Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-21
Ramspeck Demands
Madden and Smith
Quit Labor Board
House Member Also
Backs 2 Major Changes
In Wagner Act
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
Representative Ramspeck, Demo-
crat. of Georgia. called today for
the designations of j. Warren Mad
den and Edwin S. Smith from the
National Labor Relations Board,
and also proposed two major amend
ments to the Wagner Labor Act.
Representative Ramspeck, rank
ing Democrat on the House Labor
Committee. told reporters that if Mr..
Madden and Mr. Smith did not re-
sign, Congress should abolish the
present three-man board and create
a new one. William M. Leiserson is
the third member.
madden and Smith, especially
Smith. in my opinion, have not
carried out the will of Congress
even though they have tried to do
an honest job" Representative
Ramspeck said.
"They seem to have the opinion
down at the board that the act was
created so they could help unions
organize. rather than so that the
right of a man to join union could
be legally protected"
Proposed Changes.
He advocated these changes in
the Wagner Act:
Protection for small unions (which
the board has permitted larger
union to take over in some in
stances"
Formal assurances that employers
will have the same right to ask for
collective bargaining election as
their workers.
Last summer the board changed
It's regulations to permit employers
to ask for elections, but Representa-
tive Ramspeck said permission
should be placed in the law itself
$50 the board won't be able to
change its mind again"
Representative RamSpeck said he
hoped that the House Labor Com
mittee would resume hearings on
Wagner Act amendments immedi-
ately after Congress meets January
3. regardless of the investigation of
the board by special committee
headed by Representative Smith,
Democrat. of Virginia.
I'm afraid that if we waited on
the Smith committee to make its
recommendations, it might be too
late in the session for us to get any
amendments at all through Con-
gress," Representative Ramspeck
said.
Hearings Resume January 5.
The Smith committee will resume
hearings January S, for another
week or 10 days. and then go out
into the field, starting with Detroit.
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, said
last night that the Smith commit
tee had produced evidence which
tons that the Labor Board is partial
to the c. I. O.
Mr.. Green volunteered the state
ment in discussing with newsmen a
conference he had held with Ed
mund M. Toland, committee coun-
sci. The two men discussed A. F. L.
witnesses who subsequently will
disclose their names.
In support of his claim of par
TALLY, Mr. Green cited testimony
about the services they have
rendered to c. I. O." He said that
he would like to see the board pro-
duce any evidence showing sym
pathy" for A. F. L.
Boycott Testimony.
The A. F. L. leader said he in
cluded among board services to the
opposing labor faction the eager
ness with which Edwin S. Smith, a
board member. sought to induce a
boycott against a hosiery mill in
the interest of a c. I. o. union"
Mr.. Smith acknowledged to the
committee that he had transmitted
to large Boston department store
literature concerning c. 1. O. boy
colt of the Berkshire Knitting Mills,
Reading, Pa, but declared he was
not trying to aid the boycott him.
self.
Mr.. Green said also that commit
tee testimony showed the board
rendered protection to Commu-
nists."
He referred, he said, to the testi-
mony of Philip G.. Phillips, the
boards regional director at Cincin-
natl, that Communists were entitled
to the same treatment under the
Labor Act as were members of other
r: