Evening star., 1944-02-07
Strike
Continued From First Pare }
Not Satisfactory Response.

struck plants, which is the central
issue Of the strike.
Not Satisfactory Response.
The exchange came after Chair
man William H. Davis of the WLB
had told Mr.. Brooker his appear
ance at the hearing was not a
satisfactory response to subpoenas
for the two principal officers Of the
union. The hearing had been called
to determine if sanctions are to be
applied against the strikers.
The attorney said General Secre-
tary Matthew Smith and President
George White could not attend the
hearing without permission of the
unions administrative board, now
meeting in Cleveland.
Mr.. DavfE3ulied 1T1eao. o7E
law and refiaSkings dryiy, srsseS
nothing in the statute; about the
Executive Council of the MESA"
Mr.. Smith and MrsWhjte satdijrl
Cleveland they wer q Ssislg> se
WLB order to come hefE. Tie SUB.
poena had been served on Mr.. Smith,
but not on Mr.. White. 49,.
Chairman Davis, after recessing
the hearing briefly while the WIB
met in executive session, announced
that the hearing would be continued
until 2:30 pm. tomorrow. He said
the boards legal department has
been instructed to do whatever is
legally necessary to get compliance. "
He said the board had also adopted
resolution calling upon the MESA
leadership Ito forthwith call off the
strike"
Ferguson Asks Investigation.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, Of
Michigan asked the Justice Depart
ment to investigate the action of the
two union officers.
This is a serious situation,
amounting to a strike against the
Government" Senator Ferguson
said.
He asked for an inquiry into the
possibility Mr.. Smiths refusal to
obey the subpoena was in violation
of Federal conspiracy statutes and
of Federal laws against interfering
with the functions of Government
boards and courts.
Mr.. Brooker told the WLB that
the members of the MESA board
would come to Washington tomor-
row or Wednesday if the board will
make the transportation and hotel
arrangements-all ITO of them"
"We," replied Chairman Davis,
expect Mr.. Smith and Mr.. White
to respond in person. If they want
to bring other members of the
board, all we'll and good.'
Under the War Labor Disputes
Act, the board may apply to any
Federal District Court for enforce
ment of its subpoena. Defiance OF
a subpoena might result in fine and
imprisonment up to $1,000 and one
year.
The board has no enforcement
power of its own on subpoenas.
IF the War Labor Board wants tc
see me in Washington they will have
to come and get me" Mr.. Smith had
said in Detroit last night as he pre-
pared to 60 to Cleveland.
Mr.. Smith was served with a SUBJ
poena Saturday, but the United
States marshal's Office in Detroit
still held a subpoena for Mr.. White
who has not been in the city since
! 1t was issued.
The walkouts began Friday in
Toledo in protest against National
Labor Relations Board procedure in
a bargaining agency dispite involv-
ing the MESA and the CIO United
Automobile Workers in a WHY'S
Overland Motor Co. took room.
After the NLRB went ahead with
its hearing on the request of the
CIO union for bargaining agency
election among toolroom employees
Mr.. Smith issued the strike call, de-
claring the union was engaged in q
fight to survive in the face OF the
administrations support of the CIO
and the consequent -prohibi-
tion of independent unionism by
the NLRB and WLB."
: Mr.. Smith advised company off,
eials I'VE have no dispute with your
management and fervently hope
the disruption will not be forced
upon your company by maladminis-
tration OF labor laws in Washington.
Officials of the Northern Aircraft
Products Division, Aviation Corp, at
Toledo, disclosed that "a unionists
had been dismissed for leaving their
Jobs without justifiable complaint.
The stoppages are centered mainly
in Cleveland, Detroit and Toledo.
EAll MESA members did not heed the