Evening star., 1955-01-07
+ . - . T.
Probers Urge
Broader Quiz Of
Labor Rackets
House Unit Rops
Pointers Union,
Asks Tighter Laws
By Mirium Gutenberg

labor racketeering was urged
today by the House Anti
racketeering subcommittee, which
delved into charges Of pay offs
and extortion by painters union
officials here.
In a report on its investiga-
ton Of District Council No. 81,
AFL Brotherhood Of Painters,
Decorators and Paperhangers
Of America, the special subcom.
mittee of the House Committee
on Government Operations said:
"A review of the hearing rec
ord clearly indicates that there
exists in the Washington ID. C.)
area, a situation. at least In the
painters union, which is and
has been injurious to the rank
and file union members.
"The record reflects that with
in this union there have been
numerous instances of extortion,
bribery, income-tax violations,
conspiracies to violate the law
and other illegal practices that
have continued for some years
without corrective or effective
action having been instituted to
bring the perpetrators to jus
tice."
Urge Stronger Laws.
The subcommittee, which held
It's hearings on the painters
union last August. declared that
1t is apparent the laws must be
strengthened by Congress To in
sure that this type of situation
will not exist in other areas.
Racketeers, operating under
the guise of labor leaders must
be eliminated in order to permit
labor and the rank and file
worker to earn a just and fair
living" the report stated.
Along with recommending more
hearings to root out racketeering,
the subcommittee called for
grand jury investigations Of
phases of Its hearings which re-
feet possible violations Of Fed
eral laws. The chairman Of the
subcommittee is Representative
Bender, Republican, Of Ohio.
Since the hearings. Federal
grand juries here have made
two Investigations.
indictments Returned.
After the first such iiivestiga-
ton, Robert E. Minte, Washing
ton painting contractor, and
Robert c. Lowry. secretary-treas-
lirer Of District Council No. 81 Of
The painters union were indicted
on charges of conspiring to vio-
late the Taft-Hartley Act. Mr..
Minte was also accused of making
two pay-offs to Mr.. Lowry and
MIR. Lowry was accused on two
counts Of receiving this money.
Later this indictment was
dropped and a new indictment
was handed down. The second
Indictment left out Mr.. Minte
but named Mr.. Lowry and John
E. Sullivan, business agent Of the
local. on charges of extorting
money from contractors under
threat of fomenting labor dis
putes and Of conspiracy to OBJ
struct interstate commerce.
The subcommittee in today's
report recommended that the
Secretary Of Labor be furnished
. copy Of the official transcript
Of proceedings and the report
"for his information and such
action as he deems appropriate"
Ask Committee Action.
The subcommittee also rec
commended that the hearing rec
ord be examined by the full
committee "for evidence Of the
manner in which Federal stat
utes could and should be
to prohibit the contin-
uation Of this type Of operation
and to insure that the intent Of
Congress with reference to the
appropriate Federal statutes is
not being disregarded."
OF its painters union investi-
cation, the subcommittee de-
clared:
"The principal defrauder Of
the rank and file union workers
is their own boss. Robert c.
Lowry. {. He, in collusion with
business agents of that council,
conspired to defraud their fell
low workers. This procedure is
particularly despicable as the
officers Of the union charged
with the responsibility Of pro-
tecting the welfare and the In
terest Of the rank and file work
ers have perpetrated a fraud
upon their own brothers.
Even within this select group
they were not honest with each
other and in many instances
where moneys were received for
granting Illegal permits to the
contractors. the moneys were not
even split equally among the
conspirators."
Mr.. Lowry and Mr.. Sullivan
were suspended by the Inter-
national Brotherhood Of Painters
in September.