Senator LA FOLLETTE. Well. I hope this testimony won't set them a bad example.

I should like to read a section from the examination of Noel Sargent, secretary of the National Association of Manufacturers before this committee on March 7, 1938, which appears in part 18 of the 1 record:

Senator THOMAS. Haven't you sometimes called yourselves "The Voice of American Industry”?

Mr. SARGENT. That is right; yes, sir.

Senator THOMAS. Just what does that mean?

Mr. SARGENT. That does not refer to employment relations particularly. That is a slogan that we used in connection with our general statements of position that we adopt, Senator.

Now, Mr. Hook pointed out in this letter that the National Association of Manufacturers was affiliated with a number of State, National, and trade associations. Our record also shows that the Voice of American Industry is broadcast over a Nation-wide hookup by reason of this affiliation of local associations to the National Associa tion of Manufacturers. In other words, the National Association of Manufacturers is so organized that it is possible to mobilize a large section of public opinion in favor of a particular issue.

Is Mr. Hook, to your knowledge, president of the American Rolling Mill Co., and also president of the National Association of Manufacturers?

Mr. GIRDLER. Yes, I believe he is.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you know whether Mr. Purnell, president of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube, is a director of the National Association of Manufacturers?

Mr. GIRDLER. No, I do not know.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you know whether there are any other officers of the American Iron and Steel Institute represented on the board of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers? Mr. GIRDLER. No, I don't know. I assume there probably are, but I don't know.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. To your knowledge, Mr. Girdler, do you know whether the Republic Steel Corporation made use of the associations to which it was affiliated to influence public opinion in the

strike of 1937?

Mr. GIRDLER. No, I do not know; I have no knowledge on the subject.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. The Associated Industries of Alabama, our record shows, is a member of the National Industrial Council, which in turn is affiliated with the National Association of Manufacturers. Our record also shows that the Republic Steel Corporation is a member of the Associated Industries of Alabama.

Mr. GIRDLER. I didn't know that.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. I offer for the record a letter from Mr. J. Leon Gilbert, Executive Secretary of the Associated Industries of Alabama, to Mr. T. M. Girdler, dated July 8, 1937.

(The document was marked "Exhibit 5236" and appears in the appendix on p. 13931-13932.)

Senator LA FOLLETTE (reading):

ASHTON B. COLLINS, Manager.

Mr. T. M. GIRDLER,

ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF AMERICA,
Birmingham, Ala., July 8, 1937.

Chairman of Board, Republic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio. DEAR MR. GIRDLER: I want to thank you very much for your letter of July 3, and for sending me a copy of your statement, "The C. I. O. vs. American Democracy," before the United States Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads. May I add my congratulations to you upon this statement, which is the most straight-forward enunciation of American principles that I have seen in connection with the current labor disturbances. You, no doubt, noticed that you received two telegrams from the writer recently; this was occasioned by the Chairman of our Executive Committee, Mr. W. Carson Adams, sending a telegram over my name from his office, not knowing that I had previously sent you a wire.

Through the splendid co-operation of your Mr. Wade Oldham, Manager of the Birmingham District, we have been furnished with several hundred copies of printed articles and bulletins, dealing with the strike called by the C. I. O. against the Republic Steel Corporation and other companies. These articles have been distributed widely throughout this district and the State of Alabama and there has been a most wholesome re-action. The people of Alabama have followed this strike with a great deal of interest and have been almost as active in support of you and your company's position as if the strike were actually in this district.

It has occurred to me that you might be interested in knowing a few of the things that have been done by various local organizations in connection with this particular matter.

Mr. John G. Dearborn, President of A Greater Birmingham Committee, an organization of several hundred citizens from all walks of life in Birmingham, organized to promote harmonious relations between employer and employee, sent a letter to the Committee membership, calling to their attention the lawless tactics being employed by strikers and in addition enclosed a copy of an editorial by Dorothy Thompson, entiled "Mr. Calloway and Mr. Payne" and a copy of a resolution, which was adopted by the Birmingham Real Estate Board, copy of which is enclosed. Mr. Dearborn urged in this letter that the members write a personal letter to the senators and congressmen in Alabama and to the editors of all local papers, condemning the tactics used by the strikers.

The U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce in convention at Denver, Colo., adopted resolution on June 19, copy of which is enclosed. This resolution was prepared by Mr. Borden Burr, local attorney, upon the request of Mr. Oldham. It was introduced upon the request of the writer, who was a member of the Birmingham delegation to the National Convention, and was adopted unanimously with wide applause.

The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors adopted a suitable resolution condemning the stopping and interfering with the U. S. mails. The Cast Iron Soil Pipe Association, through its local secretary, urged its members and other soil pipe associations throughout the United States to take cognizance of the tactics of the C. I. O. in stopping the U. S. mails, etc.. and to write their congressmen and senators.

The Associated Industries of Alabama reproduced Dorothy Thompson's article, mentioned above, and furnished copies for various organizations to send to their members and in addition sent out several hundred copies throughout the State of Alabama to weekly and daily newspapers, farmers, farm extension agents, merchants, business and industrial concerns and a large cross-section of citizens. In addition, we have distributed hundreds of copies of printed matter furnished us by Mr. Oldham, which was distributed in the same way as the Dorothy Thompson article.

The spirit of co-operation and the interest that has been taken in this district by organizations and individuals in Alabama has been so pronounced that I could not help but observe and comment upon it. It is only fair to

say that a large part of what has been done has been at the suggestion Mr. Wade Oldham, and in my opinion shows to some extent the esteem ar good will that this State has for Mr. Oldham and your company. With best wishes, I am

Very truly yours,

JLG: L

(Signed) J. LEON GILBERT, Executive Secretary.

This letter was obtained from the files of the Republic Ste Corporation under subpena.

Would you say, or would you not say, from that letter, Mr. | Girdler, that you got cooperation from the affiliates of the National Association of Manufacturers in Alabama?

Mr. GIRDLER. That is a very nice letter, and they seem to be very grateful to Mr. Oldham and very much interested in the strike calle on the Republic by the C. I. O. I don't remember any details about it. I don't know whether you would call that cooperation. That is rather a letter of thanks, I think, because Oldham had given then some information.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Oldham.

TESTIMONY OF WADE H. OLDHAM-Resumed

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Oldham, when you were previously on the stand before this committee, you testified that you were manager of the Republic Steel Corporation in the Birmingham district? Mr. OLDHAM. I did.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. When you testified here on July 20, 1938. you said you were a member of some citizens' league of which Leon Gilbert was secretary. Have you refreshed your recollection as to i the name of this organization?

Mr. OLDHAM. It is the citizens' league.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Is it a secret organization?

Mr. OLDHAM. No.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. What are the objectives of this committee? Mr. OLDHAM. Law and order.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you pay dues?

Mr. OLDHAM. I have.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Who are admitted as members?

Mr. OLDHAM. It usually takes in the best citizens.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Who decides who are the best citizens, the members of the organization?

Mr. OLDHAM. The board.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. During the 1937 strike did you or did you not take any action to influence public opinion through the various associations with which the Republic Steel Corporation is affiliated? Mr. OLDHAM. I would answer that I would be foolish if I didn't. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you hear Mr. Gilbert's letter, which I read?

Mr. OLDHAM. Yes.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you do all of the things that Mr. Gilbert said you did?

Mr. OLDHAM. I had something to do with it.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Where did you get the literature which Mr. Gilbert said he got from you and distributed?

Mr. OLDHAM. I don't know; I think maybe some of it was sent to me from Youngstown-I mean from Cleveland.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you confer with any of the officials of the corporation in Cleveland about this literature or its distribution, or both?

Mr. OLDHAM. No; it was good stuff, and I knew it.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you confer with them about it?
Mr. OLDHAM. No.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. It just came through the mails without any instructions or covering letter?

Mr. OLDHAM. It came there, and we probably made copies-I made copies of Senator Burke's speech and sent it out-I thought it was a good speech. I would like to have Senators take that stand; I am for it.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you or did you not get any other literature in the form of material from Republic Steel Corporation officers?

Mr. OLDHAM. I probably did; I couldn't answer that.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you have any correspondence with the Cleveland office about any of this literature and getting more copies of it?

Mr. OLDHAM. I wrote the Cleveland office several times about the Alabama magazine "that there are some good articles in this, and it would do a lot of people a lot of good to let them read it."

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you go to Cleveland at any time during the strike?

Mr. OLDHAM. I don't know.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you or did you not confer with any representative of Hill & Knowlton during the strike?

Mr. OLDHAM. I may have. Mr. Bowerfind visited Birmingham once or twice, to my knowledge.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you see anybody else connected with Hill & Knowlton besides Mr. Bowerfind? We went into his visit when you were here before.

Mr. OLDHAM. I have no recollection.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you communicate with Governor Davey during the strike?

Mr. OLDHAM. I think I sent him a wire; I think he had done a very good job.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. I offer for the record a letter from Mr. Oldham-that is, a copy of it-to Mr. Wysor, dated June 29, 1937, obtained from the files of the Republic Steel Corporation under subpena.

(The document was marked "Exhibit 5237" and appears in the appendix on pp. 13932-13933.)

Senator LA FOLLETTE (reading):

Mr. R. J. WYSOR,

President, Cleveland:

I am quoting below letter from Ike Rouzer, President of the Alabama Mining Institute, which is self-explanatory:

"Confirming our telephone conversation with respect to action of Governor Davey of Ohio, giving protection to those who want to work.

"This office contacted business executives, heads of trade organizations and civic clubs throughout all parts of the State-with the result that between 150

200 telegrams of commendation were sent to Governor Davey from this State. Too, there were probably others that we did not know about."

Mr. Rouzer was also very active in securing protests over the whole country regarding interference with the mails, and I am quoting his letter to me on this matter:

"Supplementing my letter of yesterday regarding flagrant violations of Federal Postal laws and regulations at Niles and Massillon, Ohio. I am now advised by the legislative committee of the Soil Pipe Industry that they have contacted all of their members in the following states: California, Utah, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama, requesting that they also file vigorous protests with Congressmen and Senators from their own States.

"In addition, these members have been asked to contact their local civic organizations and endeavor to have as many of their members as possible to take similar action. The far-reaching dangers of this deplorable condition should be apparent to all Americans who place the proper value on law enforcement, and I am hopeful that some favorable reaction may be obtained from these efforts." I am giving you this in order to show the fine cooperation we have had from Mr. Rouzer.

Also, for your information, Mr. Charlie DeBardeleben spent a whole day getting people to wire throughout Alabama and Tennessee to Governor Davey in order to stiffen his back.

Our county sheriff and the president of the Birmingham City Commission both assured me personally they would see to it that we would not have any difficulties in Jefferson County, as they were going to see that the law was enforced in this county. Therefore, it is with a great deal of satisfaction that I make this report to you. They also both sent wires to Governor Davey.

We got in behind the railroad people and several of their officials, including Mr. Hill, President of the Louisville & Nashville and Mr. Bugg, president of the Atlanta, Birmingham & Coast, have sent wires.

We did all this as a suggestion, to give as much encouragement and publicity to Governor Davey as possible. The local Chamber of Commerce sent_wires and printed copies of same in the local newspapers. The National Junior Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution containing condemnation of the interference with mails.

All of this was worked up thru this local office.
Yours very truly,

(Signed) W. H. OLDHAM, District Manager.

Did you incur any expenses in working all this up in your office, Mr. Oldham?

Mr. OLDHAM. Not one 5 cents, unless it was a few stamps. That is the way we feel down there.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you have any expenses in connection with the drafting or the presentation of the resolution which was ultimately adopted by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce in Denver, Colo.?

Mr. OLDHAM. Yes; I talked to Borden Burr about it, our attorney. Senator LA FOLLETTE. What expenses did you have in that connection?

Mr. OLDHAM. Love and affection.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. I asked you first-I think you must have misunderstood

Mr. OLDHAM (interposing). No expenses.

Senator LA FOLLETTE. All right.

To your knowledge, Mr. Girdler, were managers in other districts active in this way, as has been described by these exhibits and Mr. Oldham's testimony?