Evening star., 1952-03-15
UAW Purge Set
ToRidFordLo
Of Red Control
Bourd to Dismiss
Officers Having
Communist Ties
BY the Associated Press


the CIO United Auto Workers to-
day set up a board Of administra-
tion for its giant Ford Local 600
and directed it to fire any officers
found to be members of, or SUBJ
Servient to" the Communist Party.
The unprecedented action fol-
lowed an all-day session, which
broke up shortly after midnight,
at which Carl Stellato, president
Of the local, and his staff had been
ordered to show cause why they
should not be ousted.
JAW President Walter p.
Reuther, chairman of the new
Six-man board of administration,
had charged Mr.. Stellato, Vice
President Patrick F. Rice, Re-
cording Secretary William r.
Hood and Treasurer w. G. Grant
of Local 600 of failing to abide
by the UAW constitution, which
prohibits Communists from hold
ing union Offices.
To Take Over Quarters
The board was reported plan
ming to take over the locals head
quarters either tomorrow or Mon
day. Makeup of the board, con-
sisting Of top union officers headed
by Mr.. Reuther-himself a bitter
Stellato foe-was unique in UAW
annals. Previously whenever an
enthusiastically was placed over
a local, it consisted of only one
international union official.
Mr.. Stellato changed his mind
today about resisting the executive
boards action, but said he would
appeal the decision to the next
International UAW convention in|
May, 1858.
Mr.. Reuther said it was the
purge boards intention to re-
move as few as possible Of the
locals elected officers and those
holding appointive jobs. All how
ever. are subject to removal at
any time If the board desires. No
actual firing or suSpending or any
body, however, has yet been taken.
In its statement, the UAW Ex-
ecutive Board declared that, in
Its opinion:
THE difficulties in Local 600
arise from the manipulations Of
q small but well-disciplined Com
munist group which exerts inf1u-
ence far beyond its actual men,
bers."
The statement added:
1.-THE evidence presented to the
International Executive Board
proves beyond any doubt that this |
disciplined Communist minority
was able to subvert the policies.
programs and publications Of Lo-
cal 600 to their own ends and
against the best interests of the
union membership"
Named in Red Probe.
The Executive Board action
came after witnesses at recent
hearings of the House Un-Ameri-
can Activities Committee here
named several Local 600 officials
as Communists.
The UAW Board said its "unani-
nous action" setting up the board
of administration came "in the
light Of the overwhelming evi-
dence" after officers of Local 600
had been given full opportunity
to present their case"
Local 600. with nearly $4,000
dues-paying members, claims to be
the worlds largest local union.
ut is regrettable that a major
portion Of the strength and energy
Of Local 900 has been dissipated
because Of the disruptive efforts of
q small Communist minority to
advance the interests of the Com
munist Party at the expense Of the
Ford workers." the Executive
Board declared.
Fought Governing Body.
"They have been more interested
In fighting the international union
and its policies than in solving
the day-to-day problems Of the
Ford workers.
1.-THE underlying and motivating
drive behind the Communist
group in Local 600. as elsewhere,
is complete subservience to the
foreign policy needs of the Soviet
Union"
The new Board of Administra-
ton, besides Mr.. Reuther, includes
UAW Secretary-Treasurer Emil
Marcy. Vice Presidents John w.
Livingston and Richard Gosser
and West Side Regional Co-Direc-
tors Joseph McCusker and Ed
ward j. Coty.
Custer Of the locals officers
would have to be followed by an
election within go days. It would
be theoretically possible for Mr..
Stellato and his officers to run and
be reelected.