Detroit evening times., 1945-01-23
FAIR
ENOUGH
By Westbrook
PegIero

''ic ~ III Z = ~ Ituti dtiOii vi
Labor. to George Scalise, the
underworld union racketeer, fol-
lowing the public -denunciation-
OF Scalise as a convicted white
SLAYER, contains some important
points of conflict with Pathways
verbal statements to me.
Scalise subsequently was con-
victed of extortion by the state
of New York and sentenced to
prison.
He was president of the Build
ing Service Employees Union at
the time of his friendship with
Padway and his official roster
was infested with ex-convicts
and notorious New York and
Chicago gunmen.
On one occasion ScaliSe rail-
lied a party of them in Miami
and took them on a ioyride TO
Cuba at the expense OF the
Scrubwomen, janitors, elevator
operators and window washers
who had been delivered into his
power by the Roosevelt admins
tration.
DADWAY. who is an esteemed
friend Of Roosevelt, for years
has posed as a spokesman for
American labor and. in this role
was sent TO England by Roose-
welt in company with Dan Tobin
Of the Transfers Union, whom
Roosevelt publicly honored at
the political brawl in Washing
ton during the late presidential
% campaign. Padway actually is
not labor man al all but just a
smart lawyer specializing in
labor law.
In the original Scaiise expose 4
these dispatches reported that
Padway and William Green, the
president OF the AFL, had
endorsed a petition at the de-
partment of justice in which
Scaiise prayed Roosevelt TO re-
store those rights of citizenship
which had been automatically
suspended when ne was sent 10
prison as A youth for taking a
l6-year-old girl on tour as a
prostitute.
Padway denied that-he had
supported the petition and said
he had merely told representa-
tlves of the department that, as
far as he knew, Scalise was
leading an upright life.
He admitted that he received
81 600 from Scalise
ScaliSe had never put the
Padway constitution into effect
1T MAY be true that Padway
L did get up constitution Tor
ScaliSe 10 justify his 81 900 fee.
In fact after William McFet-
fridge, the new president, by
actual risk OF his life. threw
some of the worst gangsters out
and got possession of the files
an unused constitution was dIS'
covered among the papers.
This proved TO be pare~
phrase of the constitution u
Tobin's union for which PadwN
IS general counsel.
Nevertheless, If this problem
should be presented 10 a Jury,
any alert prosecutor would en-
phasize the fact that a good
word from Padway in support of
the petition for restoration -
his citizenship would have besa
worth $1,000 10 ScallSe.
Now just how far did PSdway
GO for Scallse lie told sGe hs
Just said ScaliSe was going
straight as far as he knew
But in his letter 10 Scalise,
expressing undying friendship.
he said he and Pres dent
Green had arranged TO conieS
with Robert Jackson. the -.
torney general, regarding the
petition, and added II am going
10 support your application for
IfNNOl n AlOIl vi NlNiLtiiNAlip WIN
all the power at my command)
DADWAY can't convince me
L that he was ignorant Of
ScaliSe's continued criminal
associations.
The union was literally in
tested with low underworld
gangsters and they were rob-
bing not only the unfortunate
members but employers. too, and
much Of that money went for
high life in Miami, including
wine, women and gambling at
the horse and dog tracks.
Padway would seem TO have
had opportunity 10 size up these
people and their way OF living
because he, too, was in the
habit Of going 10 Florida and
he is a smart fellow who knows
a gorilla as well as the next
man.
But, IL we grant that Padway
didn't know all this, then what
right had this man, processing
10 be a spokesman of labor, 10
lend that prestige 10 the petit
tion of man whom he had not
taken the trouble 10 investi-
gate? Wasn't that his duty not
only as a citizen and an officer
of the court at as a spokes-
man of the AF'L?
The workers and the honest
officials of this union got no
help from either Padway or
Green in their desperate and
dangerous fight against the
criminal underworld