Evening star., 1944-05-27
Ward Case Attack
10 Bring
Public Hearings

<aAAA11AiAool obAO1 CuPpOl tClo . dlC CAs
pected to seek public hearings be-
fore the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee next month in an effort to re-
verse the singing attack made by q
special subcommittee yesterday on
the Governments handling of the
Montgomery Ward labor dispute.
After receiving the report yester-
day, the full committee voted to give
all interested parties until June IL
to file briefs or to ask to be heard
for or against the report, in which
the subcommittee held the President
had no constitutional or statutory
authority to take over the mail order
house. The report also criticized the
procedures followed by the War
Labor Board, National Labor Rela-
tions Board, and the Secretary of
Commerce in the case.
To Be Made Issue.
Meanwhile, there were indications
the case will become an issue in
the coming election campaign, as
Senator Moore, Republican, of
Oklahoma announced he will fire
an opening gun" for the Republi-
can National Committee in a radio
talk on the mail order seizure at
10:45 tonight.
Attorney General Biddle, whose
legal advice to the President on
the Ward case was challenged by
the subcommittee, replied that the
subcommittee findings were 'ab-
|surd," and protested the failure of
the Senators to hear him before it
reported.
President Roosevelt, when advised
that the report had suggested Cons
gress might change the law to make
decisions of the WLB sub3Ect to
court review, indicated he f1uaGlat
the plan impractical. ''
Poses Question.
What would happen to the poor
devils who were out of work in a
labor dispute. he asked, if decision
had to be appealed to the District,
Circuit and Supreme Courts and
then be subjected to an inquiry by
q. Senate Committee?
Meanwhile, new cycle began IL,
the Ward case when the WLB called
FG hearing for next Wednesday to
determine whether the terms Of the
old contract covering employees at
the Chicago plant should be ordered
extended pending the negotiation Of
the new agreement.
In kilograms to company officials
and the CIO United Mail Order,
Warehouse and Retail Employees, the
board said 1t had voted to hold q
public hearing, "at which the parties
are directed to appear and show
cause why the terms and conditions
OF their expired contract should not
continue to govern their relations
pending the negotiation Of a new
agreement by the parties or until
the further order Of the board"
The last WLB order, which re-
suited In Government seizure of the
plant because the company regused
to comply, had ordered extension of
the old contract only until there had
been a new determination of the
exclusive bargaining agent. The
Government released the plant at
the conclusion of the balloting, and
1t later developed that the CIO
union had won majority.
Called "Star Chamber"
Mr.. Biddle likened the Senate
subcommittee's investigation to
star chamber methods"
mo cases are cited in the report, -
Mr.. Biddle asserted, 'in concluding
that the President did not have the
constitutional powers to act in the
Montgomery Ward case. The sub
committee makes no reference to
the Supreme Court cases which
clearly recognize such powers ..*."
Mr.. Biddle said he had referred
the subcommittee to those cases
since he had mentioned them in a
brief filed in the Ward case.
The Attorney General also cited
an opinion of the United States
District Court for the Western Dis
trict OF Kentucky, which held that
without an act Of Congress there
was sufficient authority by the
terms of the Constitution itself to
Justify" the Federal seizure of a
Kentucky tube and lamp corpora
| ton.