Evening star., 1950-09-17
Denharn Resigns Posi
As Counsel Of NLRB
AT Truman Request
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Continued From First Page.)
unless a successor to Mr.. Den
ham is named quickly there is
grave danger. that most Govern
ment labor relations machinery
will bog down.
In his letter accepting the res
ignation, the President made no
mention of a request to Mr.. Den
ham to resign. But the general
counsel made it clear that he
was ousted. He said Mr.. Tru-
man had requested his resigna-
ton forthwith"
Taft Act Blamed.
The President blamed the Den
ham labor board battles on the
Taft-Hartley Act which he said
creates an administratively un-
workable arrangement, which in
vites confusion and conflict be-
tween the general counsel and
the board" But he added that
he must try to inforce the law
and he could not allow the inter-
agency Squabble to continue.
Mr.. Denham brought his battle
with the five-man board into the
open in a speech last winter. He
charged that the board by it's rul-
ings and interpretations was in
effect repeating the Taft Hartley
Act. He added that some board
decisions were biased in favor of
unions.
At that time, the President re-
solved to do something about the
situation. He sent to Congress a
reorganization plan which would
have abolished Mr.. Denham's in
dependent Office and placed its
responsibility directly under the
board. Congress refused to ap-
prove it.
Mr.. Denham's letter to the
President was mild in tone. He
recited some of the differences he
had had with the board and added
that he had tried to administer
Taft Hartley as Congress intended.
'Futflity Discouraging."
"The futility indicated by such
conditions is discouraging," he
said, but does not justify an
abandonment of the principles
that have governed me in my
administration of the act pursuant
to your original instructions.
However, you have now seen
fit to request my resignation
forthwith. In obedience to your
wishes I feel that I must comply.
However, I cannot emphasize too
strongly that while I have held
this Office my administration has
been one of honest and faithful
adherence to your instructions,
and loyalty to the act and to my
oath in all respects.
"It is inconceivable that could
consider engendering further pub
lie confusion by failing to comply
to your request"
Mr.. Denham concluded that the
President could accept the resie-
nation at his convenience since
the law does not provide for any,
one to act when the general coun-
sells post is vacant. But Mr.. Tru-
man accepted as Of tomorrow
afternoon.
Called to White House.
The general counsel was called
to the White House several times
last week by John r. Steelman,
the assistant to the President.
While Mr.. Steelman was silent,
friends of Mr.. Denham said he
learned from Mr.. Steelman that
the President was forcing him out.
Mr.. Denham, 64, was appointed |
to the post by Mr.. Truman in
August. 1947, shortly after Con-
gress passed the Taft-H Hartley law
which restricts activities of
labor unions-over a presidential
veto.
The new labor law split the
NLRB virtually into two agencies
the general counsels Office and
the board-giving each specific
functions in supervising labor
management relations. The gen.
eral counsel was the laws police
man" and prosecutor and was
given direction over most of the
personnel. Board responsibilities
were confined to hearing cases ini-
tiated by the counsel and process
ing petitions for collective bar
gaining elections.
Very early Mr.. Denham in
Cured the wrath of labor by
ruling that top officials of the
AFL and CIO must file non Com
munist affiidavits if any of the
member unions were to have pro-