Evening star., 1949-04-04
'Pressmen Here Seek
probe Of Disposition
,0f Berry's Estate
By Jomes Y. Newton

Union has called for Investigation
Of charges that the union wa.
not fairly treated in the will O,
the late George L. Berry, forme,
Senator from Tennessee and pres.
'tdent of the international union
for more than 40 years. Maj
Berry died last December.
The requested inquiry is q
posthumous chapter in the stormy
career OF a man who, orphaned
tat 6 and without a formal edu-
cation, rose the hard way to
become a national figure. MAJ
Berry came within three votes OF
winning the vice presidential
nomination at the Democratic
convention of 1924. He later
served the Federal Government
in number of high positions and
was member of the Senate in
1887 and 1898.
Local No. /, representing print
ing pressmen at the Government
Printing once and commercial
shops here, has adopted a resolu-
ton requesting investigation oi
the charges against the Berry will
Inquiry Is Requested.
The local, the oldest and one OF
the strongest in the 75,000-mem-
d ber international, voted at meet
ing last week to wire the present
international president. J. H. De Ii
Rosa Of San Francisco, and inquire
If there is any basis for the
charges. The president of the To-
cal, James s. Judge. also was in
structed to appoint three members
to investigate and report on the
charges. There are two press
mems locals here. The other
No. e-includes newspaper press
men.
Mr.. Judge refused to comment
Louis A. Lopez. general represer,-
tative of the international here,
said that he did not attend the
meeting of Local No. l and re-
ferred inquiries to the interna-
tional's Board of Directors. Ed
ward Best, secretary treasurer OF
Local No. /, said that he did not
think the matter should have been
brought up and refused further
comment.
Shortly after Mai. Berry died,
the Associated Press reported
from Rogersville, Tenn, in Haw-
kins County. where he was born
and lived most of his life, that he
left an estate estimated at
S750,000. He had owned numer-
GUS farms and properties in Ten
nessee.
Moved Union Headquarters.
Soon after he took over as presi-
dent of the Pressmen in 1907, Maj
Berry moved the interra ttonal
headquarters to his native Haw-
kins County and founded Press
mems Home for old and incapaci-
tated workers, and a trade school
in isolated country II miles from
Rogersville. The nearest railroad
other than q frequent spur, is 40
miles away.
In 1s47, Maj. Berry was indicted
In Federal court at Nashville on
several counts of income tax eva
sion. He later pleaded nolo con-
tendere (no defense) to one OF the
charges. In February. 1948, he
was fined $4,000 and given a sus-
pended Jail sentence of year and
a day. Other indictments were
dismissed.
The investigation voted by Local
No. is directed specifically at the
disposal Of Maj. Berry's interest in
the international Card and Label
Co., an enterprise he started in
Rogersville abouta25 years age
and which repeatedly was financed
largely with union funds. Is is a
lucrative business which makes
various type of labels including
some for popular brands of cigar
cites. The company employs about
$50 persons and is valued in excess
Of $1,ooo,ooo.
Most of Money Repaid.
Mai. Berry left the bulk of his
estate to his widow and to Mrs
Alva Berry of Mooresburg, Tenn.
variously described as cousin,
"niece" and friend" of Mai. Berry
The co-administrator of the Berry
estate, Frank L. Gardner, Rogers
willie banker. told The Star by
telephone he did not know the
relationship between Maj. Berry
and Mrs. Alva Berry.
All or nearly all of Mai. Berry's
one-third interest in the 1nterna-
tional Card & Label Co. was left
to the two Mrs. Berrys.
A vice president OF the interna-
tional union told The Star he die
not think the union should receive
the Berry interest in the labe
company, which is incorporated II
Delaware and was headed by Maj
Berry. He added the belief the
unions interests are we'll pro-
tected.
The officer said the land occu-
pied by the label plant was owned
by the union at one time and pre-
sumably sold to the company. He
said the union lent $500, 900 to the
company years ago" and nearly
ali Of it had been repaid. He was
sure some interest had been PAID
on the loan.
Regarded Union as His Own.
The action of Maj. Berry ir
moving the union headquarters X
remote Hawkins County 40 year,