Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
|ITU President Admits
Main Object Is Ban
On Nonunion Printers
BY the Assoeiotsd Prasa

BY the Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS, Mar. IA
main objective of the International
Typographical Union is to keep nom
union printers out of the Nation S
composing rooms. President Wood
run Randolph said in Federal Court
today.
Under cross-examination by q
Government attorney, he insisted
this would be legal If not main
tanned by contract
The union president is fighting
against Federal Court injunction
which the Government has asked
Judge Luther M. Swygert to issue
against him and the ITU.
Winthrop Johns, representing the
National Labor Relations Board
confronted Mr.. Randolph with
various statements he has made.
Acknowledges Statement.
For example, the ITU president
acknowledged telling congressional
committee last May 7, before the
Taft Hartley law was passed, that
the ITU will continue to function on
q closed shop basis whether it can
make contracts or not"
Mr.. Randolph said the union
may" decide to make use Of the
union shop provision of the new
law-"but I am opposed to it."
Mr.. Johns asked the witness
whether the ITU would approve a
strike by local union caused by a
refusal to work with a nonunion
man.
Mr.. Randolph replied: IT can't
answer that without study and ad-
vice of counsel. That is still one of
our perplexities."
Would Consult Lawyer.
Mr.. Johns asked what Mr.. Ran
dolph would do If a member of a
local union that is operating with
out a contract should be expelled for
some reason other than nonpay-
ment of dues, and the employer re-
fuses to fire him.
THE first thing I would do would
be to consult lawyer, Mr.. Ran
dolph declared, and refused to
answer further.
Yesterday, Mr.. Randolph told his
story for three hours. 1t was a
story of fear that the century old
union OF printers will be destroyed
under the Taft-Hartley Act.
He pictured the union as per
picked over disputes with news
papers but sincerely seeking ways
Of protecting its traditional and
vital" work conditions without
the new labor law.
He pictured many newspaper
publishers and commercial printers
as hostile" to the union.
Crisis Nears in New York.
Today was expected to be the
last day of testimony in the in
junction case. The lawyers will
make final arguments tomorrow.
Meantime, a new crisis approached
in newspaper labor relations, with
contracts between New York City
and their printers ex-
piring March 81. Printers on Chi
cago's five major dailies have been
on strike since November a.
Mr.. Randolph, under the ques-
tioning of his own lawyer. Gerhard
Van Arkel, traced the history of
ITU policies under the Taft-Hartley
Act. --- e-a
He said the ITU sent out contract
forms and advice to, it's $50 local
unions because most Of them are tcb
small to have lawyers.
Before last August ~, when the
law went fully into effect, the ITU
sent out its Form A." He said
this was contract designed to ex-
tend the closed shop one year, as
permitted before August %.
Mr.. Randolph denied the pub
ishers' contention that Form A"
was designed Ito set aside the Taft
Hartley Act He said the American
Newspapers Publishers Association
advised against Form A" and very
lew publishers accepted it.
Defends No-Contract Policy.
Then came the August % policy
which was to refrain from signing
new contracts. 1t was adopted
unanimously at the ITU convention.
Mr.. Randolph defended the policy
m the ground of Section 8 CD of
he law, which says the obligation
o bargain collectively docs not
ompel either party to agree to a
or require the making of a
He said local unions offered to
'ost conditions of employment"
instead of reaching agreements. Mr..
said these devices had
perated successfully in States that
assed laws prohibiting the closed
hop. In these States, he said,
employers were just as free to
lire nonunion men. They Just
idn't want to do it. There was
10 difficulty"
But Mr.. Randolph said the pub
shers were "adamant" and insisted
n having contracts.