Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-18
Union Official
Defies Senate
Racket Inquiry
Refuses to TuIk,
Declaring Group
Lacks Authority
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON and
CECIL HOLLAND


A top official of the IA million
member Teamster Union today
refused to answer questions at
the Senate hearing on alleged
labor racketeering. He said he
did so on the grounds that the
committee lacked authority to
conduct the investigation. He
was then accused of giving the
American labor movement a
"black eye
If you were deliberately plan
ming to diScredit labor as a
whole" Senator Mccarthy, Re-
publican of Wisconsin, told the
balky witness, Einar o. Mohn,
Transfers vice president, you
couldn't do better job than you
are doing here today"
Mr.. Mohn was subpoened by
Chairman Mcclellan of the Sem
ate Investigations Subcommittee
to tell about kilograms he re-
portedly sent to regional vice
presidents urging them to resist
testifying in the Nationwide
labor union rackets investigation
being conducted by the commit
tee.
He answered questions regard
ing his name and address and
then declined to answer all other
queries put to him by the Sena-
tors, including one concerning
his business and occupation.
Authority Challenged
II have studied carefully the
jurisdiction of this committee
with the advice and benefit of
COUNSEL" Mr.. Mohn said. Il
don't believe this committee has
the authority to go into these
matters and for that reason I
decline to answer any questions. +"
The Teamster officer stead
tasty refused to answer queS-
tions even when ordered to do
so by Senator Mcclellan.
The kilograms the Senators
say Mr.. Mohn sent in his ca
pacity as acting for Teamster
President Dave Beck. who is out
of the country, described the
Mcclellan subcommittee investi-
CATION as fishing expedition, I"
and urged Transfers officials to
challenge committee authority
to conduct the labor inquiry.
The messages also asked ape
prevail Of a policy that no union
member would be faced with un-
ion disciplinary action if he
asserted Ibis constitutional rights
and privileges" and refused to
cooperate with the committee
Mr.. Mohn, under orders to be
on hand at 10 am, was required
to sit through the testimony of
two witnesses identified as Off
GERS of a Transfers local in
New York who refused to answer
any questions about the financial
affairs of the local. One of the
Transfers officers invoked the
Fifth Amendment against pos
sible Standardization to nearly
all the Senators questions.
Invited to Remain
When Mr.. Mohn appeared yes
terday and later was excused
from testifying because his at
torney was unavailable. Senator
Mcclellan invited him to re-
main and see how some of the
local officers were acting under
the instructions they had re-
ceived.
Il have some work to do" Mr.
Mohn said as he left the room.
Two local New York Teamster
officers invoked the constitution
al privilege frequently yester-
day.
Today Senator Mcclellan read
the lengthy telegram Mr.. Mohn
allegedly sent Transfers officials
and asked the union vice presi-
dent if he sent it.
Mr.. Mohn, as on other ques-
tions. refused to answer on the
grounds the committee lacked
jurisdiction to conduct the hear
ing.
Have you been in touch with
Mr.. Beck since you were here
yesterday" asked Senator Nc
Clellan, and again the witness
refused to answer.
us it the policy of your or
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