St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-04-20

league board and membership
slate nominated by petition
was considered a victory for
the administration of John G..
Simmons, president of the
league.
Six of the eleven board men,
bers selected by the league were
reelected. Five other new men,
bers favorable to the present ad-
ministration were named. Results
are considered indicative of COM
munity approval of the action of
the board in past months.
Contest for board places was
precipitated by the dismissal on
Feb. 20 of James T. Wardlaw as
executive secretary of the league.
Mr.. Wardlaw was dismissed after
three months of board meetings
and after a study conducted by
the National Urban League re-
search department.
Supporters of Mr.. Wardlaw
and the executive himself charged
his dismissal was precipitated by
persons who had personal grudges
against him. In two instances,
once in a letter to the member
ship and in a report to the league,
Mr.. Wardlaw made charges that
agitation against him was in
spired by certain individuals in
GLIDING John G. Simmons, board
president; Cecil Newman, the edi-
tor of the Spokesman and Re-
corder papers, a board member,
Talmadge B. Carey, A. B. Cassius
and others on the board whom he
charged did not like his militant
position on housing and commun-
ity problems.
The So page study by j. Har.
vey Kerns of the National Ur-
ban League reported Mr.. Ward
law has apparently lost the sup
port Of the majority of the
board because Of poor public
relations, administrative lag
and inept handling of staff
problems as evidenced by the
resignation Of william Seabron,
Industrial secretary.
The board majority, including
its president have kept silent on
the controversy, apparently feel
ing that the best interests of the
league, and the dismissed secre-
tary also would not be best SER
we'd by a public controversy.
Each member of the majority
on the board has disavowed that
personal considerations on their
part influenced their vote in the
Wardlaw dismissal. Every op-
portunity was presented, one
members said, to allow the de-
posed employee to resign.
It was understood that the Ma
tional Urban League was prepar-
ed, If the termination had been by
resignation, to seek another post
for Mr.. Wardlaw in another city.
This may yet be accomplished.
However, the controversy and tur-
moil involving his dismissal
might have harmed such oppor-
tunity.
Six applicants have been sub.
mItted for the executive secre-
tary post. After a new secretary
is employed the board Is expec-
ted to then begin a search for
the No. 2 spot In the league, the
important industrial secretary
ship, which was vacated some
months ago by William Sea-
bron
The opposing slate nominated
by petition was organized by AL
bert Allen. Milton C. Williams,
Rev. Louis w. Johnson and Allie
B. Glenn, according to reliable
sources. All are league members.
johnson is a member of the board.
Some of the candidates whose
names were submitted told this
newspaper that the slate was
pledged to work for reconsidera-
ton of the Wardlaw dismissal.
One Candidate Drops Out
Arthur Murray, operator Of
Murray's Restaurant and Cock
tail Lounge, 20 South Sixth St.
asked that his name be dropped
from the slate Tuesday afternoon.
He told a league official that he
had not authorized the use Of his
name. Mr.. Murray told a reporter
for this paper that he was too
busy TO serve on the board" II