Evening star., 1940-02-08

ieqcG QtScTtmtnQLOry prQcLlceS OF
certain employees has been un-
coDered.
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Documentary evidence indicating
J. Warren Madden, chairman of the
National Labor Relations Board,
recommended employment of trial
examiner who had just completed
book on the C. I. o. was presented
today to the House committee in
vestigating the board.
This was brought out by Edmund
M. Toland, committee counsel, as
he started cross-examination of
Chairman Madden.
A letter taken from the files of the
board showed Raymond Walsh had
written Board Member Edwin S..
Smith, September %, 1887, applying
for a position with the board. Mr.
Walsh wrote:
THE book on the c. I. o. has just
been completed. While waiting for
the proofs, have been absorbing
some of the sun and water of this
stepchild of the Union-Maine. For
all its political mednvaliSm and
its prejudices against Lewis, ct al,
1t is still too beautiful to be offered
outright to Canada"
Mr.. Walsh added:
"A position with the C. I. o. or
one with your board would be far
and away the most attractive to me
and constitute the direction in which
I could do my best work"
Memorandum Signed 81. w. M"
A penned memorandum, attached
TO the letter in the exhibit which Mr..
Toland placed in the record, was
headed: Attention: Mr.. Madden" !"
II said: II think we should try
Walsh on some cases if he wants to
be trial examiner" 1t was signed
~. w. NJ"
Mr. Madden told the committee
Mr.. Walsh had been employed as a
trial examiner for time The chair
man added
The board ceased to use him as a
trial examiner after he published
book on the C. I. O."
Mr. Madden denied any recollec-
ton that he knew of the book at
the time of Mr.. Walshs employ
ment. Mr. Toland sought to show,
by producing photostat of the
copyright of the book in the Library
of Congress, that Mr.. Madden must
have known of it and that it had
been published while Mr.. Walsh
still was with the board.
Mr.. Madden replied that he did
not see all the copyright notices.
The board chairman denied stead
fastly that he had favored the Con-
gress of Industrial Organizations
and Disseminated against the Amer
lean Federation of Labor in settling
industrial disputes.
Tells of Hiring Policy.
Asked if he would employ a man
prejudiced in favor of the c. l. O.,
Mr.. Madden said:
II would not employ such a man.
He would start out under handi-
cap"
Mr.. Madden said it had been the
aim of the board to get the most
competent and fair lawyers and 9TH
er employees it could find.
Mr.. Madden denied he ever had
said the board should employ ia
bor- minded people" adding: Il was
very anxious that they not be anti
labor minded"
rs there any standard of impair
tiality that employees are held to?"
There is no specific standard.
We seek fair and impartial persons
who can look at the law and the
facts. We don't give specific in
structions. To do so would be sort
OF insult to their competency. We
are very much interested in any
lack of impartiality.'
Did you ever take any action
with respect to an employe charged
with partiality toward the c. I. or"
Mr.. Madden said he did in the
ease OF regional director at Seat
tie who was sent on leave of alb
sence and never returned.
The committee has recessed since
Tuesday afternoon to hold execu-
tive sessions. 1t was made known
that the hearing: would 60 ahead
and $50,000 more to meet expenses
would be asked of the House.
Approval Forecast.
While Chairman Smith had
planned to introduce yesterday a
resolution asking this sum, it was
learned that he was advised by Rep
resentative Cochran, Democrat, of
Missouri, acting chairman of the
Accounts Committee, that it would
draft the resolution and present it
in the House Representative War;
rem. Democrat, of North Carolina,
chairman of the committee, is abb
sent, and action on the request may
await his return. Several days
probably will elapse before the reso-
luton is offered Its passage is pre-
dicted generally.
The fact that the presentation
of evidence was turned back to
Mr.. Toland today, indicated the
board would not be granted its re-
quest for an extension of time which
its general counsel, Charles Fahey,
asked Monday.
Mr.. Fahy, given five days for the
boards defense. said this was en-
tirely inadequate and he thought
he should have more time. Com
mittee Counsel Toland objected
strenuously, contending the board
should be grateful for that much
time, since it was unusual for a
congressional committee to allow
an agency under fire to offer its
own defense.