Evening star., 1948-03-09
.Probers Of GSI
Delay Demand
For SteeImdn
Hoffman Moves
To Compel Trumon
Aide to Testify

The Hoffman Subcommittee of
the House Labor Committee today
delayed action to compel John r.
Steelman, assistant to the Presi-
dent, to testify before 1t. The delay
OF "a hours is to permit the COM
m1ttee staff to study the record of
hearings which have been held.
Subcommittee Chairman Hoffman
last night threatened action looking
toward falling Mr.. Steelman if he
does not answer a committee sub
poena.
The subcommittee is expected to
cite the case to the full committee
for action against Mr.. Steelman.
The presidential adviser has failed
to answer two subpoenas for him to
testify in connection with the strike
of workers in Government building
cafeterias.
Two SubpOenas Served.
Mr.. Steelman did not appear last
night at a hearing which had been
called to take his testimony Will
liam T. Smith, deputy United States
marshal, testified before the sub.
committee today he had personally
served Mr.. Steelman at his Office in
the White House with two subpoe-
mas. One summoned Mr.. Steelman
to subcommittee hearing Saturday
afternoon, the other to the hearing
last night.
After the hearing was adjourned,
Mr.. Hoffman called for q law book
and cited section of the Federal
code which provides that a person
who wilfully fails to answer a sum-
mons Of congressional committee
or who refuses to answer questions
by such committee may be found
guilty OF misdemeanor. The pen
alties are from one month to a year
in jail and fine of from 500 to
81 900.
Mr.. Hoffman said the subcommit-N
tee will institute action to cite four
union leaders before the House on
the ground they refused to answer
when asked whether they were af-
hllated with any organization ad-
vocating the overthrow of the
Government by force.
Four Leaders Listed.
The four are Abram Flaxer, pres
ident of the United Public Workers
OF America, CIO; Alfred Bernstein.
national director Of negotiations for
UPWA; Oliver Palmer, business
agent of Local All of the Cafeteria
Workers Union, an UPWA affiliate,
and Richard A. Bancroft, former
president of the local.
Mr.. Hoffman has indicated his
belief the White House has been
trying to bypass the Taft Hartley
Act and to settle the GSI strike
through an especially appointed
mediator.
When Mr.. Steelman did not ap-
pear last night j. S. Davitt,
a GSI trustee who happened to
be present, was called to the stand,
He testified the trustees met yes
terday afternoon and declined to
reconsider their action of last week
refusing to accept a settlement pro-
posal by George E. Strong, medi-
ator. The union would accept it,
With Mr. Davitt's testimony COM
lpleted, Mr.. Hoffman set about put
ting into the record the facts on
Mr.. Steelman's nonappearance.
He introduced copies OF the SUBJ
poenas summoning the presidential
assistant to appear at 2 pm. last
Saturday and at pm. last night.
Both bore notations they were
served personally on Mr.. Steelman,
but Mr.. Hoffman said he wanted
the testimony of the deputy mar
shall fully to establish that fact.
F. Albert Reiman, a member Of
the committees staff, was sworn
and testified he accompanied Deputy
Smith to the White House yester-
day. He said the deputy was sum-
moned to an inner Office and when
he returned he said he had served
Mr.. Steelman personally.