Mr. GIRDLER. Active about what, Senator? Senator LA FOLLETTE. In securing letters, telegrams, and various kinds of distributing various kinds of literature. Mr. GIRDLER. I have no knowledge of any of it, Senator. Mr. WHITE. I would think so, as a matter of common interest. Most of the men that we have, or all of the men that we have, who are managers, are outstanding men in their community, and they are trying to lead the part in the community life which they should; and if they do, they should get behind some public-some objective of public interest, and especially one such as law and order, I would think, or they would not be doing their duty if they did not. I don't know, Senator, as definite knowledge, but I do know that if they were not doing it, that they would not be the men that we would want on the job. Mr. OLDHAM. I would like to say that both of these men worked under their own steam, and no suggestion of mine, and sent me copies of the letters and notified me what they had done. It is their own feeling in the matter. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you know whether any great amount of literature was sent out by the district managers, Mr. White? Mr. WHITE. If there is something good that we think is good for our managers, some general information that they should have, Senator, it is sent out almost as routine. Senator LA FOLLETTE, I do not mean, Mr. White, just a single copy. Mr. WHITE. NO; I am going to tell you. We have a mailing list, I think perhaps, of 1,000 names which are not only our managers, but the superintendents and some of our principal key positions, and I would think there is scarcely a month goes by that we do not send them out something. I think that is where Mr. Oldham got hold of Senator Bridges' talk. If anything comes along that looks good to some of the staff members, we mark that for distribution, and we will send that around to the keymen. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Who is in charge of that distribution? Mr. WHITE. Senator Burke's-I beg your pardon-instead of Senator Bridges' speech. I think that Mr. Voss probably sent more of that out than anyone else. Mr. OLDHAM. It is sent through the industrial relations? Mr. WHITE. That is right. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Voss, were large quantities of literature sent out to this thousand-name list during the strike? Mr. Voss. Not to my knowledge, Senator. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Would you be the one who would sent it out? Mr. Voss. Yes. I cannot recall any specific pamphlet or piece of literature that was sent out in large quantities. I think that they were sent out to the various names on the mailing list. Mr. OLDHAM. Senator, I would like to make another correction. It is Senator Bridges' speech that I sent, too; I sent them both. I think they were good. Senator LA FOLLETTE. If I understand your testimony, Mr. Voss, it is that if any considerable quantities of literature were sent our by the corporation during the strike, you would be the one who would know about it? Mr. Voss. Yes. Senator LA FOLLETTE. And your testimony is that you did not send them out-did not send out more than your normal amount? Mr. Voss. No; I don't mean to say that. As far as I know, there has not been any great amount of literature, other than these letters to the employees. They were sent to all of the employees, and it is possible that at times we may send them the first copy-send out the first copy to our supervisory forces, and then we would get requests for additional copies. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I don't mean material which the corporation gets out in the form of normal communications to its employees or staff. You know what I mean by "literature"; I mean literature that you obtained or had printed. Did you or did you not send out any more during the strike than you did before or after? Mr. Voss. I would say not; not that I recall, Senator. Mr. Voss. Have we any records? Senator LA FOLLETTE. Have you any records of what is sent out? Mr. Voss. No. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Girdler, referring again to exhibit 4381, which shows the contribution of Republic Steel Corporation to a selected group of employer associations, the examination of this exhibit will show that the contributions to the National Association of Manufacturers rose from $2,193 in 1935 to $7,500 in 1936 and to $12,759.50 in 1937. Do you know why the contribution rose over $10,000 in 1937 as against the amount contributed in 1935? Mr. GIRDLER. I think the difference was a $10,000 contribution to a special educational campaign of the National Association of Manufacturers which they were carrying on consisting of movies. Senator LA FOLLETTE. That was the campaign, then, of the National Industrial Information Committee? Mr. GIRDLER. I don't know what the name of it was. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Ernest Weir is the chairman of that committee? Mr. GIRDLER. Yes; that is the one. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Did you help to raise funds for that activity? Mr. GIRDLER. Yes; at Mr. Weir's request. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I offer for the record a letter from Mr. W. B. Warner, president of the N. A. M., to Mr. Girdler, dated April 17, 1937. (The document was marked "Exhibit 5238" and appears in the appendix on p. 13933.) Senator LA FOLLETTE. If you will look at the first paragraph, it refers to a meeting called by Mr. Weir at the Union League Club in New York on May 7, 1937. Mr. GIRDLER. Yes; I attended that meeting, I think. I attended one; I don't remember where it was. Senator LA FOLLETTE. What was discussed at that meeting? Senator LA FOLLETTE. Was it all laid out before you got there, or did those who attended participate in helping to formulate it? Mr. GIRDLER. I think it was pretty well formulated. As I remember it, it was described by various people of the National Association of Manufacturers. I don't remember very much about it. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Was there any discussion of raising money at that meeting, do you remember? Mr. GIRDLER. I am not sure about that. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you remember who was present? Mr. GIRDLER. No, I don't think I could remember. Mr. Weir was there; and probably Louis Brown and Colby Chester, I think. I am not sure. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I offer for the record a letter from Mr. Girdler to Mr. Warner dated April 26, 1937. (The document was marked "Exhibit 5239" and appears in the appendix on p. 13934.) Senator LA FOLLETTE. This meeting was held in May 1937, Was there any discussion concerning the impending strike? Mr. GIRDLER. Not the slightest that I remember. I got to that meeting late because the airplane I was coming from Buffalo on could not fly on account of the weather and I had to get on a train and I came in late. I paid for the dinner, though. Senator LA FOLLETTE. That often happens to a fellow that gets there late. [Laughter.] At the time you heard this program outlined at this meeting, Mr. Girdler, did you or did you not feel that it would be helpful in view of the impending labor difficulties? Mr. GIRDLER. No, I don't know that I had any thoughts in connection with labor difficulties. They showed a movie and they showed certain things that they were doing in connection with educational efforts in the schools and colleges, and so forth. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you remember any other meeting held by this group in Cleveland? Mr. GIRDLER. No; I don't remember any other meeting. I only remember the two meetings; one in New York and I think Mr. Weir paid for the dinner, and the one in Cleveland where I did. Those are the only two that I can remember. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Who attended the Cleveland meeting? Senator LA FOLLETTE. Was Mr. Weir there? Mr. GIRDLER. No: I don't think Mr. Weir was there. Mr. Warner was there; Mr. Wisenburger, who I think is the secretary of the National Association of Manufacturers or some such job; and Mr. Dalton Senator LA FOLLETTE (interposing). Of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube? 1 Mr. GIRDLER. Yes. Mr. George Martin, of the Sherwin-Williams Paint Co., and Charlie Denney, the president of the Erie Railroad. I think. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Were there or were there not any other persons connected with steel companies that you remember who attended the May meeting aside from Mr. Dalton and yourself? Mr. GIRDLER. I don't know whether Mr. Purnell was there or not. I am not sure whether any other steel men were. I think some of the Republic people went to that dinner, didn't they? I think probably some of my own staff were there; I am not sure. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Are you familiar with the material which was issued by the National Association of Manufacturers in connection with this educational program? Mr. GIRDLER. I would not say that I was very familiar with it. I have seen some of it. Senator LA FOLLETTE. To refresh your recollection I will show you a circular of the N. A. M., an exhibit already in the record of this committee. You will observe that the program contemplates features on the radio and the movies and the newspapers, on highway billboards, and in direct mail distribution. Do you know how much money has been raised by the committee? Mr. GIRDLER. I have not the slightest idea. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you know how much money was raised by the National Industrial Information Committee? Mr. GIRDLER. I have not the least idea. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I offer for the record a table of income and disbursements of the public information program of the N. A. M. This table was prepared by the staff of the committee from data supplied by the N. A. M. under a subpena. (The document was marked "Exhibit 5240" and appears in the appendix on p. 13934.) Senator LA FOLLETTE. This exhibit shows that subscriptions of $1,419,117.27 were raised between 1934 and 1937, and that over half of this amount, or $793,043.06, was raised in 1937. The largest amount raised in a single month was $224,170 subscribed in June 1937. The strike was on at that time, was it not? Mr. GIRDLER. Yes, sir. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Do you think that the strike had anything to do with the large contributions obtained in June? Mr. GIRDLER. No, I don't think it did. I think that was all arranged for beforehand. Senator LA FOLLETTE. What arguments were used in raising funds at the meetings you attended? Mr. GIRDLER. I could not tell you very much about that. They talked about the advantage of an educational campaign. Senator LA FOLLETTE. What advantage was mentioned? Mr. GIRDLER. Trying to tell something of some of the stories and problems of industry. No specific industries, although there were pictures taken in the various industries, I believe. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I call your attention to exhibit 3866 in the record of this committee. The first paragraph reads: Now, more than ever before, strikes are being won or lost in the newspapers and over the radio. The swing of public opinion has always been a major factor in labor disputes, but with the settlement of strikes being thrown more and more into the laps of public officials, the question of public opinion becomes of greater importance. For it is public opinion—what the voters think—that moves those elected to action along one course or another. * * * Industry can not be content, however, with negative victories won through the tactical errors of the leaders of discontent. Machinery should be set up in every community to cope with the issue of unscrupulous unionism and radicalism both in its immediate aspects and its long-range potentialities. Mr. GIRDLER. Might I read the headline of that? Senator LA FOLLETTE. I thought I had. I will be glad to have you read it. Mr. GIRDLER (reading): Memorandum National Association of Manufacturers of the United States. on Community Public Information Programs to Combat Radical Tendencies and Present the Constructive Story of Industry. Senator LA FOLLETTE. I read that to refresh your recollection to ask you whether any of those arguments were used in these meetings that you attended concerning raising funds? Mr. GIRDLER. Well, I think in all probability there was a good deal of conversation along those lines. I don't remember it in detail. I have not the slightest doubt but what there was a great deal of discussion about combating radicalism and communism and so forth. Senator LA FOLLETTE. Mr. Girdler, in your judgment, do you think that the third party, as it is sometimes called, or the public, plays an influential role or not in labor disputes? Mr. GIRDLER. The third party or the public? Is that what you said? Senator LA FOLLETTE. Some people have referred to the public as the third party. Mr. GIRDLER. There has been so much reference to a third party lately, that I was a little confused. [Laughter.] Senator LA FOLLETTE. I am very happy to see that you have not been too busy to read that. [Laughter.] Do you think that the public plays an important part or an unimportant part? Mr. GIRDLER. A very important part. Senator LA FOLLETTE. In labor disputes? Mr. GIRDLER. A very important part. Senator LA FOLLETTE. In the fight which affected the Republic company among others in 1937, do you think or do you not think that the "citizens' committees" played an influential role in the outcome of the strike? Mr. GIRDLER. I don't know anything about citizens' committees, Senator. I have nothing to do with any citizens' committees, and I don't know anything about them, but I say this, that whenever the substantial people of a community want law and order badly |