Evening star., 1945-07-22

who wanted tc restrict the freedom Of
speech.
II went to the State Federation OF
Labor leaders. I said to III EN-: We have
our legislative program ard you have
yours. We will support yours and sug-
gest you support ours placed the full
force of the American Legion behind
the liberalization and extension Of the
Workmen's Compensation Act .of the
State of Washington. Both programs
passed the legislation In their entirety.
was the first representative of the
Legion In the State of WASHINGTON to
attend and actively participate In the
convention Of the State Federation of
Labor"
Mr.. Schwellenbach was practicing law
in Seattle. In 1925 he began to repre-
sent the city's Central Labor Union
! Council In the courts. Court appear
ances were frequent because every time
there was strike, affected employers
would sue for an injunction against
picketing.
Supreme Court" he related, called the
st. Germain Bakery case on which they
depended to get injunctions. Employers
would make some complaint of violence,
come into court and get a restraining
order and then hearings would be held
with labor directed to show cause why
an injunction should not be issued.
The violence was frequently provoked
and 1t got SO that picketing, no matter
how peacefully conducted, was impos-
sible In Seattle.
Adviser and Advocate
When took the labor retainer It was
with the understanding that I was to be
an adviser as well as an advocate. I
told them to lay of any rough stuff and
they did-even when prfvoked. Then,
In strike against the Sterling Theater
chain, I appealed from an Injunction
and overcame the St. Germain Bakery
decision.
Labor made its biggest advances in
Seattle in the 10 years I: represented
them, 1925 to 1884"
Labor did make such advances In
Seattle in that period that some writer's
viewed the situation with alarm. They
charged that employers and organized
labor were In virtual conspiracy there
that furthered monopolistic practices
ana let the people pay the bill. The
strongest force in labor in Seattle was
David Beck. head of the Teamsters'
Union local. He had wen-disciplined
army at his command. He could deploy
phalanx of peaceful pickets 10 deep
about the establishment of any re-
calcitrant employer.
A Sensitive Point
One Of the things the new Secretary
is sensitive about is the columnar gossip
that Dave Beck had anything to do with
his appointment. Mr.. Schwellenbach
heatedly denied it when the question
was raised at his first press conference.
Dave Beck had no more to do with
1t than anybody in this room," he said.
The question should never have been
asked. Mr.. Schwellenbach's appoint
ment is clearly due to his friendship in
the Senate with Harry S. Truman.
In 1882 he went out for the Demo-
cratic gubernatorial nomination, advo-
eating that the State open the closed
factories and employ the unemployed.
He lost to Clarence D. Martin because,
In spite OF his anticipation of Upton
Sinclairs EPIC platform, he was In the
middle. There was candidate to his
left, the late w. II. Pemberton, who split
the radical or liberal vote in the western
part of the State.
One Of Mr.. Schwellenbach's great In
terests in the State of Washington was
In education. In 1924 he was one of
the leading Protestant citizens in the
fight that defeated Ku Klux Khan ef-
forts to outlaw parochial school educa-
ton in the State. He brought about
Legion opposition to the measure. He
served as chairman of the Education
Committee of the Seattle Municipal
League, as president of the Alumni AS
sociation of the University of Washing
ton and as president of the university's
Board of Regents.
In 1884 Mr.. Schwellenbach went out
for Senator and won the primary and
the election. He was sworn in the Sen
ate the same day as Harry Truman.
They were much together. Along with
Senators Hatch and Minton they were
known as "the four Turks"
Exciting Days
Those were exciting days Although
Senator Schwellenbach had missed its
first two years, the New Deal, as it
turned out, was still in its infancy.
Senator Schwellenbach got into the
thick of the successful fight to impose
the death clause" on public utility
holding companies. AS member of
Senator Blacks antilobhy committee,
he prepared the case against Associated
Gas 81 Electric and its president, How
ard c. Hopson. MIR. Hopson refused to
appear. 1t was known he was in Wash
ington. When the subpoena servers
finally caught up with him he was at
cocktail party also attended by Q
White House secretary. When Mr.. Hop
son finally took the stand, 1t was Sena-
tor Schwellenbach's work on the vaga-
ries Of A. g. g. S. financing, work that
had kept him busy from 4 am until
midnight for days, that contributed so
much to the flnancier's discontinue.
His voting was all pro labor on major
issues. He voted for the Wagner Act,
for the Wage and Hour Act and against
the resolution condemning sit-down
strikes. truman voted for the last.)
One thing about Senator Schwellen-
bach remembered on the Hill was his