Written by: Dr. Helen Penner Ackerman

Isaac William Penner was an electrical contractor and President of Penner Electric Company. 

The company contracted with federal, state and local governments on new and existing electrical construction projects primarily in New York State from the 1930’s to 1950’s. 

Mr. Penner was a member of Local No. 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers from 1919 to 1936.  He then became an independent contractor with union permission.  To his dismay Penner found that doing business as an independent electrical contractor meant having to follow the orders of Local No. 3 as to what jobs he could or could not bid on.  The  varying “Men and Means Clause” in contracts of that time allowed unions to exclude any contractor and the products of any manufacturer that the union wanted to exclude. 

In October of 1937 several manufacturing companies including Allen Bradley, Allis-Chalmers, Clark Controller Co., Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Co., Cutler-Hammer Inc., The Electric Controller & Manufacturing Co., General Electric, Monitor Controller Co., Square D Co., Trumbell Electric Manufacturing Co., and Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Co., started suit in the United States Court in New York against Local No. 3.  Mr. Penner was one of several major witnesses in the trial and his testimony lasted for 23 days.  According to George E. Sokolsky, a major newswriter of the time, Mr. Penner’s testimony “makes the most unsavory reading in American labor history”. (Racketeering at the World’s Fair—LIBERTY, September 2, 1939). 

The case, known as “Allen Bradley Co., et al. v. Local Union No. 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,” was eventually heard by the United States Supreme Court with a decision rendered on June 18, 1945 in favor of the manufacturing companies reversing a lower court decision.  The Allen Bradley Company case marked a turning point in American labor history and paved the way for the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. 

Usually when a case reaches the United States Supreme Court there is a certainty that the complete records and briefs of the lower courts will be found in published U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs.  Unfortunately, that was not the case in this situation.  When the case was appealed to the Second Circuit there was a stipulation that the official records be limited to certain documents due to the very extensive testimony and exhibits.  In the District Court proceedings there were 400 witnesses with their testimony filling 25,000 pages.  One thousand seven-hundred exhibits were received and the briefs were comprised of more than 3,000 pages (this is reported at 159F.2d 671 (1947), (The Library of Congress, personal correspondence).

A Response to Gene Ruffini’s statements regarding “Isaac Penner” in the book “Harry Van Arsdale, Jr.”

Chicago Daily Tribune—June 8, 1939:  “Czar of Local No. 3 is Harry Van Arsdal, business agent and expugilist.  A jury convicted Van Arsdale of shooting William Sorenson, leader of a rival union faction in 1934, but the appellate division reversed the case.  Three years before another assault charge against Van Arsdale was dismissed by Magistrate Hulon Capshaw, alleged tool of Tammany leader James J. Hines, recently convicted by Dewey as political fixer for the policy racket”.  And in “Employer Pickets Union”—March 1938:  “Mr. Van Arsdale was the business manager of Local Union 3.  He was sentenced to from six to twelve years in Sing Sing on conviction for shooting two members of the union who objected to the policies of its officers.  The conviction was later reversed and a new trial ordered.  That was in December 1934.  There was no new trial”.

George E. Sokolsky did quote at length from the testimony of “a colorful self-made man”,  (Racketeering at the World’s Fair—LIBERTY, September 2, 1939), NOT a “mercurial and eccentric former Local 3 member”, (Raffini).

Furthermore, Judge George L. Donnellan was a judge in the Court of General Sessions.  He was not  a “Supreme Court” judge as indicated by Raffini.  Judge Donnellan was apparently known for his unusual comments from the bench which resulted in at least one of his trials having to be reheard by other judges (see Ordeal by Jury—The New Yorker, June 10, 1939, p. 42).

On June 15, 1939 as reported in the World Telegram:  “Judge Donnellan interrupted to tell Penner to confine his statements to what he could prove, the judge’s face was flushing with anger, but Penner shook a fat finger under it and said: ‘I can prove it if you will give me a chance.  You don’t want my testimony.  If you want to take this chair you do it’.  ‘Oh go ahead,’ said the judge, with exasperation”.  And as reported by the New York Journal on June 15, 1939:  “Pointing to Harry Van Arsdale, business manager of Local 3 of the union; Hugh Morgan, assistant business manager and Jacob Solomon,  head of the organizing committee, Penner said: ‘There are the guilty men.  They are guiltier than these nine men here, indicating the defendants who had pleaded guilty.  These three men were the policemen of the racket and they punished any contractor who defied them.’  After Penner left the stand Van Arsdale denied all the charges as contemptible lies and falsehoods”.

The Allen Bradley case continues to stand today as the testimony of the bold, the brave and the honest.

Newspaper clippings, letters, personal correspondence relating to

ALLEN BRADLEY CO. ET. AL. v. LOCAL UNION NO.3,
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS, ET. AL.

Some scrapbook materials (newspaper clippings, for example) are incomplete with regard to source, full name, date and are not easily referenced.  Articles/information appear as they are pasted into the scrapbooks.

The Taft-Hartley Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1947 to help end some of the abuses of organized labor.

NO. 702 - (ALLEN BRADLEY CO. V. ELECTRICAL WORKERS, 325 U. S. 797 (1945)
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 8, 9, 1945 Argued
JUNE 18, 1945, Decided

Four-page typed letter dated May 31, 1939 from Penner Electric Co.

March 16, 1938 letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to Penner Electric

September 2, 1939 LIBERTY-- Racketeering at the World’s Fair—Why Building Plans and Recovery Nationally Are Held Up, Remain Stagnant—by George E. Sokolsky—pp. 11-13

October 28, 1939 LIBERTY--Electrical Workers Answer Sokolsky, p.64

Racket Clew Search Enters Wall Street—Blanket Subpoena in Electrical Inquiry Covers 86 Firms and Individuals—Several Hineses Are Listed—New York Sun, July 27, 1938

Tells of Business Ruined By Labor

Hearing Date Set—in Union’s Injunction Suit Against Isaac Penner—New York Sun, August 3, 1938

Racket Witness Guilty in 5 Min.—July 29, 1938

Job Penalty Stirs Boss to Picket—Charges Union Link with $3,700 Fine on College Work—New York Journal and American, August 11, 1938

Penner Pickets Alone—Electrical Contractor Hauls His Own Protest—The New York Sun, August 25, 1938

Queens Man Asks Ousting of Mayor—Mystery Veils Pleas—Connected With Union Issue on Independent Subway Delay—August 26, 1938

Hines Used His Influence in City Awards, Court Told—Got Contracts for Son’s Electrical Firm Though Underbid, It is Testified

Says Union Barred Him From Own Job—Contractor Testifies He Was Even Forbidden to Drive His Wife Along Public Street—Sabotage Also Charged—Conduits Clogged to Prevent Insertion of Wires, He Says in Electrical Union Case—May 7, 1938

Union Violations of Sherman Act Listed By Arnold—Justice Department Gives Reasons for Trust Law Probe of Labor—New York Post, November 20, 1939

Says Hines Backs Local 3—Penner Names Tammany Boss as Power Behind Electrical Union—May 11, 1938

Hines is Pictured As Power In Union—Contractor Charges Tammany Leader is ‘Behind’ Accused Electricians’ Local—Says Influence Aids Son—Penner Also Testifies City Inspectors ‘Carry Cards’ and Serve Labor Group—Times, May 11, 1938

Contractor Ousts All Union Employes—Charges Electrical Workers on City Jobs With Sabotage and Racketeering—New York Times, March 12, 1938

Contractor Lays Sabotage To Union—Electrical Employer Testifies Labor Group Put ‘Rollers’ on Him to Control Jobs—Admits Bid Collusion—Confesses He Also Committed Perjury to ‘Play Ball’ So He Would Be Let Alone—New York Times, March 30, 1938

Union Again Called a Racket—Witness in Suit Against Electricians Says He Was Told Mayor Condoned It

Penner Names More Officials—Testifies He Appealed for Aid to Pascal, Herlands, Gurfein and Martin—New York Sun, April 7, 1938

Penner Heard At Hearing—Herald Tribune, April 8, 1938

Contractor Says City Ignored Charge Of Sabotage Against Electrical Union—New York Times, April 8, 1938

Merritt Accused In Union Dispute—Contempt Charged to Lawyer by Electricians’ Counsel at Boycott Hearing—Plea to Reporters Cited—Manufacturers’ Pamphlet on Case Declared “False” in Attack by Walsh—The New York Times, April 7, 1938

Don’t Restrain Trade, Arnold Warns Unions—Liable to Action Under Sherman Law, ‘Trust-Buster’ Declares—Journal and American

Unafraid of “600 Gorillas,” Woman Pickets Union Office—Chased Down Street, Says She Fought for “N.Y. and Labor”—New York World Telegram, March 16, 1938

She Blames Union Men For Those Bruises—New York Journal and American, March 16, 1938

Woman Picket Routed by Rain

Restraining Builders

Uncle Sam Dips In—New York Sun, November 21, 1939

Isaac Penner Files Big Suit—Asks $1,000,000 of Three Electrical Groups—Echo of Prolonged Case—Charges Boycott Conspiracy and Monopoly of Trade

Electrical Firm Sues 3 Unions for $1,000,000—Penner Charges Conspiracy and Monopoly by Locals; Other Contractors Named

Will Lock Out Union Workers—Penner Electric Company, With $222,483 in Public Contracts, Blames Sabotage

Firm Locks Out Union Employees—Electric Company President Lays Racketerring and Sabotage to Local

P.S. 108 Contractor Orders Lockout, Blames Sabotage on Electrical Union

Letter dated December 2, 1939 from William Hard of the Readers Digest

Dewey Abandons Electrical Quiz—D.A.’s Office Returns Union Papers After Hints of Collusion—New York Post, November 20, 1939

Says Dewey Returns Union’s Records—Head of Electricians Issues Statement—New York World Telegram, November 20, 1939

New P.S. 108 in Bronx to Open This Week Provided Electrical Union Dispute Is Settled—March 13, 1938

Contracts Awarded, Work Is Started on Two New Bronx School Buildings—March 10, 1938

Plan to Void Contracts on School Work Denied—Action Withheld by Board in Union Labor Dispute—Herald Tribune, March 14, 1938

School Contracts Won’t Be Voided, Declares Turner—March 14, 1938

Woman Boss Declares War on Union—New York Journal and American

Ruffled Picket Declares War—Woman Beset at Union Office Says She’ll Tell Dewey—March 15, 1938

Employer’s Wife Pickets Unionists—But Hostile Crowd Seizes Her Sandwich Boards—March 15, 1938

Woman Picketing Union attacked—Sign Torn Off Mrs. Penner as She Protests ‘Racketeering Officers’

Wife of Bronx School Contractor Set Upon During Picketing of Union for “Sabotage”—March 16, 1938

Woman Owner of Shop Pickets Electrical Union—Herald Tribune, March 16, 1938

Contractor’s Wife Pickets Union Offices; Jostled Backing Husband’s Case in Row—New York Times, March 16, 1938

Woman Mauled In A Labor Row Explains Fight—Mrs. Penner Attacked for Picketing A.F.L. Local and Defending Husband—Proud Of Her Left Hook—New York Post, March 16, 1938

Employer Pickets Union—New York Post, March 1938
Life Threatened Says Contractor

Non-Union Electricians Called to P.S. 108 to Fill Positions of Locked-Out Workers—March 17, 1938

Contractors Held In Racket Inquiry—Two in Electrical Concern Are Accused of State Income Tax Violations—Sequel to Study of Union—Dewey Aides Fail to Trace Satisfactorily $30,000 in Records of Firm—New York Times, March 17, 1938

Two Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion—Pair Trapped by Dewey Decide Not to Fight State Charges

Another Tax Suit Linked to Rackets—Head of Jamaica Electrical Concern Accused of Filing Fraudulent Returns—Dewey Grand Jury Acts--$36,000 in False Entries for Supplies Said to Have Been Made in Company Books

A.F.L. Denies Writ Voids Contracts With Edison Co.—Pamphlet Distributed to All Employees—Contempt of Court Seen—New York Evening Post, March 21, 1938

Mark Eisner Quits Education Post—Pleads ‘Extreme Pressure of Business’ in Resigning From Higher Board—Chairman for Six Years—Naming of Successor Today Will Give Control of 14 Members to Fusion Regime

Curtailed Funds Threaten to End Building Inquiry—Budget Bureau Recommends Half of Sum Requested—February 7, 1940

Asks U.S. Avoid Baiting Labor By Its Inquiry—Van Arsdale Issues Reply to Arnold Statement About Unions—Prosecutor Cited Offenses—Letter Called Five Practices Clearly Contrary to Sherman Act—New York Sun, November 20, 1939

WPA $125,000 Lost By City—Lowest Bid Not Taken on Queens Subway Job—So It Couldn’t Collect—Testimony in Suit of Electrical Manufacturers Against Union—The New York Sun, March 24, 1938

Asked Pay for Hailing Mayor—Men Quit Job in Campaign, Contractor Testifies—Penner Still On The Stand—Tells in Labor Suit How Worker Told Him to Quit Post

Drifting Toward Dictatorship—For Liberals with Common Sense:  One Man’s Warning to the U.S.A.—Liberty, April 28, 1939, pp. 11-12

Faults Found In Labor Act—Dean Garrison’s Defense Challenged as Not Covering Fundamentals—Times, April 10, 1939

Fair is Called Labor Racket But Venezuelan Pavilion Will Open May 26 Regardless—Demands Sound Fantastic—Commissioner Lopez Says They Seem Unbelievable—New York Sun Times, May 18, 1939

9 Contractors Admit Guilt in Rigging of Bids—Tenth Man in Electrical Trade Elects to Stand Trial on Indictment—Three-Year Terms Possible—Pleas of Guilty Are Entered by Charles H. Tuttle in Behalf of Nine Attorneys—The New York Sun, May 25, 1939

9 Contractors Confess Guilt—Admit Collusive Bidding on City and Private Electrical Jobs—New York Post, May 25, 1939

Regimentation of Workers—Daily Mirror, May 23, 1939

Whalen Jubilant Over First Month—Paid Attendance Has Exceeded Expectations, He Declares, Reviewing Achievements—Labor Trouble Minimized—Fair President Finds Many of Centers Increasing Staffs to Handle Large Crowds—May 25, 1939

Labor Problem at Fair Put Up To Committee—One Group is Pacified After 15-day Strike and Is Back at Work—Argentina Has Its Day—Olin Downs Resigns as Music Director—Hall of Music to Change Policy—New York Sun, May 25, 1939

Queens ‘Snub’ Laid to Mayor, Whalen—Their Absence From Dedication of Borough’s Host House Deplored by Halleran—Harvey Also Not Present—Commissioner Asserts Borough Head Would Shun ‘Stiff-Necked Fair Reception’

$500,000 Fixed as Overcharge In City Printing—Herlands Finds Burland Co. Boosted Prices for 3 Years—New York World Telegram, June 28, 1939

Not A Model—New York Sun, June 10, 1939

Stresses 14 Points In Attack on NLRB—N.A.M. Counsel Tells Senate Group Its Decisions Create New ‘Inequalities’—‘Employers Seldom Win’—Says Only 16 of 374 Rulings Completely Sustained Employers—A.F.L. in Attack—New York Times, June 21, 1939

Don’t Trust NLRB; Amend the ACT—World Telegram, June 23, 1939

Labor Rackets and Politics—Rank and File Workers Seen as Victims of an Unforunate Combination—New York Times, June 18, 1939

Picketing Illegal for Non-Employes; Illinois Court Bars ‘Libelous’ Banners—New York Times, June 20, 1939

Would Reduce Building Costs—Problems of the Industry Is to Provide $16 Per Room Rents, Says Feldman—New York Sun, June 3, 1939

Mayor’s Pact Bans Building Trade Strikes

Justice and Dr. Toole—Daily News, June 16, 1939

Unions Denounced As Hospital Opens—Dr. Ewing Charges They Added 20% to Cost of Memorial Anti-Cancer Center—20 Feet Cut Off Building—Quarters ‘Pinched’ to Pay Cost—Authorities on Diseases Attend Dedication—June 14, 1939

For Unions to Explain—New York World Telegram, June 15, 1939

Again A Business Visit Is Made Ridiculous—The Sun, June 5, 1939

Contractor Flays Roosevelt at Racket Trial—Mayor and Union Heads Denounced; 9 Sentenced—New York Journal, June 15, 1939

The Mighty Fall—New York Post, June 5, 1939

Dewey To Expose 10 Million Fraud in Electric Field—Contractors, Politicians, and Union in Ring—Chicago Daily Tribune, June 8, 1939

Exhibiting Nations Express Bitterness Over Labor Rows—Foreign Nations May Quit The Fair—The New York Times, June 8, 1939

Nevada Walks Out On Fair

State of Nevada Drops N.Y. Fair Exhibit Plans—Puts Blame on Troubles with Electrical Union—Chicago Daily Tribune, June 9, 1939

Foreign Exhibits Wait Fair Action in Labor Row—Ex-Official Says Unions Acted Like Hungry Tiger—New York Journal, June 14, 1939

Foreign Groups At Fair Draft Joint Protest—Heads of 58 National Units Meet After Threat to Withdraw—Whalen Belittles Affair—Leader of Official Commissioners Warns Against Refusal to Come In Next Year

Threat to Bolt Fair Minimized—Whalen Expects No Trouble From Foreign Nations Over Labor Situation—June 8, 1939

Labor  Rackets At The Fair—New York Times, June 9, 1939

Nations Say Labor Drains Fair Funds—Envoys Discuss Drafting an Appeal to Home Regimes for More Money—Backed by U.S. Official—Federal Aide Says Foreigners Should Not Be Treated as Trade Exhibitors—June 8, 1939

Belgians Irked By U.S. Unions—Use of ‘Gangster Methods’ at Fair Is Charged—Dilemma At Opening Told—Light Was Cut Off and Dynamo Disabled, Publication Says—New York Times, June 8, 1939

U.S. Maps Drive on Building Cost—Arnold Gives Program to Lower Prices Through Anti-Trust Action—New York Post, July 7, 1939

Neon Sign Industry Hard Hit By Labor Union Difficulties—Costly Signs Mutilated, Dealers Picketed and Shops Damaged by Thugs, Contractor Charges—Christian Science, July 23, 1939

Fair Enough—July 27, 1939

Fair Pays Tribute to A.F.L. at Fete—Whalen Greets 1,800 Labor Guests, Extolling Unions’ Part in Exposition—Convention Opens Today—State Federations Sessions to Stress Preservation of American System—New York Times, August 15, 1939

Regimentation of Labor—Maybe?  LIBERTY, August 26, 1939

Strike Continues At State Hospital As Parlays Fizzle—350 Workmen Remain Idle On New Buildings in Row Over Electricians—The Islip Press, August 17, 1939

Denies Union Boycott—Official of Electrical Local Tells of Agreements, September 1939

Upholds Forming of New Union—Telegram, September 11, 1939

Dewey Indicts Nine Electrical Contractors—Accused of Rigging Bids to City and Private Firms—New York Journal and American, September 23, 1939

Urge A.F.L. Back 30-Hour Week—Electricians, at Parley, Call Plan ‘Solution to Unemployment’—September 29, 1939

Vote to Curb Profits Due at A.F.L. Parley—September 29, 1939

A Racket Undisturbed—Chicago Daily Tribune, September 7, 1939

Labor and National Unity—READERS DIGEST, November 1939

Strike Hits N.Y. Contractor Who Fought Racket—Ties Up Work on Four New State Buildings—September 5, 1939

A.F.L. Here Assails Choice of Fleming—Says Labor Is Tired of Being Kicked Around by the Military—New York Post, October 20, 1939

Warns Labor Not to Abuse Power—Daily News, October 17, 1939

Council Criticized—Organ of  Citizens Union Blasts City Body—New York Sun, October 20, 1939

SLRB Poll Allows Ban On All Unions—Board in Hotel St. George Case Rules Majority of Workers Can Reject Bargaining—New York Times, October 13, 1939

When Employees Prefer Not to Organize—New York Sun, October 14, 1939

State Unmindful of City Burdens Says LaGuardia—Tells Herald Tribune Forum Politics Too Often Stands in Way—New York Post, October 25, 1939

Union is Indited in Building Inquiry—Washington Jury Says Teamsters Broke Sherman Law by Strikes Delaying Projects—In Jurisdictional Dispute—Case Is First in Nation-Wide Government Drive Against Curbs on Construction—New York Times, October 18, 1939

Outlaw Strikes Halt School Job—Hod Carriers and Carpenters Violate Agreements in Row Over Division of Work—Early Truce is Expected—Meanwhile, Bronx Walkout is Settled, Ending Tie-Up of $50,000,000 Housing—October 15, 1939

Unions Found to Use Threats on Employees—Practice Is Reported in 45 Percent of Bronx Cases—C. of C. Tells of Survey—Employers Themselves Are Not So Frequently Informed of Violence Impending—New York Sun, October 26, 1939

Jury Probes L.I. Labor Racket—Hear Ex-NRA Aide in Invedstigation of Building ‘Code’—October 26, 1939

Struck Firm Sues Union for $100,000 Daily News, October 12, 1939

Electrical Inquiry Opens Here on Nov. 9—Federal Grand Jury to Weigh Charges of Illegal Practice—New York Times

Fie, NLRB!—World Telegram, November 28, 1939

Graft—The New Landlord—LIBERTY, November 11, 1939

Builder Tells of Bid Rigging in Private Jobs—Head of Electrical Company Admits Being Member of Collusive Ring—Freed Before U.S. Court—Witness Says Contractors Held Meetings and Decided Who Would Get Contracts—New York Sun, November 4, 1939

Arnold Defies Trust Laws, Green Replies—Daily News, November 23, 1939

Blocking Social Progress—Construction Unions Seen Maintaining an Indefensible Position—The Times, November 28, 1939

Abuses—Nevertheless—New York World Telegram, November 28, 1939

Fair Enough—November 28, 1939

Green Urges Public to Judge Labor War—Asks Fixing of ‘Blame’, Saying Neutral View Blocks Peace—New York Times, November 20, 1939

Arnold View Disputed—State Law Official Disagrees With Assistant Attorney General—The Times, November 26, 1939

Is the A.F. of L. Above the Law?—November 27, 1939

Union Scores Dewey Lag on Seized Books—Daily News, November 21, 1939

Green Plea Ignored In Action on Unions—Murphy Will Invoke Anti-Trust Laws—November 29, 1939

Green Plea Ignored By Murphy In Action on Unions—Justice Department To Invoke Anti-Trust Laws Against Labor—World Telegram, November 29, 1939

E. Roosevelt Says Labor Is In Peril—He Warns Unions of ‘Frightful Beating’ in Congress Unles  A.F.L.-C.I.O. Heal Split—New York Times, November 24, 1939

Union Attitude Toward Fair—Rackets Alleged in Many Cases—World Telegram, November 27, 1939

Teamsters’ Case Pushed—Cahill to Prosecute Indictment on Anti-Trust Charge

Quill Backer Quits As LaGuardia Aide—Labor Secretary, Who Fought Opposition to Councilman on Red Issues, Resigns—No Politics, Mayor Says—Frankel to Rejoin Law Firm—‘Enjoyed His Job at City Hall, He Asserts—New York Times, November 25, 1939

Government Lists Punishable Acts of Labor Unions—Anti-Trust Laws Violated If ‘Unreasonable Restraints’ Are Used, Arnold Says—Five Types Are Set Forth—Include Made Work and Jurisdictional Strikes—Building Industry Held Example—New York Times, November 20, 1939

Sparks Fly in New Deal Drive On Building Monopolies Here—100 Subpoenas Issued in Arnold’s Campaign to Smash Alleged Combines of Contractors and Unions—New York Sun, December 9, 1939

Racketeering Pro and Con—LIBERTY, December 16, 1939

Picket Lines Defy LaGuardia’s Ban—C.I.O. and A.F. of L. Men March at Laundries—December 9, 1939

Why Fewer on WPA?—December 22, 1939

Accuses State Labor Chiefs—Goodman Sees Plan to Rule Employment Agencies—Says Bill Has Been Drafted—Issues Statements as President of Job Placement Council—December 29, 1939

Three Big Electric Concerns Indicted—Federal Anti-Trust Jury Hands Up Sweeping Bill—New York Sun, December 22, 1939

Electrical Workers’ Wages at Fair—World-Telegram, December 1, 1939

School Economies Held Severe Blow—Marshall Tells Mayor Cuts in Budget Have Eliminated Many Essential Services—Buildings in Disrepair—Overcrowded Classes, Closed Recreation Centers and Lack of Adequate Staffs Cited—New York Times, December 1, 1939

Bringing Business Here?—A Tax of 30 Cents A Ton Imposed by the Union—December 22, 1939

Fair Enough—December 30, 1939

Union Czar Edging Back!—World Telegram, December 29, 1939

Green Assails Perkins Report On Labor Rift—December 31, 1939

The Erickson Case—It Raises a Few Questions—Long Island Daily Press, December 30, 1939

U.S. Jury Indicts Big Electric Firms in Building Inquiry—General Electric Supply Co, Westinghouse Supply, Graybar Accused at Detroit—Ten Wholesalers Named—Charges of Price Conspiracy on Large Michigan Jobs Involve 19 Individuals Also—The New York Times, December 23, 1939

Today in Washington—Congressional Leaders Realize Wagner Act Must Be Amended—The Sun, December 30, 1939

Land of Liberty—New York World Telegram, December 30, 1939

C.I.O. Invades City In Building Drive—4,000 Unorganized Workers Signed Up and Six Locals Chartered, Leader Says—A.F.L. Scoffs At Threat—Contractors’ Official Doubts Also That Movement Could Make Much Headway—December 1, 1939

The Georgian’s Request—Sun, December 22, 1939

Shift in Labor Control—The Sun, December 9, 1939

David C. Anchin, Addressing Bronx Lions, Urges State Supervision for Labor Unions—December 21, 1939

Light Fixture Inquiry Indicts 9 Corporations—Government Charges Bids Were Rigged in Contracts for City and U.S. Projects—December 16, 1939

Lehman Grants State Workers Union Rights—Orders Department Heads to Bargain Collectively, Set Up Grievance Units—December 16, 1939

New Deal Tinged with Red, Says Smith; Likes Wilkie—Opposes Third Term, Approves of Garner In Interview on His 66th Birthday—New York World Telegram, December 30, 1939

Green Denounces Version of Perkins on Split in Labor—He Says She Suppresses Vital Facts and Calls for an Inquiry by Congress—Would ‘Wring’ the Truth—Resents Also Reference to Membership ‘Claim’—She Files Annual Report—New York Times, December 31, 1939

Today in Washington—Two Sets of Precedents Enable Courts to Decide Always for New Deal—New York Sun, December 1, 1939

Ickes Proposal Fails to Start Political Stir—Members of Congress Point to Previous Failures of Third Party Hopes—Hatch Makes Predictions—New Mexican Asserts Neither of Parties Will Put Up Reactionary Candidate for President—New York Sun, December 22, 1939

War Dept. Hints It May Break Wright Field Strike—March 1941

AFL Ends Wright Strike—Daily News, March 1941

U.S. Reorganizes Priorities System

Clipped Eagle—LIFE On The Newsfronts Of The World, 1941

The publisher's revised note on page 256, Chapter 6, Note #1 will be updated when the book is reprinted and will read: "Chapter 6. Battles on Many Fronts 1. Sokolsky quoted at length from the testimony of former Local 3 member, Isaac Penner, who had become a contractor and then engaged his former union in a series of disputes.
His charges of intimidation, extortion, and the like received a heavy play in the press. Local 3 responded in part by seeking an injunction against his lockout of Local 3 members". (M.E. Sharpe, Inc., publishers, September 2009)

A "thank you" to Mr. Edwin Black for his suggestions to me regarding historical veracity.

For further information contact: 

Dr. Helen Penner Ackerman