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Hillman was one of the first labor leaders to use the goon as part of his enforcement machinery. In 1931 a garment manufacturer in Brooklyn named Guido Fererri got into a bitter quarrel with Hillman's Amalgamated and was threatened by one of its officials. A few days later Fererri was found shot to death on the street. A notorious character named Louis Buckhalter, known as Lepke <ref>[http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/louislepkebuchalter.htm Louis "Lepke" Buchalter], FBI FOIA file.</ref>, was a goon for a labor union and Lepke was suspected of this crime. Some time later a Brooklyn jury found this same Lepke guilty of murder in the first degree for killing Joseph Rosen in a Brooklyn candy store on November 30, 1936. He was sentenced to be electrocuted but Lepke was in Federal custody at the Leavenworth Penitentiary serving a term of 14 years as the mastermind behind a $10 million [[narcotic]]s ring and another term of 30 years for labor racketeering, both of which would keep him in Leavenworth until 1980. Governor [[Thomas Dewey]] of New York requested extradition of Lepke in order to execute him for the Rosen murder. He requested extradition four times, but each time [[Franklin Roosevelt]]’s Attorney General Francis Biddle refused.

Hillman was one of the first labor leaders to use the goon as part of his enforcement machinery. In 1931 a garment manufacturer in Brooklyn named Guido Fererri got into a bitter quarrel with Hillman's Amalgamated and was threatened by one of its officials. A few days later Fererri was found shot to death on the street. A notorious character named Louis Buckhalter, known as Lepke <ref>[http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/louislepkebuchalter.htm Louis "Lepke" Buchalter], FBI FOIA file.</ref>, was a goon for a labor union and Lepke was suspected of this crime. Some time later a Brooklyn jury found this same Lepke guilty of murder in the first degree for killing Joseph Rosen in a Brooklyn candy store on November 30, 1936. He was sentenced to be electrocuted but Lepke was in Federal custody at the Leavenworth Penitentiary serving a term of 14 years as the mastermind behind a $10 million [[narcotic]]s ring and another term of 30 years for labor racketeering, both of which would keep him in Leavenworth until 1980. Governor [[Thomas Dewey]] of New York requested extradition of Lepke in order to execute him for the Rosen murder. He requested extradition four times, but each time [[Franklin Roosevelt]]’s Attorney General Francis Biddle refused.

On the night Fererri was killed, Lepke was seen by a policeman on the streets in that neighborhood in Brooklyn. He told Lepke: "You're too close to where a murder has been committed, so you better come with me." The officer took Lepke to the police station. Lepke telephoned from the station to Sidney Hillman, who shortly after arrived at the station house with [[Fiorello LaGuardia]], his lawyer. According to the [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning journalist Westbrook Pegler, Hillman paid Lepke paid $350 a week to terrorize workers and entrepreneurs for his union. <ref>[http://aboutmafia.nm.ru/341.html About the Mafia] (in Russian).</ref> Nothing more was ever heard of this nor was anyone indicted for the Fererri murder.

On the night Fererri was killed, Lepke was seen by a policeman on the streets in that neighborhood in Brooklyn. He told Lepke: "You're too close to where a murder has been committed, so you better come with me." The officer took Lepke to the police station. Lepke telephoned from the station to Sidney Hillman, who shortly after arrived at the station house with [[Fiorello LaGuardia]], his lawyer. According to the [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning journalist Westbrook Pegler, Hillman paid Lepke $350 a week to terrorize workers and entrepreneurs for his union. <ref>[http://aboutmafia.nm.ru/341.html About the Mafia] (in Russian).</ref> Nothing more was ever heard of this nor was anyone indicted for the Fererri murder.

In December, 1941 while Lepke was in Leavenworth and Governor Dewey was trying to extradite him, William O'Dwyer was the district attorney of Brooklyn investigating the murder ring of which Lepke headed. His chief investigator was a captain of the Police Department and the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported O'Dwyer was investigating the Fererri case and the investigation involved a high-ranking New York political leader and a labor leader of national reputation and had to do with Lepke's activities as a goon for a labor union. O'Dwyer denounced LaGuardia for trying to scuttle the investigation.

In December, 1941 while Lepke was in Leavenworth and Governor Dewey was trying to extradite him, William O'Dwyer was the district attorney of Brooklyn investigating the murder ring of which Lepke headed. His chief investigator was a captain of the Police Department and the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported O'Dwyer was investigating the Fererri case and the investigation involved a high-ranking New York political leader and a labor leader of national reputation and had to do with Lepke's activities as a goon for a labor union. O'Dwyer denounced LaGuardia for trying to scuttle the investigation.

Hillman organized in 1943 the CIO Political Action Committee. The CIO had violated the law by supporting candidates in various primary elections. To get around this Hillman formed this Political Action Committee and pressure was put on members of CIO unions to compel them to join. Hillman's CIO was recieving a favored position before Roosevelt's [[National Labor Relations Board]].  

Hillman organized in 1943 the CIO Political Action Committee. The CIO had violated the law by supporting candidates in various primary elections. To get around this Hillman formed this Political Action Committee and pressure was put on members of CIO unions to compel them to join. Hillman's CIO was recieving a favored position before Roosevelt's [[National Labor Relations Board]].  

At the 1944 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, DNC Chairman Bob Hannegan went for instructions to President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s private railway car just before the July convention officially began. Roosevelt had decided to dump incumbent Vice-President [[Henry Wallace]]. Worried over dissension on the choice of a successor, tghe ''[[New York Times]]'' reported Roosevelt told Hannegan: "Go on down there and nominate [[Truman]] before there's any more trouble. And clear everything with Sidney." <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,791619,00.html "Clear everything with Sidney"], [[Time magazine]], Sep. 25, 1944.</ref>  The President could not make the selection of Truman until Sidney Hillman <ref>''The Roosevelt Myth'', John T. Flynn, Fox and Wilkes, 1948, Book 2, Ch. 8, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Eight___The_Shock_Troops.htm ''The Shock Troops of the Third New Deal'']</ref>, Director of the Political Action Committee for the [[Congress on Industrial Organizations]] (CIO) approved it. <ref> ''Roosevelt Myth'', Book 3, Ch. 10, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Ten___Politics__Disease_.htm ''Politics, Disease and History''], Flynn, 1948.</ref><ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,791539-1,00.html The New Force], [[Time magazine]], Jul. 24, 1944.</ref>

At the 1944 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, DNC Chairman Bob Hannegan went for instructions to President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s private railway car just before the July convention officially began. Roosevelt had decided to dump incumbent Vice-President [[Henry Wallace]]. Worried over dissension on the choice of a successor, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported Roosevelt told Hannegan: "Go on down there and nominate [[Truman]] before there's any more trouble. And clear everything with Sidney." <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,791619,00.html "Clear everything with Sidney"], [[Time magazine]], Sep. 25, 1944.</ref>  The President could not make the selection of Truman until Sidney Hillman <ref>''The Roosevelt Myth'', John T. Flynn, Fox and Wilkes, 1948, Book 2, Ch. 8, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Eight___The_Shock_Troops.htm ''The Shock Troops of the Third New Deal'']</ref>, Director of the Political Action Committee for the [[Congress on Industrial Organizations]] (CIO) approved it. <ref> ''Roosevelt Myth'', Book 3, Ch. 10, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Ten___Politics__Disease_.htm ''Politics, Disease and History''], Flynn, 1948.</ref><ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,791539-1,00.html The New Force], [[Time magazine]], Jul. 24, 1944.</ref>

The Democratic party could win the [[Presidential election of 1944]] if it could carry the Southern states and in addition New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey. These states could be carried with the support of Sidney Hillman's Political Action Committee and Browder's American Labor Party. Roosevelt could not win without Sidney Hillman and [[Earl Browder]].

The Democratic party could win the [[Presidential election of 1944]] if it could carry the Southern states and in addition New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey. These states could be carried with the support of Sidney Hillman's Political Action Committee and Browder's American Labor Party. Roosevelt could not win without Sidney Hillman and [[Earl Browder]].