The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1943-03-10
k.p. Walker on Stand
Us Labor Department
Hearings Are Resumed

main witness for the defense as
hearings continued in the legisla-
tive investigation of the Depart
ment of Labor last night and he
emphatically denied charges that
he had made any trips or spoke
at any meetings for political pur-
poses while in the employ of the
Department OF Labor
Senator Walker readily admitted
leaving campaign cards for him
self and for former Commissioner
Michael j. Haas at various VII
lagos in Southeast Alaska and also
admitted using the mimeograph
machine in the Department office
for running off political letters.
He stated that he did not distribute
the. cards while making talks In
connection with official business,
however, and that the mimeograpn
machine was used only on Satur-
day afternoon and Sundays or at
times when it did not interfere
with the office business.
lie Bought Supplies
He said that the paper, envelopes
and stamps he used were paid for
by himself. He said that he made
it a point to avoid discussions of
political nature while on official
trips when making talks at meet
ings to explain the workings of
the Department of Labor.
AT one point. Attorney General
Henry Roden asked Walker if he
wasn't playing politics when he left
cards on these trips. Walker said,
Certainly it was politics. All my
life is politics. I'm playing politics
right now!"
There were several explosive out
bursts during this testimony Chair
man Joseph w. Kehoe was forced
To rap Tor order several times.
Questioned about trips to Kluk-
van and Kimshan Cove. Walker
admitted that no industrial plants
were operating at the time he
made the tour, in February, that
there were no strikes, no threat
ened strikes. But he said he made
the trip for the. purpose OF ac-
quainting these people with the
Department of Labor's workings, to
view labor conditions, to acquaint
women with the minimum wage
law for women by distributing
pamphlets for the Wage Hour Di
vision of the Federal Government
Smith Questions
Rep. Harvey J. Smith. member
of the Committee, asked Walker
what the minimum wage law for
women was. Walker replied that
he did not know. Attorney General
Roden asked if he couldn't have
sent the pamphlets by mail and
Walker said yes.
Senator o. d. Cochran, member
of the Committee, asked Walker
who directed him to make the trip
and he replied that Haas had
Earlier, Walker was questioned
upon whether or not trollers and
halibut men whom he contacted
were the business of the Depart
ment of Labor since they are not
employees. This question did not
appear to be settled.
Harry c. Mccain, representing
Haas and Walker, asked If there
had not been cases of strikes by
trollers and Walker answered yes.
Walker also said some OF these
men worked on other jobs in the
numbering industry when no
fishing.
kilograms Read
kilograms sent by Haas TO an
AFL representative in Seattle wish
ing success in an Alaska campaign,
another sent to Secretary of Al
dohd =. II. iSai OiCI1 icidtiil6 W pO-
litical scenes, and another of the
same nature sent by Haas TO Don
Carlos Brownell were read
Two of the kilograms, all of
which were charged TO the Depart
ment and were not in the records,
referred to joe and Don as can
g
didates for the Legislature. Sharpe
said he believed the Joe" was
Kehoe but this was not established
as factual in the records
The kilograms were obtained from
the Signal Corps under subpoena
The latter to Brownell read