| Show Writer Claims Rackets Run by Union Heads WASHINGTON Feb 24 AP AP Westbrook newspaper newspaper newspaper news news- paper columnist Monday testified that the government had made it necessary for fora a man to join a union in order to work at ata a legal occupation and should also take responsibility for seeing that the unions are honestly administered Appearing beo before e the house judiciary Judiciary Ju ju- committee discussed discussed discussed dis dis- dis- dis cussed Instances of what he called racketeering by union officials He refrained from suggesting remedies but declared declare that there is an obvious obligation on the part of the government to protect a man ag against bad administration and racketeering in an organization tion into which the government has driven him The necessity of joining a union said was brought about chiefly by the national labor relations act Committeemen asked hIm him to testify on delays in defense work due to union activities that activities that being being beIng be be- ing the immediate objective of the inquiry Inquiry but but he declared repeatedly repeatedly re re- re- re he had no evidence of such delays Says Workers Abused The present labor union policy of the government said Isto is isto isto to force unwilling workers to join labor unions which may and do abuse them In many ways He declared that the government had refused to take any steps to protect the unwilling members members members mem mem- bers of labor unions Elections in unions are crooked and con con- Accounts are juggled and known criminals and other crooks who never hav have been convIcted convicted convicted con con- are maintained in office by manipulation and terrorism He said he believed the charges were pertinent to problems of defense defense defense de de- de- de labor and showed the character character character char char- acter of persons who are in a position position position po po- po- po to call strikes The international president of one A F L union George said was was elected to that office by a meeting of a group of underworld crooks in Chicago He was a a convicted white slaver who had possessed for a time a local charter from the teamsters Certified by Green Seeing a new business opportunity opportunity opportunity ii In hi the Building Service union he moved in on William Green president of the A F L and Joseph general counsel counselor or attorney general so to s speak k of that huge federation Both certified certified certified fied that he was a man of satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory character only a short time before belore the public disclosure that he had was a thieving racketeer who b been en robbing the members of his own union In another case said Green and indorsed and defended the administration of the racketeer president of another In International International In- In the Stagehands and Movie union namely George Browne who remained a member of ot the executive council councilor or high governing body of the They both went to Louisville last June and before the convention of this racket union approved the administration of Browne who openly admits that he appointed as his ambassadors plenipotentiary with full authority to represent him Willie Blot Bioff a man who ran a ahouse ahouse ahouse house of prostitution in Chicago and Nick Circella a up stick-up man and an habitual criminal with a along along along long record |
