Jurisdictional disputes in the motion-picture Industry : hearings before a special subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first-session, pursuant to H. Res. 111 (1948)

1416 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES were suspended as a local of the brotherhood and 946 was chartered to take their place, and is still in existence. The International Brother- hood of Carpenters and Joiners of America never recognized that 1925 agreement. Mr. Owens. Isn't it their autonomous right to make such an agree- ment ? Mr. HuTCHEsoN". Wliat did you say ? Mr. Owens. Does the supreme council of the A. F. of L. direct the locals as to what to do ? Mr. HuTCHESON. Let me, if I can, Mr. Congressman, in my humble way, try to point out to you that the American Federation of Labor, referred to as the A. F. of L., has no jurisdiction over the Brotherhood bf Carpenters to tell us what we shall or shall not do. Mr. Owens. Evidently not, since 1914, Mr. HuTCHESON. No, sir. We were one of the founders. I don't care to get into an argument with you unless you want to, but if you want to, I would be glad to take you on, sir. Mr. Owens. Mr. Hutcheson, if you will answer the questions, we will have no difficulty at all. Mr. Hutcheson. I am trying to qualify it by explaining, and if I can do that in my humble way, you in your intelligent manner of being a Congressman ought to understand what I say, because I cannot use those big words that you learn in college. Mr. Owens. Or a machine shop, where I learned most of them, Mr. Hutcheson. Mr. Hutcheson. All right. Again, let me say this to you: The Brotherhood of Carpenters was one of the organizations that brought into existence and creation the American Federation of Labor. They accepted us as we were with our jurisdiction as it was, back in Novem- ber 1881. We were organized in August 1881, then helped to bring the American Federation of Labor into existence. The American Federation of Labor is a voluntary association of international organizations, and the American Federation of Labor we never had a charter from, but we helped create them, so how could they give us a charter. How could the child give the ]iarent a charter? Mr. Owens. It sounds like the Trinity now. In other words, what you are telling me—so we can shorten this—is that even though other locals can be directed what to do by the international, that the car- penters do not have to obey the edict of the international ? Mr. Hutcheson. We cooperate. It is a cooperative organization, and we try to cooperate to help the other organizations. Mr. Owens. In other words, that is the reason, as you told us last year, I believe, that when the order was entered in 1914 giving certain power to the machinists, you said: "We are not going to obey it," and you did not do it? Mr. Hutcheson. Now, do you want to go into that, too ? Mr. Owens. Let me finish the question. Mr. Hutcheson. I don't know that it has anything to do with the Hollywood situation, but I would be glad to take it on, discuss it, and debate it with you if you please to. Mr. Owens. Here is the balance of the question: You say you do not have to obey it, but you say these two particular locals that entered into this agreement, or these internationals that entered into this agree- ment, the A. F. of L. reviewed that and said they would not approve it.