Evening star., 1941-02-23
Judge Madden Lauded
By Seven Speakers al
Testimonial Dinner
Tribute Paid to Patience
And Courage as Chairman
Of Labor Bourd

paid tribute at a dinner to Judge j.
Warren Madden, hearing him
praised by seven speakers for his
"patience." courage and hon
esty" IN his former post as chair
man of the Nationa; Labor Rela-
tions Board.
Associate Justice Stanley Reed OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States and Senators Norris of Ne
braska and Thomas and Murdock
of Utah were among those lauding
him at the testimonial affair Spon-
sored by the National Lawyers
Guild at the Shoreham Hotel. Judge
Madden was appointed by Presl-
dent Roosevelt to the United States
Court of Claims several months ago.
In replying to the tributes, the
honor guest said the response should
come from the board as whole
and not from any individual.
Touches on Three Subjects.
Touching on three subjects in
connection with his duties during
the first five years of the boards
existence, Judge Madden referred
briefly to the investigation by the
House Committee in 1889 of the
board and gave his observations OF
labor and employers during the
period.
The members of the committee
seem to have emerged from the
hearings with substantially the
same views they had when the
hearings began" he observed.
With regard to labor, the division
in its ranks made the boards ''rela- |
tions with the unions very difficult"
he declared The 'reSentment" OF
employers to giving up privileges
under the Labor Act Judge Madden
saw as "inevitable."
In closing, he said: II know OF no
instance in history of so complete
an adjustment to so fundamental
a legal and social change in so short .
time"
Justice Reed Pays Tribute.
Justice Reed said that when
Judge Madden first took his seat
with the board he had the conf
dence of most" and later earned
the confidence of all
The Nation was fortunate" IN
having a man with Judge Maddens
honesty and fearleSSnesS" in ad-
the Wagner Act in the
first years Of its operation, he SAID,
Speaking of the elevation of Mr..
Madden to the bench of the Court
of Claims, Senator Norris said:
wherever he goes, on whatever
board or bench he sits, he will
uphold those American principles OF
freedom and equality to all
without regard to wealth or
Senator Thomas compared Judge
Maddens devotion to duty" with
that of Lord Nelson, famous British
sea hero of Trafalgar. The former
board chairman showed bravery
in the face of all sorts of hazards"
the Utahan declared.
Senator Murdock called him a
great public servant"
He built monument to him.
self brick by brick in the form OF
the labor laws of this Nation and
it was solidifed by decisions of the
Supreme Court and the Circuit
Court of Appeals Senator Muir
dock added
Monuments of stone will crumble
but the monument to Warren Mad
den will still be living in legislation
of this country"
Edwin S. Smith Speaks.
Edwin S. Smith, member of the
board, in praising Judge Madden's
"untiring patience" assailed the in
vestigation of the board by the con-
gressional committee.
There are probably few more un-
pleasant speCtacleS in our congress
sional history than the indecency
and indignity that Judge Madden .
had to suffer at the hands of the .
Smith Investigating Committee" he
said.
Rarely, I suppose has a man of .
such integrity and such devotion to
his Government had to face such
petty meanness from men whose re-
dictionary antagonism toward the act
was so apparent"
Mr.. Smith praised Judge Madden
for not making a "scapegoat' of
Nathan Witt, secretary of the board
for a number of years.
1t is no "secret," Mr.. Smith went
on, that if Judge Madden had
Welded to "the many influences
which were brought to bear on him
to make a public scapegoat of Witt,
his own situation as regards the
board both with respect to Congress
and other wise would have been
benefited"
Others praising Judge Madden
were Prof. A. H. Frey of the Uni
versity of PENNSYLVANIA, and Lee
Pressman, general counsel of the
Congress of Industrial Organiza
tions.
Edward Lamb of the guild pre-
sided.