campaign literature. Mr.. Smiths
pamphlet reprints a letter from B.
P. Allen, State legislative repre-
sentative of the Brotherhood OF
Railroad Trainmen. expressing ap-
probation for the House members
part IN the passage of brotherhood
sponsored legislation in 1884.
Smith Plans Radio Talk.
| Mr.. Allen has been dead for more
than year." Mr.. Davidson de.
clared, land consequently no reply
can be made to that letter"
Meanwhile, Mr.. Smith scheduled
his first and only radio talk of the
campaign for o'clock tonight over
Station WJSV.
Mr. Dawson, who already has
mace two 15-minute radio talks
mas scheduled three more to winT
up ms campaign. He will speak
al o:l5 pm. tomorrow from WJsV
Monday at the same hour from the
same station and again at o nm
Monday from WMAL.
Mr.. Dawson will speak at a rallv
sponsored by the Arlington County
Dawson for Congress Club in the
Snelrydale Fire House. 5000 Lee
hlgnWay, at O'Clock tonight.
IN announcing his appearance at
tonlgnts rally, Mr.. Dawson re-
newed charges that Mr.. Smith had
1ailed to support President Roose-
veit,s victory program and chal-
ienged the legislator to cite a single
instance OF active support of that
program.