Evening star., 1943-12-16
Brewster Failures
Laid 10 Union Chiefs
And Bad Management
By the Associated Press.

~ ONN sIulIU SVlIIVui
BY the Associated Press.
A House Naval Affairs Subcom-
mittee yesterday blamed union
cnieftains, management and the
Navy for production failures at
Brewster Aeronautical Corp. and
recommended criminal prosecution
OF Tom de Lorenzo, whom it de-
scrlbed as q 'power-drunk labor
leader" ,Yt
1t said it had evidence that De
Lorenzo, president of Local 365,
United Automotive Workers, CIO,
had made false statements under
oath.
The committees report gave the
Brewster firm another chance to
correct production failures and end
labor troubles by recommending
continuance Of its multi -billion-dol
lar contract for naval planes. How
ever, it fatty declared that the
contract should be Cancelled if pro-
duction schedules are not met or
"at the first outbreak of labor diff
culties in the future"
Union Leaders Blamed.
Major responsibility" for the
failures was placed on the shoul-
ders Of "short-sighted union lead
ers."
After two months investigation
the committee demanded that ZAP
propriate agencies" Of the Govern
ment review the evidence 1t accu-
mulated, indicating fraud sabotage
and other criminal offenses," and
bring those responsible to Justice.
In 60-page printed document,
the committee assailed the activities
OF De Lorenzo, denounced the weak
management Of parade OF presi-
dents who guided Brewster's poll
until Henry j. Kaiser took over the
relns at the Navy's request, and
assailed the activities of A. j. and
I. j. Miranda, Mexican-born broth
ers, and F. William Zelcer, who sold
planes for Brewster on a commits
sion basis. Specifically, it recon-
mended:
l. Prosecution of De Lorenzo un-
der the criminal laws OF the United
States and the State Of New York.
The committee said it had accumu-
lated a mass eff evidence" demon
strating that he has made false
statements under OATH" and said
1aw-enforcement agencies should
not regard his unon office "as a |
license to violate the law with i'm
punity."
Navy Inquiry Urged.
2. An investigation by the Once
OF Naval Intelligence and the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation into
happenings at Brwester which, if |
brought about wilfully, amount to
sabotage, and which, at the very
least, are indicative of the grossest
carelessness and indifference"
3. An investigation by Navy cost
inspectors and the FBI Of evidence
indicating the commission of
frauds on the United States"
4. Action by the Navy to see that
voting control of Brewster does not
revert to the Miranda brothers,
James Work and Zelcer, the three
chief stockholders, as long as the
company has Navy contracts.
5. Immediate steps by selective
service officials to cancel all defer
ments of Brewster employees not en-
gagged in productive activities. l.
."Such measures should also be ap-
piled in connection with other COM
panies ats which similar conditions
prevail"
6. Prompt steps by the War Man
power Commission to release surplus
employees at Brewster and to re-
distribute them to other plants.
Justice Department Raped.
7. Full and exclusive control by
the Navy over plant guards At
present they're members of the
union and of the Coast Guard Re-
serve, but are paid by the company
Included in the report was sharp
reprimand for the Justice Depart
ment for failing to act sooner on
report of the Securities and Ex- :
change Commission that Brewster
officials and attorneys had engaged
In Lobbying scheme"
Such laxness calls for the
strongest condemnation" said the
committee as it noted that the de-
partment had begun presentation of
evidence concerning the scheme
only after the committee had made
public the facts"
The alleged lobbying scheme"
centered around efforts to obtain
a change in the 1912 Revenue Act,
details of which were disclosed dur
Ing the hearings.