Evening star., 1944-12-09
Resignation Of O 'Brion
DepIored by Observer
Ability Of WPB Legal Adviser
Also Proven in Last War
By David Laurence

There's something SO genuinely i'm
personal, If not casual, in the way good
public servants are often permitted
without acclaim to pass from the Gov
ernment into private life that several
observers have found 1t Noteworthy to
call attention to the resignation OF John
Lord O'Brian of Buffalo from his posi-
ton as general counsel of the War
Production Board
Mr.. O'Brian has been with the board
from It's very beginning. He has de-
veloped a staff of legal advisers and
has managed to steer the board through
every important legal difficulty without
forcing court test. He has been hailed
by all who have dealt with him as fair,
reliable. diplomatic and efficient. Behind
the scenes he has tried to keep legal
problems from upsetting war production
and he has succeeded.
All the various executives who have
come and gone in the War Production
Board have found Mr.. O,Brian free from
political or economic bias and singularly
detached from the many feuds that have
ctCfucQ ali around IllIu.
World War Experience.
This wasn't Mr.. oBrian's first ex-
perience with war work. The writer
remembers Mr.. OBrian In the World
War when, though a Republican, he
was called to service under Democratic
Attorney General. 1t was Mr.. O'Brian,s
tact, influence and common sense which
in those days kept America from grow
ing intolerant on the legal side toward
persons who happened to differ in their
social philosophy from the prevailing
thought. He kept our Governments
efforts under the espionage laws from
sweeping down on innocent people.
This time, also as a Republican in q
Democratic administration, he has
served in the administrative side of an
other world war He could have stayed
at home and enjoyed a lucrative law
practice. When invited to come here
he could have begged of on the ground
that he was counsel in some very i'm
portant and highly complex litigation.
But he didn't.
Even before the war broke out, call
to public service at a sacrifice of time
and earnings did not go unheeded. The
present administration had a tough
case to fight in the Supreme Court-to
win constitutional approval for the big
gest and most far-reaching experiment
in public ownership of our times. the
Tennessee Valley Authority. Because
of his legal talents and the respect and
esteem in which the old Supreme Court
of the United States held Mr.. OBrian
he was asked to be one of Government
counsel He accepted and helped win
the case.
Politically, Mr.. OBrian has been
known as progressive Republican from
the days of Theodore Roosevelt He
was drafted a few years ago by the
Republicans in New York State to run
against Senator Wagner and it was a
distinct surprise to him. But again
though not familiar with politics and
having distaste for campaigning, he
accepted the call even though he knew
1t meant defeat.
Mr.. O'Brian Is the type of man best
suited for the administrative or judicial
side of the Government. He is one of
the able American lawyers who might
well have been chosen to become JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of the United
States. That is where he has belonged
these many years. For he is a liberal
with a conscience and sense of equity
and an objective view of the public
interest that knows no bias of class OIL
party.
Mr.. OBrian's resignation was accom-.
panied by the publication of no Deal
John" letter from the White House ano
no tribute from the Commander ir
Chief But that doesn't make th'
slightest difference to a man like Mr.
OBrian who when there is call Il
public service, will come back here n,
matter whether the present or any othe
President issues the summons. He ha.
left behind in WPB an efficient organ
ization of lawyers selected by him whit
can steer the boat without his presence
He has earned the right to leave ant
resume his law practice. But he ha
earned something more-a designation
as the type of public servant who
though unsung and unheralded by tn,
many, nevertheless performs modestl!
his duty to his country and inspires
others to do likewise.
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