Evening star., 1949-07-18
battIeGiives0ut
Petri||o Letter
Backing Miller
Says 1t Proves
Opponent Gets
Aid Outside Stute
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
John S. Battle last night pro-
duced lette. from James C..
Petrillo, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Musicians, to
prove his charge that VirginianS
are being influenced from outside
the State to support the guberna-
torial candidacy of Frances Pick
ems Miller.
The letter. which Mr.. Battle
gave to the press at the same time
he telegraphed Mr.. Miller ne vas
doing SO, was on printed station
cry and addressed to the men,
bers of the American Federation
of Musicians in Virginia" IL
bore Mr.. Petrillo's printed sigma
ture and said in part:
Various States have enacted
legislation which means absolute
ruination to the labor movement.
therefore we are compelled to take
an interest IN all State elections,
in order to preserve the rights of
the working people.
1T is most important that you
lend your support to Francis Pick
ems Miller. a liberal and progress
sive anti-machine candidate. 1t is
in the interests of yourself. the
organization to which you belong.
and to all the workers of Virginia
organized and unorganized-
that every effort be made to elect
Francis Pickens Miller.
Assistance Asked.
"Labor's league for political ed
ucation in Virginia is conducting
an aggressive campaign, through
Mr.. Jack S. Smits, chairman of
this organization won't you
please make contact with Mr..
Smith and give whatever service
is possible in this crucial cam
paign?
y AS president of this great
American Federation of Musicians.
I cannot impress upon you too
strongly the necessity of taking
an immediate, active part in this
election, to protect the general
welfare of all musicians.
For this reason l solicit your
help in the election of Francis
Pickens Miller"
And this is what Mr.. Battle,
another of the four Democratic
candidates for the governorship,
said in part in his telegram to
Miller:
I'm answer to your telegram Of
July 16 in which you call
upon me to furnish proof of my
statement that out-of State labor
leaders are attempting to inf1u-
ence the gubernatorial campaign
in yourffavor, I am releasing the
Petrillo letter to the press.
Il will be glad to furnish you
a copy of this letter upon rsquest."
To Talk on Radio.
This, Mr.. Battle said, was just
the beginning. He said he "ex-
pected to go into this matter in
more detail in a radio address"
which he will make tomorrow
night from Newport News.
In statement yesterday Mr..
Miller promised a re-examination
of Virginia's labor laws enacted
during Gov. Tuck's administra-
ton.
Mr.. Battle has defended the
laws on the grounds they have
prevented strikes"
The truth is" Mr.. Miller as
serted, that 35 other States had
fewer strikes than Virginia had
in 1948. The highly Industrial
lied State of Connecticut had only
one-half the number of strikes
Virginia had last year, and North
Carolina had only one-fourth as
many.
CIO Produces Letters.
Mr.. Battles own dealings with
Virginia labor were under scrutiny
in Lynchburg. where James c.
Crist of Local 80, United Shoe
Workers of America, made public
two letters he said Mr.. Battle
wrote him soliciting his support.
The letters we're produced after
the Miller-for Governor Commit
tee of Lynchburg claimed Satur-
day night that Mr.. Battle has said
one thing about the CIO Political
Action Committee to the voters
and done another behind their
backs"
Mr.. Crist is chairman of the
Lynchburg CIO Political Action
Committee.
1t is Mr.. Battle and his an
nounced supporter, United States
Senator Byrd, who have accused
Mr.. Miller of being the chosen
candidate of CIO and other union
forces seeking to invade Virginia
for repeal of the States labor
laws.
Page Supports Battle.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Battles cam
paign gained the Endorsement OF
Vivian L. Page, former State
senator and for many years
figure in Virginia politics from
Norfolk.
Mr.. Page in 20 years of service
in the General Assembly had come
to be known as an independent
and at times a strong "anti-
machine" man.
Hifs kvushu