Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-10-04
j. ). Files Suit
To InvaIidate
NMU Election

The Government is suing ir
Federal Court to invalidate the
reelection Of Joseph Currar
as president of the National
Maritime Union.
Secretary Of Labor Mitchell
who filed the civil suit herC
yesterday, charged that irregu.
larities in the election may
have affected the results.
The suit, directed at thu
election Of "a other union Of.
flcials in addition to Mr.. Cur.
ran, is the first major test o.
the election provisions Of thu
Landrum- Grimm Labor Act o.
1859.
Mr.. Mitchell charged tina
the laws provisions were no
compiled with in the NM
election. The suit asked tn,
court to order q new election
under Government supervision
Mr.. Curran, one Of the Ma
tons strongest labor leaders
angrily charged that the sui
was IAN effort at political in
timidation."
The 54-year-old union leader
a member Of the AFL-CIC
Executive Board, which ha
Endorsed the national Demo
cratic ticket, did not amplif,
on the intimidation charge.
He learned about the sui
while attending the NMU'
national convention. He salt
the union had mo idea Of wha
the Labor Department is basinI
its charges on"
No Inquiries Made
Mr.. Curran said no inquiriei
had been made Of union ON,
Gals or--as far as he knew
Of the Honest Ballot Associa'
ton. which has ! supervised
NMU elections for two decades
with any kind Of fair hear
ing" he said. I'VE are sure thai
these charges will be thrown
out Of court"
Earlier yesterday. Mr.. Cur.
ran had praised Senator Johr
r. Kennedy at the NMU.
opening convention session
Mr.. Curran said: Neither or.
ganized labor nor the countr!
can afford another four year
Of 'businessman's administra'
ton"
Cheers from the crowd O
500 delegates greeted this anc
other pro-Defnocratic declara
tons by Mr.. Curran.
Secretary Mitchell's charge;
against the election Of Mr.
Curran and the other NM
officers included failure to pro
vide a secret ballot, illega
disqualification Of candidates
permitting electioneering a
the polling places, using uniol
funds to promote the candidac,
Of certain officers seeking re
election and failure to Civ
equal treatment to all candi
dates for ONCE in the union
newspaper.
| Mr.. Curran, who has heade,
the 40,000-member NMU 70
more than 20 years, was chose
for another two-year term i
an election held from last Apr
/ through May in various port
and by mail. He receive
1890 votes. The other tw
candidates for president 90
2,024 and LAO votes.
ASsaiIs New Law
During his address to th
convention yesterday. Mr.. Cur
ran said the Landrum-Grifn
Act gives the Secretary Of Labc
broad powers for removal {
elected union officials. He as
sailed the law on a number {
grounds.
1--WE Of the labor movement
he said, had better not wa
until some Secretary Of Labc
announces that he will use tn
law for union-buSting befor
we start fighting to put OF
country back on q true Amer
can course"
+. Shortly after making tn
statement, Mr.. Curran learne
Of Mr.. Mitchell's suit.
Among elections challenge
were those Of union officials {
Boston. New York, Philade
phia. Baltimore. Norfolk, Va
Charleston, w. Va. Mobile, Ala
New Orleans, Galveston, Tex
Port Arthur, Tex, Chicagl
Detroit, Pittsburgh, st. Loui
Houston. San Francisco. Sa
Pedro, Calf, Memphis, Tenn
, Louisville, KY, Huntington
Ind, Joliet, H., Seattle. Wash
and Ludington, Mich.