Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-08
Freshmen Assured
Union Will Protect
Rights in Berry Will
By jones Y. Newton

LIE hU6TudLlOIldl PRESIDENT L1dL
Investigation is being made of
charges that the union was short
changed in the wifi of the late
George L. Berry. who, until his
death last December, was presi-
dent of the pressmen for 40 years
j. l.. de la Rosa. the present
president. wired all locals that the
entire matter" of the union S
interest in the Berry estate, val
ued originally at s750.000. is
under study and investigation. ="
When the probe is completed. Mr.
de la Rosa said. the union Board
of Directors will act promptly in
. the best interest of the member
ship Of the international union"
Local No. here, composed Of
.pressmen at the Government
Printing Office and commercial
shops. voted investigation specifi-
cally into charges that million
dollar printing business which
Maj. Berry left to private indi-
,vidusls actually was union prop
erty. The concern is the Inter
national Card e. Label Co..
Rogersville, Tenn, highly profit
able enterprise which was financed
with union funds.
Difficult to Probe Affairs.
Mai. Berry left nearly all of his
interest in the label printing firmt
as we'll as the great bulk Of his
entire estate, to two Mrs. Berrys,
the widow and mysterious Mrs.
Alva Berry, described variously as
., cousin" niece" and friend"
Of Mooresburg. Tenn.
But local unions and individual
members have found it difficult
in the past to probe into the az
fairs Of Maj. Berry, one time Sen
ator from Tennessee and high
Government official.
- Just what tough problem Local
No. l is up against with Berry men
still in control of their interna-
tional was strikingly illustrated as
early as the 1920s.
In 1918 Maj. Berry established
the Clinchfield Hydroelectric Corp.
to supply electric power to Press
mems Home and surrounding
, areas of East Tennessee.
Financed With Union Funds.
The power plant. according to
best available information, was
, financed with union funds, but the
!. stock in the corporation was issued
to Maj. Berry. the late Joseph c.
Orr, union secretary-treasurer, and
, their families.
), In 1920 some members of Local
No. 8 Of Chicago brought suit in
/ Federal Court for the Eastern
District of Tennessee for an &C
counting of funds used in the
3 power project.
In 1921 Federal Judge A. M. j.
1 Cochran ordered Mai. Berry to-
return $165,00 to the union and
enjoiaed him from further diver 4
sion. .hfs lniofla furids. sThescauR
appoirtefR- receiver rpllerrthe.
&165,t00 @hieh was represented by
stock.
However, some time after the
decision the international's Board
Of Directors overrode the Chicago
local and "forgave" the debt. The
board was composed of six mem
bers, . including Maj. >, Berry err ,: and
Judge Critical of Berry.
BUT. Judge Cochran in deciding
the case directed some scathing
remarks at Maj. Berry. Among
other things, he said:
1T may be that in their wisdom
the union members may want Mr..
Berry to still rule over them not
withstanding the findings made
here. and If they do so that is their
privilege.
IT will say that with reference
10 Mr.. Berry have been some
what hard on him. but no harder
than the facts justify. All that
have done is to bring the facts
to light, 1t is not l but the facts
that arraign him.
Il have certain impressions of
Mr.. Berry" the judge continued.
He is a man of ability in a
way. think he is posted as to
the principles of trade unionism.
I think he Is devoted to those
principles and I think he is
:. pretty good fighter.
! I'm the convention (of the
; Anion) Of 1920. in the welcoming
address or response thereto, he
concluded by saying that the
unions wanted peace, but If the
occasion arose they would fight
like hell. That describes him.
He fights like hell and has fought
like hell in this case to keep the
truth from being known
obligation" Quoted.
The oath or obligation" which
all applicants must take to be-
come members of the Pressmen's
Union states in part:
Il Furthermore promise that I
will not apply to the courts for
redress in any matter concerning
or effecting the organization
without first appealing to the
officers, Board Of Directors, and
the convention of the Inter-
national Printing Pressmen and
Assistants Union, as provided by
the Constitution and Laws
thereof"
It is said that the laws OF
OF IS of the older unions require
s. r oaths, but in the case OF
!. t Pressmen's Union redress
from machinery within the union
would seem to be unusually diff
ficult for members to obtain.
!, For example. in the past the
members would have to wait a
long time. indeed, TO. make any
. appeal to a convention since the
international. under the strict
y guidance Of Maj. Berry. has held
, only two such meetings since 1924.
Control Over Subordinates.
The union constitution also con-