Evening star., 1940-11-16
Moves 10 Revise
Labor Act May
Hold Congress
N. l. R. B. Shoke-up
Viewed as Blow to
Wagner Law Revision
By the Associated Pfess.

o3uSs INV NSvsSsVbs
Dy the Associated Press.
Demands for action on the Logan.
Walter bill and ON legislation to re-
wise the Wagner Labor Act raised
new difficulties today for leaders
trying to bring about q final I'D.
journment Of Congress next week.
Advocates Of the Logan Walter
d ,siened to facilitate court
review Of the work Of such Federal
agencies as the Securities and Elk.
change Commission, disclosed they
would ask Monday for Senate con-
The House passed the
bill last June.
The call for action on labor law
revision came from President vii.
liam Green Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. He wrote mem.
bers Of the Senate Labor Commit.
tee that by failing to vote on House.
approved amendments they were
creating the impression Of "delib.
erately attempting" to keep the leg.
tslation from the Senate.
Labor Board Shake-up Seen.
Success of efforts to bring up
either OF these bills undoubtedly
would prolong the session into De-
cember. There appeared to be but
slender prospects of this, however,
at least for the labor legislation,
more especially since President
Roosevelt's nomination Of DR.. Harry
A. Mills to q vacancy on the Labor
Board yesterday was expected to re-
suit in a shake-up of that agency
without congressional action.
Senator Holt. Democrat, Of West
Virginia, an advocate of Labor Act
changes, expressed the opinion that
despite Mf. Green's move the
amendments were dead for this
session" He wrote the A. r. L.
chief, however, that as the first
practical step toward getting action
Mr.. Green should demand that Con.
gress remain in session.
Senators Burke, Democrat, Of Ne
braska and King, Democrat, Of
Utah planned to seek the show
down on the Logan-Walter issue.
They claimed support Of various
other Democratic members. Their
insistence on action promised to
add some Democratic backing to
Republican opposition to adjourn
ment.
G. o. p. Opposes Adjournment.
The Republican opposition, Is
summarized by Senator vandenberg
of Michigan, was that If we're In
an emergency that won't allow the
President to 60 more than IL hours
away from Washington, I'd say
we're In an emergency that would
not allow Congress to be 90 days
from Washington or beyond its own
recall"
Mondays sessions will be the first
full-dress meetings of either House
or Senate since several weeks be.
fore the November elections. Fail
ing at that time to put through an
adjournment resolution, Demo-
cratic leaders agreed on holding
nominal sessions every three days
until November 18.
Now they are reported to be
drumming up adjournment votes
with the argument that President
Roosevelt's reelection showed there
was no need for Congress to remain
In session as q check on White
House actions.
Mills Appointment Popular.
The renewed drive for passage Of
Wagner Act amendments was dis
closed shortly after the President
sent to the Senate the nomination
OF DR.. Mills to q five-year term on
the Labor Board, replacing Chair
man ]. Warren Madden, whose term
expired.
DR.. Mills appointment aroused an
enthusiasm indicating his prompt
confirmation by the Senate.
This, in turn, gave rise to talk
that amendments to the Wagner
Act, under which the board oper-
ates, would get less widespread sup
port in the Senate than formerly.
Some members were regarded as
preferring to give the recast board
q chance to work out changes itself.
indicative OF the possible scope
Of these changes was the fact that
when DR.. Mills appointment be-
came known Nathan Witt, secretary
of the board; Thomas I. Emerson,
associate general counsel, and Alex
ander B. Hawes, chief administra.
tive examiner, promptly resigned.
Removal of Mr.. Witt had been
demanded months ago by Board
Member william M. Leiserson, who
was overruled by Mr.. Madden and
Edwin s. Smith, the other member
Of the three-man agency. When DR..
Mills moves in, however, DR.. Lesser
son Is expected to be on the majority
side.
Along with the Mills nomination
President Roosevelt also sent up the
nomination Of Mr.. Madden to be .
Judge Of the United States Court Of
Claims. Whether that would re-
ceive quick consideration was un.
certain.
witt Writes to Madden.
When Mr.. Witt learned Of the Dr..
Mills appointment yesterday he
sent Mr.. Madden q letter saying:
"Since the President has seen At
not to nominate you for another
term I have today submitted
my resignation" He added that the
work Of the board had been Q great
success; that union organization
and collective bargaining have been
extended on q scale never before
known In America" and that Mr..
Madden and Mr.. Smith had won
the esteem Of liberals, impartial
students and millions Of American
workmen." He was silent about DR..
Leiserson. ta
Another center Of controversy, Dr,
David Saposs, head Of the boards
economic research division. was dis
missed recently after Congress cut
OF funds for his work. Both he
and Mr.. Witt had been criticized
for alleged radical leanings, . charge
that both denied.
Some labor men were Of the
opinion that the nomination Of Dr..