Evening star., 1948-06-03

Minnesota, and Myers, Democrat, OF
Pennsylvania, issued statements op-
posing the bill. The Pennsylvania
Senator's secretary read a state
ment to a group of 80 delegates who
visited his Office.
Senator Ball said today the
Mundt-Nixon bill is too "totali-
TARTAN" He urged stronger en-
forcement of existing laws and a
vigorous campaign of education
to combat communism.
Warned Against Reporters.
So far as could be determined by
informal talks with many individual
demonstrators-all of whom had
been warned at a noon rally IN
Turner's Arena not to talk to news
paper reporterSthe principal or
ganizers of the mass protest were
CIO union locals, civil rights organi-
cations, particularly in New York,
and the Progressive Party organiza-
ton backing Mr.. Wallace for Presi-
dent and Senator Taylor, Democrat,
of Idaho, for Vice President.
Much of the spadework, as well as
last-minute arrangements for. a
hastily organized demonstration,
was done by Washington legisla-
tive representatives of several trade
unions and the United Office and
Professional Workers of America
(CIO).
Washington headquarters were set
up in Offices on the fifth floor of a
building at $50 F street NV. The
offices are occupied by the Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers Union,
International Longshoremen and
Warehousemen Union and the Food.
Tobacco and Agricultural Workers
Union, all CIO af11liates. Miss Eliz-
abeth Sasuly, legislative agent for
the latter union, was one OF the
principal organizers.
Practically all of the mimeo-
garphed instruction sheets and re-
port forms carried the UOPWA-CIO
notation.
Although organizers said as many
as $500 persons took part in the
demonstration, they said they could
not guess at the cost of staging 1t.
The $4,000 figure resulted from
a official reckoning on the basis
of fares for about 5000 persons who
arrived and left on three trains be-
tween here and New York and Phil
adelphia, and at least another 1000
who travelled by chartered bus, plane
or automobile. Organizers said they
spent between $500 and $1,000 for
additional bus transportation in
Washington throughout the day.
Collections Taken, Up.
In most instances, the people
said they paid their own transpor-
tation charges while here. Collec-
tions we're taken up aboard the
buses to help defray the cost.
The principal organizers were for
mer Representative O'Connell and
Mr.. Robson. Mr.. O'Connell, a
supporter of Mr.. Wallace, said he
paid his own expenses to fly here.
He decided to help organize the
demonstration, he said, after the
Senate judiciary Committee ad-
iourned last Monday without hear
ing all witnesses who wanted to
testify.
Originally, two groups were Or
ganized, one to oppose the Mundt
bill and the other to demand
civil rights legislation. Mr.. O'Con-
nell became the general chairman.
Some of the demonstrators re-
ported that plans had been under
way for some time in their own
communities or organizations to
visit Washington. Most of them,
however, insisted that the overall
demonstration plans were not
launched until last Monday.
Hundreds of the people wore Wal
lace-for- President buttons, but Mr..
O'Connell insisted that the Progress
sive Party was not the prime mover.
Use of Party Funds Denied.
Button wearers who were inter-
viewed said none of their expense
money came from party funds.
Labor union local delegates in
many instances carried delegate"
cards and said they had been asked
this week to come to Washington
for the protest, with the under
standing that they would be reim-
bursed for their expenses.
The showing was regarded as SO
successful by its organizers that
plans are under way today to de-
velop a permanent organization to
function for civil rights legislation