THE ADMINISTRATION: The Pipe Fitter Disconnects

When Martin Patrick Durkin resigned last week as Secretary of Labor, an old union colleague remarked: "Like any old steam fitter, he knew when the pressure got too high." The pressure had been building up for a long time in several boilers—including Martin Durkin's.

Eisenhower had promised labor some revision of the Taft-Hartley law, and his appointment of Durkin was a concrete example of his intention to keep that promise. Besides, Ike had come to like burly, earnest Martin Durkin. Sitting in on a White House discussion of Taft-Hartley, Ike had said:...

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