Evening star., 1939-10-22

Significant changes that have thus far
received little notice are taking place
in the National Labor Relations Board.
Gradually and quietly new figures are
replacing those about whom so much
recent controversy has centered. And
the man who is generally credited with
bringing about these changes is the
newest member Of the board, William
M. Leiserson.
That was the assignment given to
Leiserson, it is recognized here, at the
time of his appointment. Go on the
Leiserson was asked to serve, and see
what you can do to straighten out a
difficult situation.
What every one within the administra-
ton realizes including the board men,
bers themselves, is that the Wagner
Labor Relations Act is seriously threat
ened by the storm of controversy which
has grown up over the policy of the
board. The Dies committee, special
House committee, the Senate Committee
on Labor, all have heard charges against
the N. L. r. B. The special House COM
mittee is just starting full-dress in
vestigation, with some indication that so
much investigating has been done al
ready that it is now difficult to find new
material.
To meet criticism that the board is
overzealous, that it leans toward the
employe side, Leiserson is introducing
a new type of administrator. For the
most part these are men trained and
experienced in the field of labor rela-
tions. A careful impartiality will be
their goal rather than zeal to unionize
labor which, it is charged, has been the
motivating force of the N L. r. B.
Leiserson Denies Special Part.
Leiserson will not acknowledge that
he has played any special part in all
this. He insists that he is merely one
member of a three-man board. Never
theless, most of the new men who have
been named to administrative posts are
in the tradition of labor mediation that
Leiserson represents. And many of them
are from Antioch College, where for IL
nomics.
The other day the board announced
creation of a personnel Office to super
wise all personnel problems, not only for
the boards Washington Office, but for
the % regional offices, comprising total
staff of 900. The first man appointed to
this new position is John c. Shower, who
will take over on November L.
Mr.. Shower, who is so years old, was
for several years personnel officer Of
Antioch College. Later he served in the
same capacity for the Home Owners
Loan Corp. and the Farm Credit Admin
istration. Before this he had six years as
an industrial engineer with a large tex
tile company and several years as an op-
Grating executive. He has been an ex-
ecutive with two large corporations. It
will be Mr.. Showers task to bring about
further changes, in line with those which
have already been initiated.
Topped Civil Service List.
Those long familiar with the work Of
the board say that too much emphasis
should not be placed on Mr.. Leisersons
part in the appointment of Mr. Shower.
He was No. l man on the civil service list,
it is pointed out. The decision to create
such an Office was reached, moreover, five
or SIX months ago, some time before Mr..
Leiserson became member of the board
on June l. This is made clear, although
at the same time among those long as
sociated with the board there is no dis
position to deny the role that has been
assigned to Mr.. Leiserson.
One regional office, Los Angeles, in
which probably more controversy arose
than in any other, has been completely
changed over. The former regional di-
rector, DR.. Towne Nylander, was the
center of one bitter dispute after another
and within his own of1ce there were sew
eral warning factions that scarcely con-
tributed to orderly enforcement of the
Wagner Act.
The final blowup came over state
ment which DR.. Nylander was charged
with making in speech at a community
forum at Inglewood, Calf He was re-
ported in a local newspaper as having
said: III tell you frankly, when we go
into hearing the employer hasn't got