Evening star., 1947-08-01
NLRB Chief Counsel,
I New Members Vow
To Uphold Labor Act

Two new members and a chief
counsel of the National Labor Rela-
tions Board took the oath of Office
today and promptly joined with
the three other members in promis-
ing to do our utmost to make every
provision" of the Taft-Hartley
Labor Act work effectively.
The new board members are Abe
Murdock, former Democratic Sen
ator from Utah. and j. Copeland
Gray, labor relations counsel of Buff
falo, N. Y.
The chief counsel Is Robert N.
Denham, former NLRB trial exam
iner.
Mr.. Denham, in an interview be-
fore the swearing-in ceremony
mildly criticized the attitude of
certain unions which have an
nounced they will ignore the board
because of the new act.
Board Enlarged by Act.
The three recess appointments
made by President Truman late yes
terday, are provided in the Taft
Hartley Act which raised the board
tc a f1ve-man body and greatly in
creased the powers of the chief
counsel, giving him authority to act
independent of the board in many
instances.
Municipal Court Judge George D.
Nelson administered the oaths of
Office to all three men at board
headquarters on Connecticut avenue
near H street.
Mr.. Murdock, whose appointment
was opposed in some quarters on
the grounds that he was too friendly
to labor, said, after taking the
oath, he thought it was "healthful"
to have bill debated thoroughly,
but once it. becomes law ut then
behooves every good citizen to
accept" it.
He said he hoped and prayed the
purposes of the bill to promote
better labor management relations
would be achieved.
Mr.. Denham said the law had "a
fair, honest and honorable objective
and a wel-deflned purpose"
Thomas of Utah Present.
Mr.. Gray said he was proud to
have been chosen by the President
and would do my best" to admin
lister the law impartially.
The ceremony was attended by
members of the NLRB staff and
friends of the appointees, including
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah, who helped draft the National
Labor Relations Act.
In brief speech, Senator Thomas
said the board had to fight for its
life from the beginning but that
1.-The judges and the gods saw It'll
through" He said American leader
ship in raising the standards of
living throughout the world need
not be backward now because OF
the changes" in the law.
Mr.. Denham said in his interview
that he cant commend" the atti-
tude Of the unions. but that theirs
was a normal reaction"
He feels that "the sane, balanced
Judgment of union leadership for
which I have a great deal of re-
spect," eventually will realize the
unions have more to gain than TO
lose by recognizing the NLRB.
Threaten to Shun NLRB.
The CIO Steelworkers and some
other unions, angry over the labor
law, have announced they won't
use the new NLRB, either to ask
for plant elections or to file charges
of unfair practices against employ
ers. This will not, however, prevent
EMPLOYERS from filing charges
against the unions, starting August
%.
Mr.. Denham. commenting on these
unions attitude, said:
"It was not an unnatural imine-
diate reaction. They have had a
great deal OF liberties, and it was
only natural to cry out just as you
do if somebody sticks pin In you.
l can't commend it, I think it's
mistake. But it's a normal reaction.
The recess appointments were
necessitated when their original
nomination failed of confirmation
before the Senate adjourned. Their
present status would enable them
to serve through the end Of the
next session of Congress in the
absence of Senate action.
The three holdover board members
are Chairman Paul Herzog, John |