Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-28
Reuther Saws
KohIer Policy
Stirred Strife
Attempt to Wreck
Union Caused Clash
Senators Are Told
BY WILLIAM HINES
and LEE M. COIN
Star stan Writers

Walter P. Reuther charged
today that prime RESPONSE
bility" for violence in the four
year-long Kohler strike lay
with the Kohler Co. be-
cause it was acting outside the
law"
Resuming testimony which
he began yesterday before the
Senate Rackets Committee the
United Auto Workers president
said the Kohler decision to 'de-
stroy the union" had set of the
trouble in Shehoygan. Wis, in
1854.
"The party that makes the
primary decision to destroy the
other must take the RESPONSE
bility," Mr.. Reuther told the
committee. THE prime re-
sponsibility here is with the
Kohler Co. because it was act
ing outside the law"
Mr.. Reuthers' contention was
that labor relations statutes
have as their purpose the set
Element Of disputes through
peaceable bargaining.
Quizzed by GOldwater
His charge against the COM
pany came during questioning
by Senator Goldwater; Repub-
lican Of Arizona, a longtime foe
Of Mr.. Reuther. Senator Gold
water had been examining the
labor leader on "inflammatory
statements" made by other
union officials during early mass
picketing of the Kohler plant.
Criticizing some Of his aides
for their choice of words in GER
tain instances, Mr.. Reuther dis
claimed personal responsibility
for what the Senator had called
violent statements.
IF ] am going to have to
write speeches for everybody
in our union who makes
speeches. I am going to have
my hands full" Mr.. Reuther
said.
The union leader contended
that mass picketing and the
resultant violence at Kohler
was a natural by-product of
the company's determination
Ito break the strike"
Economic Contest"
Defining a strike as IAN eco
nomic contest" Mr.. Reuther
pointed out that I'VE struck
General Motors for 113 days
and the.' simply stopped pro-
duction; we struck Chrysler for
108 days and we did not have
a single picket at any Of their
plants"
At the outset of today's hear
ing, Senator Goldwater asked
Mr.. Reuther whether he con-
CURED with statements by ALL
CIO President George Meany
criticizing the committees re-
port on its first year Of activity
Mr.. Reuthel, who is second
in command to Mr.. Meany and
who heads the AFL-CIO's In
dustriAl Union Department. re-
piled:
I'm general. I concur. I think
that if the report had been
written more carefrr.y it would
have had a greater impact in
dealing with our problems.
"Mr. Meany'S statement re-
flected his deep concern that
headlines were weakening the
labor movements ability to deal
with these problems
Backs Self Regulation
Senator Ives, Republican of
New York, asked Mr.. Reuther
to comment on the legislative
recommendations in the report.
1.-THE question is how best to
do the things that need to be
DONE" Mr.. Reuther said. I'm
in favor of corrective labor leg
islation, but / oppose repressive
labor legislation.
Every effort should be made
for self-regulation. Democracy
is not something you can i'm
pose on someone else"
Before the hearing began,
Senator Ives told newsmen that
he was considering introducing
a bill to set up fact-finding
boards to look into protracted
Continued on Page A-3, Col. l