Labor Commissioner John J. Del Monte refused yesterday to hand over to the State Senate a report he received from Stanley P. Teele, professor of Business Administration, and now faces a possible Senate contempt citation.
The report, which deals with Massachusetts industrial ills, was given to Teele and five other members of a special industrial committee for evaluation Teele, however, possessed the last available copy after Del Monte regained sesion of the other five.
Received In September
Teele originally received the report in September and, along with other Greater Boston economists, was supposed to return the report to Del Monte for Senate consideration. But the committee delayed and the Senate became irked.
Members of the Senate attempted on Tuesday to get the final copy from Teele. But inquiring Senators discovered that Teele was out of his office for the day Earlier, Del Monte called Teele and, according to Teele, said he would "like to relieve me of embarrassment" by getting the copy back.
In the evening, an employee of Del Monte's came to Teele's home and picked up the copy. Yesterday, Del Monte reported to the Senate that he has all six copies in his possession, but added: "I will not produce one report."
Senator Charles J. Innes, Republican floor leader, said that Del Monte and members of his commission were "clearly in contempt." Del Monte replied that his commission was set up under a provision that prohibits the legislative branch from interfering with the Department of Labour and Industry--under which his commission comes.
The report was originally prepared last spring by a research organization.
Teele said yesterday that he was asked by Del Monte to make a comparison of this report with others. Other college economists also studied it. It is understood, that the report, which has been kept supposedly secret, states that Massachusetts is no better off now in its relations with the world market than it has ever been. The main cause of this, the report says, is high taxes which have driven big businesses out of the state.
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