Evening star., 1947-10-09
AFL Holds Rites for Podwoy,
Stricken Addressing Convention
General Counsel Had
Been Denouncing
Toft-HortIey Act
By Stoff Correspondent Of The stor


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. g.
Labor today paid tribute to the
memory of a powerful advocate
as arrangements were made for
the funeral of Joseph A. Padway,
56, general counsel of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, who
died in Stanford University Hos
pital last night a few hours
after he had been stricken on
the floor of the Federation con-
vention while inveighing against
the Taft-Hartley Act and the
Supreme Court.
The federation is holding a me-
mortal service this morning, and
this afternoon religious rites were
to be conducted in Sinai Memorial
Chapel Burial will be in Mil
waukee, where Mr.. Padway made
his home.
Judge Padway died as he lived
fighting for the cause of labor" said
William Green, AFL president,
when informed of the death of his
longtime friend.
Mr.. Padway had been in i'll health
for some time, but brain hemor-
rhage was the immediate cause of
death.
The chunky labor leader had
completed an impassioned and typ
ically belligerent denunciation of
the Supreme Court and had turned
to the Taft Hartley Act and its
sponsors when those around him on
the platform of Civic Auditorium
noticed he was faltering. He went
ahead. however, for about As min
utes. before friends persuaded him
to leave the podium to get medical
attention. Removed to the hospital,
he died about seven hours later. At
his bedside were Mrs. Padway and
a brother, l. B. PadWay, San Fran
cisco labor lawyer.
Chief counsel for the AFL for 10
years, Mr.. Padway was perhaps best
known for his defense of John L.
Lewis in the injunction proceedings
and contempt trial following the
soft-coal strike last fall. He also
defended James C. Petrillo, presi-
dent, of the Musicians Union, when
le was brought to court accused Of
abor restraints.
In August Mr.. Padway was struck
turing a hearing on the Hollywood
craft union dispute in Los Angeles |
oy Irving Mccain, counsel for the
House Labor Committee, who be-
came enraged when the AFL lawyer
accused him of using "Hitler-like
tactics in examining witnesses dur
ng House subcommittee investi-
cation of the labor dispute.
Attacked Vinson in Talk.
Mr.. Pathways attacks on the Gov
ernment and the Supreme Court
before 1000 persons at the conven- /
ion here were little restrained. In
'evieWing the Lewis case, which he
ost, he attacked by name Chief
Justice Vinson and other members
If the court majority. He charged
hat political maneuvering" played
. part in the high courts decision,
and expressed hope that "a more
intelligent and less politically
minded court" may soon come into
oeing.
He warned the AFL that you are
On the threshold of government by
and that under the new
Taft-Hartley law the strong arm
Of government" arises to force in
Justices on workingmen. Mr.. Pad
way said the AFL may re-adopt its
of 1919 which stated:
Since the fate of the sovereignty
Of the American people again hangs
n the balance we shall stand
firmly. and conscienciously on our
lights as free men and treat all
njunctive DEGREES that invade our
liberties as unwarranted
n fact, unjustified in law and illegal
rs being in violation Of our consti-
,utional safeguards and accept
whatever consequences may follow"
Some one remarked that Mr.. Pad
way could have delivered his speech
n few countries of the world today,
perhaps having in mind the pres !
nee on the stage of Arthur Deakin,
raternal delegates from British Or
anized labor and Kurt Schu-
nacher, president of the Social
Party of Germany. DR..
Schumacher, a guest of the conven-
ion, spent 10 years of the Hitler
egime in prison camps because of
lis political beliefs.
Mr.. PadWay had talked for an
our when he first showed signs of
cal distress. Earlier, he several
ines had knocked a gavel from the