Evening star., 1950-09-16
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Denhum
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mitted to Congress was one which
would have abolished Mr.. Den
hams independent office. placing
the authority given the general
counsel by Taft Hartley directly
under the five-man board. Con-
gress refused to approve the plan.
NLRB Complains.
NLRB members complained last
spring that their differences over
Interpretation made it nearly i'm
possible for them to administer
Taft-Hartley. They charged that
Mr.. Denham frequently had ig-
nored their rulings and had even
taken opposing views in court.
although his Office was charged
with enforcement of board rulings.
Since that time the situation has
become worse.
Organized labor has bitterly
attacked Mr.. Denham and on
numerous occasions has demanded
that the President fire him. In
some quarters it was said that
labor had been given assurance
that, sooner or later, the general
counsel would receive his walking
papers. On the other hand,
management and industrial or
ganizations rallied to the general
counsel's support.
Herzog Named in Fight.
There was one story to the effect
that in July NLRB Chairman
Paul M. Herzog, who had wanted
to leave the Government, agreed
to appointment for another five
year term on condition that Mr..
Denham would not be around
long.
In any event, it was a fact that
the battle between the general
counsel and board had created an
impossible administrative problem
at NLRB. In order to straighten
out the situation it was clear that
Mr.. Truman would have to oust
one side or the other.
The resignation of Mr.. Denham
was certain to bring several reper-
cussions against the administra-
ton which earlier in the week
was forced to release Defense Sec
retary Johnson.
Taft Charges Attack on Law.
Senator Taft. Republican. of
Ohio, co-author of the labor rela-
tionS law, was already on record
in the matter. He charged that
the forced resignation of Mr.. Den
ham was but another attempt on
the part of the President to null
lily the Taft-Hartley lava law
which it (the administration
cannot get repealed by Congress
and to kill the laws attempts to
secure impartiality in the NLRB's
handling of labor management
problems. 1t is clear that the ad-
ministration has yielded again to
the Political Action Committee
of the CIO in a blatant bid for
votes"
1t was said that administration
advisers long have debated
whether It would be better to re-
lease Mr.. Denham while Con-
gress was in session or wait until
after adjournment. One source
said that the matter was pushed
this week because it was believed
that Congress would adjourn right
away. But there was strong senti-
ment among Mr.. Truman's advis-
ers to face the issue boldly and
act while the legislators were still
around.
Was Trial Examiner.
Mr.. Denham, Republican, was
a trial examiner for the NLRB
before he was appointed general
counsel. His job of enforcing pro-
visions of the aft-Hartley Act,
which include severe restrictions
on union activity. is one which
would be unpopular with organ
lied labor regardless of the indi-
vidual who occupied the post.
Because of that situation it was
said that Mr.. Truman is encoun-
tering difficulty in obtaining a
successor to Mr.. Denham. One
person mentioned for the job was
Ivar Peterson. secretary to Sen
ator Morse, Republican, of Ore
gon. Mr.. Peterson was assistant
general counsel of NLRB before
Taft Hartley when that post was
under the board. ....
Mr. Denham and the board diff
fered widely over many matters
including the direction of person.
mel and the scope to which Taft
Hartley provisions should be ap-
piled over American industry, es-
pecially small and local enter
prises. Mr.. Denham generally
held the position that the board
should take jurisdiction over
nearly all labor management re-
lations.