Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-23

This was disclosed during
son of Winnsboro, S. c., a tex
tile worker and one of the three
trustees of the union.
Mr.. Emerson was a witness as
the Select Senate Committee
investigating improper labor
management activities con-
tinued its inquiry into the al
legged misuse Of union funds by
Klenert and Anthony Valente,
the unions president.
Senator Mcclellan, Demo-
crat Of Arkansas, the commit
tee chairman, mentioned the
Klenert purchases in question:
ing Mr.. Emerson on whether
checks and vouchers of the
union were closely scrutinized
by the trustees. The witness
said the trustees met here three
or four times year to 60 over
hotel bills and expense vou-
cheers submitted by the unions
officers.
Surprised by Items
Mr.. Emerson. an electrician
by trade. professed surprise
over such purchases and said
such items as mentioned by
Senator Mcclellan had not
been noted on the expense
vouchers and the hotel bills.
According to Senator McClel-
Ian the purchases were made
by Klenert and charged to vari-
Gus hotels at which he was
staying. The bills. it was
brought out, we're paid by union
funds.
Senator Mcclellan asked if
Mr.. Emerson ever found any
bras and slips on Klenert's bills.
The witness replied that he had
not and added. in. response to
another question, that if the
trustees had Klenert would
have been questioned about
them.
1--WE probably would have
asked If he wore them" Mr..
Emerson said.
Klenert was at a loss to ex-
plain to newsmen after the
hearing just what a milk stool
was except to say that it was
probably a piece Of furniture. ="
He had no explanation about
"a golfers lamp" and the rea-
son for such a purchase.
Personal Allowance
Klenert told reporters at the
noon recess that these ex-
penses probably arose out of a
personal expense allowance, +"
and added:
Il imagine these were gifts
TO people"
Klenert said that he had
never been asked by committee
investigators about such pur-
chases. He explained that the
union granted him and Valente
a personal expense allowance
in l948 when his salary was
only $500 a year. The allow
ance. Klenert said, was $4,000
q year.
Some months ago Klenert's
salary was raised to $4,000 "A
year. About three months ago,
Klenert told reporters, the ex-
penSe allowances for both him
and Valente were discontinued
because of their increased
salary.
Senator Mcclellan said the
committee has obtained "a long
list" of personal purchases by
Klenert and would go into the
matter later. According to an
earlier statement by the COM
mittee chairman, such pur-
chases were more than $40, 900.
Explains Questioning
The Senator told Mr.. Emer-
son that the questioning of him
about such expenditures was
not intended to reflect on his
integrity. but to show the
unions system of financial
control and the inefficiency
Of it."
Another witness was Joseph
Jacobs Of Atlanta. Ga, an at
torney for the union and a
member Of a five-man union
committee which reported in
1853 that none OF the union
money had been misused" by
Klenert and Valente.
This statement was made in
. report by the group to George
Meany. then Secretary-treas-
urer of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor.
Mr.. Meany had questioned
some Of the expenditures OF
the union and yesterday the
AFL-CIO president told the
investigating Senators the re-
port was "a whitewash."
Report AbsOlved Both
The report had abSolved
Klenert and Valente Of using
union funds in 1852 to buy
themselves expensive homes in
Rock Greek Hills. in nearby
Montgomery County.
Mr. Meany said he will now
file new charges against both
Klenert and Valente that
would bring them up for a
union hearing.
Committee members taxed
Mr.. Jacobs with having helped
prepare a report which con-
cealed the use Of $4,000 of
union funds by Klenert and
Valente in the purchase of
homes costing together SOS, 900.
Mr.. Jacobs insisted that the
money was used in this wise
as a means of building up a
union Slush fund for a possible
battle with the rival CLIO Tex
tile Workers Union.
He insisted that the COM
mittee undertook to get across
IN Mr. Afao,,,, -. .....t-..A.