Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-25
AGVAGaVe
Scant Benefit,
Official Tells

lAACAP quay ing OuI VI jail.
Jerry Baker. AGVA'S branch
manager in the Miami area,
told Senate investigators he
interceded with a judge when
a stripteaser named Bubbles
Darlene was arrested for CIV
ling a lewd and lascivious per-
Torrance.
But Mr.. Baker emphasized
he would never help a girl ar
rested for prostitution.
Il hate to use that word" he
said, referring to prostitution
as that other purpose.
Jerome s. Alderman, chief
counsel Of the Senate Investi-
cations Subcommittee, sug-
gested that Mr.. Bakers union
does nothing to protect its
members or give them any
benefits, except to keep them
out Of jail" Mr.. Alderman
asked: as that q fair state
Iment?"
Eyes, rather" Mr.. Baker
replied.
The subcommittee today was
approaching the conclusion of
its hearings on alleged ex-
ploitation Of AGVA members
especially shippers and exotic
dancers.
Mr.. Baker, who smiled nerv-
ously througout his testimony
admitted he never took any
action to enforce q clause in the
AGVA contract requiring night
club operators to withhold So
cial security taxes and forbid
ding the clubs to require enter
tanners to mix with customers
and hustle drinks.
The girls said the mixing and
the drink-hustling were not
compulsory, Mr.. Baker said. He
said the GIRLS insisted that the
customers with whom they
drank were all cousins or
friends and remarked: They
must have an awful lot of rel
atives."
Mr.. Baker testified he does
make sure the Miami clubs pay
salaries to entertainers and that
they pay the union a $3.50
weekly contribution to the UNI
ion welfare fund for each per-
former.
Observing that the union
could not collect dues II SAL
aries went unpaid, subcommit-
tee Chairman Mcclellan Dem
ocrat Of Arkansas, charged.
tits the money after all.
That's what you look after"
Senator, that's true" Mr..
Baker conceded.
He said he tried for q time to |
keep Miami Beach from clos
ing down clubs permitting
drink-hustling, because close
downs would throw many
people out Of work. But he said
he finally gave UP the effort be-
cause the clubs failed to clean
up these practices.
Mr.. Baker testified he recon-
mended the grant Of a fran
chised agents license by AGVA
to Sid Leonard, although Mr..
Leonard had been fired by
AGVA for Incorporating
5000. He said Mr.. Leonard i'm
ports strip-teasers for Miami
clubs from Cuba, Panama and
other Latin American countries.
Confirming the substance of
earlier testimony, Mr.. Baker
said he was the intermediary
when q Miami hotel operator
arranged for a free Caribbean
cruise for Jackie Bright, ma
tional administrator of AGVA,
and Mrs. Bright.
Favor for Friend
The operator, Herbert H.
Robins, executive director of
the Carlton Hotel in Miami
Beach, testified that the cruise
normally would cost $1,000. He
said his hotel paid the cruise
line an at-cost rate of $3.50. |
Mr.. Robins is president Of the
cruise line.
He said he did the favor out
Of friendship for Mr.. Baker,
not because Of Mr.. Bright's
position.
August Magliano, alias Nick
Trotta, who operates the Club
Troc in Baltimore, returned to
the witness stand to clarity his
use Of the Fifth Amendment in
testimony last week.
He had refused to state that
he invoked the Fifth Amend
fredericksburg to answer ques-
lions - because his answers
might tend to incriminate him.
He returned today to say that
the answers might tend to in
criminate him, thereby protect
ing himself against possible
prosecution for contempt of
Congress.
Public Blamed
Russell Swami, a magician
and anti-administration mem
Der of AGVA'S board, charged
in his testimony that the union
is nothing more than a dues
collecting agency run for the
benefit of Jackie Bright and
other paid employees"
Miss Margie Coate, national
director of AGVA's sick and
relief fund, explained the bene-
fits and financial setup Of the
unions various welfare pro-
grams. She said five members
draw sick and relief benefits
and eight or nine retired men,
bers live in AGVA's retirement
home in the Catskill Mountains.
Employers contribute $3.50
weekly to the fund for each
AGVA entertainer employed.
Miss Coate blamed the pub
lie for the prevalence of strip
teasers. She estimated that Is
to 20 per cent of the AGVA'sI
members are shippers or exotic