Evening star., 1948-02-17
Full Quorum Present
|AtChristoffeI Hearing
Hartley Tells Court

Chairman Hartley of the House
Labor Committee today told q Dis
trict Court jury trying Howard
Christoffel on perjury charges that
he was sure quorum of his COM
mittee was present last March
when the Milwaukee labor leader
was quizzed on his Communist con-
nections. ..
Throughout the opening testi-
mony of the trial which got under
way yesterday before jury of eight
men and four women, Defense At
torney o. John Rogge has sought
10 show that only -four or five"
Representatives were present at the
time Christoffel alegedly lied by
denying he was or ever had been a
Communist.
Mr. Hartley, co-author of the
Taft Hartley Labor Act, named
from memory 13 committee mem
bers he believed were present and
added a 18th who he said prob
ably" was at the hearing He said
that to maintain the dignity OF
the committee he had "religiously"
sought to have a ma jority present
during the important hearings on
the labor legislation.
Inquiry Authorized by House.
Mr.. Hartley explained his COM
mittee had been authorized by the
House to inquire into the cause of
labor disputes, work stoppages and
strikes and to determine the aims of
those responsible" especially where
subversive activities were suspected.
Mr.. Hartley said he called Chris
toffel's attention to the purpose of
the committee before swearing the
labor leader as a witness. In re-
sponse to question from Govern
ment counsel, the Representative
said that the activities of the de-
fendant had been brought to his
attention. He added, Il don't. be-
lieve had heard Of more striking
case"
Defense counsel objected to this
line of testimony and was upheld by
Judge Edward M. Curran.. Earlier
Judge Curran had ruled that Gov-
eminent exhibits Of the attendance
tally sheets would be assumed to
have established that a quorum was
present unless the defense can prove
otherwise. 1t would take 13 men,
bers to make a quorum.
Former UAW Official.
The 34-year-old defendant is a
former president Of the United Au-
tomobile Workers (CIO) local at the
Allis- Chalmers Manufacturing Co.,
where a strike was in progress from
April, 1946, to March, 1947. The
defendant was serving in the Army
during most of the time the strike
was in progress.
The jury was chosen yesterday
after the defense had used all of its
10 challenges and the prosecution
five of its six.
Jurors Listed.
The jurors are:
Mrs. Eva F. Press, housewife. 5819
Third place NV; John r. Ander-
son, National Bureau of Standards
laboratory worker, 1912 Rosedale
street NE: Clyde o. Bradley. Cen
eral Accounting Once clerk. 38l7
Twenty second street NE; William
A. Drury, bus driver, 1910 B street
Sc; william L. Hurley. Union Sta
ton machinist, 3l1 Douglas street
NE, and Raymond A. Smith. Naval
Ordnance Laboratory employe, 625
Seventh street NE.
Also Mrs. lola Grifnths, depart
ment store saleswoman, 4528A Third
street Sc; William H. Grund, meat
salesman, TIL Rock Greek Church
road NV; Mrs. Alexine T. Owens,
housewife, 1901 Irving street NV;
Charles E. Lawrence, carpenter,
1909 K street NV: Ovid P. NORM,
Railway Express Agency employe,
1900 Massachusetts, avenue NV,
and Mrs. Ruth Darlington, house.
wife, 2711 Georgia avenue NV.
Rubber Scrap Bill Passed
Lii ~ ,>arroit d,,ty froa iyopor