Evening star., 1948-02-25
Union Agent Tesfiiies
Chrisioftel Asked Him
To Hire Communists

A union hiring agent of a Wis
corlsins utility company told Dis
triSt Court jury today that Howard
Christoffel, onetime Milwaukee
labor leader, had urged that a
known Communist be put on the
cornpany's payroll to get additional
patty members among the COM
pany's employees.
Ghristoffel is on trial on charges
of having ,perjured himself before
the, House Labor Committee last
March. It was expected that sew
eral members of Congress would be
called as witnesses.
Roland A. Dement,. a supervisor
fors the Wisconsin Gas g. Electric
Co, testified he was authorized as
a cIO official to hire shop employees
under the union contract. He said
that On several occasions in 1887
and 1888 Christoffel had approached
him in an effort to have Commun-
lists put on the utility payroll.
Urged Employment of Blair.
On one of these occasions, Mr..
Dement, said, Christoffel asked that
he hire Fred B. Blair, described as
an offcial Of the Communist Party
in Wisconsin.
One of&he perjury counts charges
that Chtfstoffel lied to the House
Labor Committee last March when
he testified he was not acquainted
with Blair. The other counts charge
the former president of the Allis-
Chalmers CIO Union perjured him
self when he denied he was Com
munist or had any connection with
the party.
Blair who was once a Communist
candidate for Governor of Wiscon-
sin, wassput on the stand as Gov
ernment witness last week. but was
withdrawn after he refused to say
whether or not he knew Christoffel
on the. contention that he. might
incriminate himself.
Wanted Workers to Join Party.
Under direct examination, Mr..
Dement, said that when Christoffel
approached him with Blair he asked
that Blair be put on the payroll SO
he could get employees to join the
party-and when he said party, he
was talking about the Communist
Party"
The members of Congress will be
called In the Governments effort
to prove q House Labor Committee
quorum was present last March
when Christoffel testified he, had no
connection with the Communist
Party.
A Government witness, Mrs. Mary
M. Fisher, testified yesterday, how
ever, that Christof1el, while presi-
dent Of the Allisr Chalmers union
introduced Blair at a union dance In
1941. She said Blair Congratulated
'brothefS and sisters" In the union
on having brought about a strike at
the Milwaukee plant. z
Mrs. Fisher. who was divorced last
year from Charles M. Fisher, de-
scribed as member Of the Allis-
Chalmers locals bargaining commit
tee, said she saw. Blair and the
defendant talking together on sew
eral occasions at union headquar-
tiers. , 49,. ...--.. --.,-
Saw Blair, Christoffel Together.
Clara w. Merton, a candidate
for the wisconsin, Legislature in
1888, testified she ssaW,Blair and
Christoffel conferrii1g together dur
ing a political raliys - Z
Questioned by Defense Attorney
o. John Rogge, the witness ad-
mitted she served as secretary for
"the Midwest leader of the bund"
for about two years beginning in
1896. She insisted, however, she
took the job to report to authorities
on the activities Of the pro-Nazi
organization.
The trial opened February 16
before Judge Edward M. Curran.
John s. Pratt, special assistant to
the Attorney General, told the court
yesterday the Government probably
would comp1ete its case by Friday.