IX

The inaccuracies and carelessness displayed by the compilation of the list of those expelled from the CIO have already been explained to the committee by CIO Associate General Counsel Thomas Harris. They do not correspond with the facts outlined in the document cited (S. Doc. No. 89, 1951) and betray the kind of unconcern with the truth that characterizes the entire document.

Χ

Miscellaneous exhibits: Senator Taft's supplemental statement to this committee seeks to maliciously imply that there was some devious and subterranean connection between the leadership of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and the Communists during the 1921-22 period. The bitter irony of Senator Taft's scurrilous insinuations is that the utter opposite was the truth.

In the 1921-22 period which Senator Taft dredges for mud-slinging misrepresentations, the Communists were making a concerted effort to win over the Amalgamated Clothing Workers organization, and against the stern and successful opposition of Sidney Hillman.

Three attached exhibits, all published in 1921-22, show the nature of the Communist drive against the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and the resistance of the Hillman leadership. Exhibits 127-C and 127-D were Communist leaflets distributed broadside in 1921-22 among Amalgamated Clothing Workers in Chicago. These leaflets are self-explanatory and bear eloquent witness to the desire of the Communists to devour the clothing workers' union in the early twenties. They likewise suggest the magnificent stand made by Mr. Hillman which frustrated their intentions.

Exhibit 127-E is a photostatic copy of a Chicago Daily Tribune story reporting a part of the same struggle, and the rejection of Communist interference by the Chicago Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.

Sidney Hillman and his memory enjoys the distinction of having been maligned both by Senator Taft and the Communists-and with the same degree of falsehood and vulgarity.

Senator Taft's tar brush slaps at Jack Kroll with similar irresponsibility. Exhibits 127-F and 127-G are photostatic copies of a letter signed by the Communist Party in Cincinnati and a circular signed and distributed by the Cincinnati Communist Party among the clothing workers of that city in 1935. These exhibits manifest the desperate effort of the Communist Party to wrest representation of the Cincinnati clothing workers from the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and the leadership of Jack Kroll.

Again, we witness the curious phenomenon of Senator Taft and the Communists equally contributing to the wholly unwarranted smear of an honorable and patriotic American trade-union leader.

Exhibit 127-H is a prime example of the trick presentation of Senator Taft's case to this Senate committee.

Mr. Taft in his statement to this committee introduced his exhibit 14, which he described, as follows:

"The Daily Worker, official mouthpiece of the Communist Party, had carried another article by Hall in January 1950, entitled "The Target Is Taft-The Time Is 1950.' This article went into great detail as to how the Reds could organize committees in every section of the State to bring about my defeat."

Exhibit 14, attached to his statement shows one-half of a page of the Worker Magazine, which mainly consists of Senator Taft's picture in the center of a target and a large arrow aimed at Mr. Taft's head.

During the campaign this story and exhibit were used to attempt to prove the Communist conspiracy against Senator Taft and were likewise utilized to imply and create the impression that labor leadership was somehow involved in the Red plot against him.

This is what Senator Taft failed to advise the committee:

1. That the excerpt (exhibit 14) is only part of a three-page story.

2. That the Worker Magazine story charges that CIO and AFL leadership were in on a "fix" to assure Senator Taft's election. (See p. 1 of story and following quotation :)

"The 'fix' is within the Democratic leadership, running from the White House to the party headquarters in Columbus. In addition to involving Democratic bigwigs, it also embraces the National and State leadership of the CIO and AFL."

3. That the Worker Magazine story accuses CIO and AFL leadership of not stirring a finger to defeat Senator Tait. (See p. 2 of story and following quotation :)

"Not a single move has been made by the CIO and AFL officialdom to call a State-wide conference for the purpose of defeating Taft. Such conferences are feared; the rank and file has an embarrassing tendency to insist that public pledges be translated into performances."

4. That the Worker Magazine story alleges that Jack Kroll, Philip Murray, and other labor leadership are "double-dealers." (See p. 3 of story and following quotation :)

"To win a struggle means placing reliance in certain decisive factors, and to bring them into full play. The Boyles and the Krolls, the Greens, Murrays, and Trumans are not elements spelling success for the people. They represent double-dealing and disaster."

5. That a greater portion of the Worker Magazine article is devoted to attacking labor and Democratic leadership than is given to anti-Taft expression.

It is disturbingly plain that Senator Taft did not present the entire Worker Magazine article to the Senate committee because it would have soundly disputed the thesis which he developed so thoroughly and maliciously throughout his campaign; namely, that his labor opposition was Communistic, that those who opposed him were inspired by Communist ideology.

This "trick" approach; this lack of frankness in withholding the full meaning of the Worker Magazine article from this Senate committee hardly becomes the dignity of the office of United States Senator.

ΧΙ

Conclusion: One of the presuppositions of democracy is that contenders for public office shall respect the limits of reasonable debate. Misquotation, distortion, the use of half-truths and whole lies can more quickly destroy the fundamental basis of our democracy than any subversive group for they lead to a distrust of all fact and turn honest debate into a competition of imaginations. It is, therefore, a cause for alarm when a leading figure in one of the major political parties in America resorts to these tactics.

INVESTIGATION INTO THE 1950 OHIO SENATORIAL

CAMPAIGN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1951

SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to adjournment at 10:10 a. m., in room 318, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C., Senator Guy M. Gillette (chairman) presiding.

Present: Senators Gillette, Monroney, Smith (Maine), and Hennings.

Also present: John P. Moore, chief counsel; Grace E. Johnson, chief clerk.

Senator GILLETTE. The subcommittee will come to order.

The subcommittee meets today pursuant to the recess taken yesterday afternoon.

The first witness this morning is Mr. Beryl Peppercorn, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Peppercorn, will you be sworn, please?

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony that you will give in the matter now in hearing before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. PEPPERCORN. I do.

TESTIMONY OF BERYL PEPPERCORN, MANAGER, CLEVELAND JOINT
BOARD, AFFILIATED WITH THE AMALGAMATED CLOTHING
WORKERS OF AMERICA, CIO, ACCOMPANIED BY THOMAS E.
HARRIS, ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL, CIO

Senator GILLETTE. Your name is Beryl Peppercorn?
Mr. PEPPERCORN. That is right.

Senator GILLETTE. Your residence is where?

Mr. PEPPERCORN. Cleveland, Ohio.

Senator GILLETTE. Do you hold a governmental official position of any kind?

Mr. PEPPERCORN. No.

Senator GILLETTE. What is your business, Mr. Peppercorn?

Mr. PEPPERCORN. Manager of the Cleveland Joint Board, affiliated with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.

Senator GILLETTE. Before I take the testimony of Mr. Peppercorn, there are two matters that I must attend to.

233

The chairman received this morning a telegram from Senator Taft dated Chapel Hill, N. C., as follows:

Hon. GUY GILLETTE,

Chairman of the Subcommittee on Elections,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

I have authorized supplemental statement on Political Action Committee read to your committee by my administrative assistant, Jack Martin, and read to me on telephone. All the information contained therein was examined by me before making Euclid Avenue speech and comes from sources I consider entirely reliable. ROBERT A. TAFT.

There is another brief statement that I want to make before we proceed with Mr. Peppercorn. We have a list of nine witnesses that we are hoping to dispose of today, and it is certainly the hope of the committee, maybe the optimistic hope, but certainly the hope, that we can conclude these hearings by tomorrow night. We have a number of witnesses here who have been kept here since we opened the hearings Monday, at considerable inconvenience to themselves, and, of course, expense to the committee.

It is the disposition of the subcommittee to make this hearing thorough and worth while, and I feel that we have made great progress in that direction. But in the hopes of expediting the remainder of the hearing, so that these people may be heard and allowed to return to their homes, unless there is objection on the part of the members of the subcommittee, I am going to pursue the policy of turning these witnesses as soon as they are sworn over to the committee counsel for interrogation and then supplement that by any questions that the subcommittee members have.

Is that satisfactory?

Senator MONRONEY. Yes.

Senator HENNINGS. Entirely.

Senator GILLETTE. Following that policy, Mr. Peppercorn, I will now turn you over to the committee counsel, Mr. John Moore.

Mr. MOORE. Mr. Chairman, I believe that the record should indicate that Mr. Peppercorn is accompanied by Mr. Thomas Harris, assistant general counsel of the CIO.

Mr. Chairman, the interrogation of Mr. Peppercorn following his statement-I understand he has a prepared statement-will be conducted by Mr. Margolis.

You have your prepared statement with you?

Mr. PEPPERCORN. My name is Beryl Peppercorn. I am the manager of the Cleveland Joint Board with offices at 2227 Payne Avenue, Cleveland. We are affiliated with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, CIO.

I understand the committee wishes to receive the testimony concerning a letter which Senator Taft mentioned as having come to him from the husband of one of our members who works at the S. Weitz Co. in Lorain, Ohio. The husband complains that his wife's contribution to PAC was checked off from her pay without her consent.

I shall give the committee all the information available to me concerning this matter, but would like to point out that some of it is not of my personal knowledge. During 1950 and 1951 illness has prevented me from giving my full time to the affairs of our union and I had to submit to major surgery in July of this year to correct a condition which was causing me continuous excruciating pain. Although my