Roger Lowell Putnam
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Roger Lowell Putnam (December 19, 1893 – November 24, 1972) was an American politician and businessman. A member of the prominent
Lowell family The Lowell family is one of the Boston Brahmin families of New England, known for both intellectual and commercial achievements. The family had emigrated to Boston from England in 1639, led by the patriarch Percival Lowle (c. 1570–1664/1665). ...
of
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, he served as
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...
, from 1937 until 1943, and as director of the Economic Stabilization Administration from 1951 until 1952. During his short tenure in federal office, the nation's steelworkers struck—leading United States President
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
to seize the nation's steel mills. For 40 years, Putnam was also the sole
trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, refers to anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the ...
of the
Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark ...
. During that time, he purchased three new telescopes for the observatory and was instrumental in pushing Lowell astronomers to search for Percival Lowell's theoretical "Planet X"—which led to the discovery of
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of Trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the Su ...
in 1930.Hoyt, ''Planets X and Pluto,'' 1980.Tenn, "Lowell Observatory Enters the Twentieth Century—In the 1950s," ''Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage,'' 2007.


Early life and education

Roger Lowell Putnam was born on December 19, 1893, in Boston. He was the son of
William Lowell Putnam William Lowell Putnam II (November 22, 1861 – June 1924) (more commonly known as William Putnam Sr.) was an American lawyer and banker. Biography Putnam was the son of George and Harriet (Lowell) Putnam. He graduated from Harvard in 1882, ...
II, a notable and wealthy Boston lawyer. The Putnams were members of the
Boston Brahmin The Boston Brahmins are members of Boston's historic upper class. From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, they were often associated with a cultivated New England accent, Harvard University, Anglicanism, and traditional Britis ...
s—a group of families which claimed descent from the founders of Boston. On his mother's side,
Percival Lowell Percival Lowell (; March 13, 1855 – November 12, 1916) was an American businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who fueled speculation that there were canals on Mars, and furthered theories of a ninth planet within the Solar System ...
(the noted astronomer) and
Abbott Lawrence Lowell Abbott Lawrence Lowell (December 13, 1856 – January 6, 1943) was an American educator and legal scholar. He was president of Harvard University from 1909 to 1933. With an "aristocratic sense of mission and self-certainty," Lowell cut a large ...
(president of
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
from 1909 to 1933) were his uncles and the cigar-smoking poet
Amy Lowell Amy Lawrence Lowell (February 9, 1874 – May 12, 1925) was an American poet of the imagist school. She posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926. Life Amy Lowell was born on February 9, 1874, in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughte ...
his aunt."New Economic Stabilizer", ''Time'', December 10, 1951Putnam, ''A Yankee Image: The Life and Times of Roger Lowell Putnam'', 1991 Roger Putnam graduated from the
Noble and Greenough School The Noble and Greenough School, commonly known as Nobles, is a coeducational, nonsectarian day and five-day boarding school in Dedham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. It educates 638 boys and girls in grades 7–12. The school's campus border ...
in Boston, and then attended Harvard University. He became acquainted with
Leverett Saltonstall Leverett Atholville Saltonstall (September 1, 1892June 17, 1979) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He served three two-year terms as the List of Governors of Massachusetts, 55th Governor of Massachusetts, and for more th ...
while at Harvard, joined the
Hasty Pudding Club The Hasty Pudding Club, often referred to simply as the Pudding, is a social club at Harvard University, and one of three sub-organizations that comprise the Hasty Pudding - Institute of 1770. The current clubhouse was designed by Peabody and ...
and the
Fly Club The Fly Club is a final club at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was established in 1836 and operated as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi before becoming a local organization in 1906. History Fly Club was founded in 1836 at Harvard ...
, and graduated
magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...
with a degree in mathematics in 1915."Blue Bloods v. Blue", ''Time'', September 28, 1942. He entered the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
in 1916 and undertook graduate studies in mechanical engineering. After the United States entered World War I in 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS, Mississippi, BB-41, 6 and was promoted to lieutenant, j.g.Marcus, ''Truman and the Steel Seizure Case: The Limits of Presidential Power'', 1977. After leaving military service, Putnam married the former Caroline Jenkins on October 9, 1919. The couple had six children: Caroline, Roger Jr., William, Anna, Mary, and
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
. Putnam took a job working for a
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...
, shipbuilding company. He left that position after a short time to become a salesman for the Package Machinery Co. of West Springfield. He rose quickly within the company's ranks, becoming president in just eight years. During the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, Putnam used his personal wealth to develop new machinery—keeping employment high. He also instituted
profit sharing Profit sharing refers to various incentive plans introduced by businesses which provide direct or indirect payments to employees, often depending on the company's profitability, employees' regular salaries, and bonuses. In publicly traded compa ...
, gave his employees
life insurance Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typical ...
and instituted a bonus plan. Putnam was named chairman of the board at Package Machinery in 1942, where he remained until 1948.


Role in discovering Pluto

Through his uncle, Percival Lowell, and his own father, Roger Putnam gained a love of astronomy and was an amateur astronomer for most of his life. Percival Lowell died in 1916. He named Harcourt Amory (his cousin, college roommate and best friend) and his wife, Constance Lowell,
executor An executor is someone who is responsible for executing, or following through on, an assigned task or duty. The feminine form, executrix, is sometimes used. Executor of will An executor is a legal term referring to a person named by the maker o ...
s of his
estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representativ ...
. Although Constance Lowell received a $150,000 lump-sum payment, a generous yearly income, and her husband's personal property (including their opulent Boston home), the
Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark ...
received the bulk of Lowell's money. Amory, meanwhile, was also named the sole trustee of the Lowell Observatory. Constance Lowell felt the will was unfair and went to court to break it. After convincing Amory to resign as trustee, Constance Lowell also induced George Putnam (Roger's older brother) to decline the position. Constance Lowell then named
Guy Lowell Guy Lowell (August 6, 1870 – February 4, 1927), was an American architect and landscape architect. Biography Born in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, Lowell was the son of Mary Walcott (Goodrich) and Edward Jackson Lowell, and a member of B ...
, Percival Lowell's third cousin, as trustee—believing she could dominate him. But Guy Lowell fought Constance's attempt to break the will. The lawsuit was settled in Guy Lowell's favor in 1925, but not before the estate had spent more than half its $2.3 million trust fund. The lawsuit left the observatory with few funds for research or for the purchase of new equipment. Guy Lowell died in 1927, and the trusteeship of Lowell Observatory passed to Roger Putnam. Percival Lowell had predicted the existence of a "Planet X"—a possible ninth planet—in 1905, but his subsequent death in 1916 and Constance Lowell's lawsuit had largely mothballed the search for the celestial body. Putnam, however, was determined to find "Planet X." Spending several months a year at the Lowell Observatory, Putnam resolved to build a new
refracting telescope A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens (optics), lens as its objective (optics), objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptrics, dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope d ...
and
astrograph An astrograph (or astrographic camera) is a telescope designed for the sole purpose of astrophotography. Astrographs are mostly used in wide-field astronomical surveys of the sky and for detection of objects such as asteroids, meteors, an ...
at the Observatory to revive the search. The reluctant staff hesitated to spend the Observatory's limited funds on the new telescope until Putnam forced the issue. To fund construction, Putnam persuaded his uncle, Abbott Lawrence Lowell, to provide $10,000 for the new telescope. To save money, Putnam ordered the mounting to be built on-site in the observatory workshop rather than by a contractor. Observatory Director V. M. Slipher designed the telescope. When one of the lens components was ground too thin, a new component had to be built. Putnam paid the $6,000 replacement cost out of his own funds. The new telescope was used by
Clyde Tombaugh Clyde William Tombaugh (; February 4, 1906 – January 17, 1997) was an American astronomer best known for discovering Pluto, the first object to be identified in what would later be recognized as the Kuiper belt, in 1930. Raised on farms in ...
in the search for "Planet X." On February 18, 1930, Tombaugh discovered a new
planet A planet is a large, Hydrostatic equilibrium, rounded Astronomical object, astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets b ...
—which was named Pluto on May 1. Putnam's political and business interests lessened the amount of time he could devote to the Lowell Observatory in the 1930s and 1940s. The Observatory's three senior
astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...
s—V. M. Slipher, E. C. Slipher and C. O. Lampland—were no longer doing much research or publishing and prevented other, younger astronomers from using the telescopes. Lampland died on December 14, 1951, and Putnam decided to use the occasion to bring in some new blood. Putnam hired Albert Wilson, a
Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private university, private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small g ...
astronomer who had led the
Palomar Sky Survey Palomar may refer to: Places * Any of several locations in San Diego County, California: ** Palomar Mountain *** Palomar Mountain, California, an unincorporated community ** Palomar College in San Marcos, California *** Palomar College Transit Ce ...
. Although Wilson clashed with Observatory personnel and resigned after only two years on the job, with Putnam's support he greatly modernized the Observatory's procedures, policies, and equipment. Most importantly, he instituted a mandatory retirement age of 70 and resilvered the Observatory's
Ritchey–Chrétien telescope A Ritchey–Chrétien telescope (RCT or simply RC) is a specialized variant of the Cassegrain telescope that has a hyperboloid, hyperbolic primary mirror and a hyperbolic secondary mirror designed to eliminate off-axis optical errors (Coma (optic ...
(now named the John Hall Telescope). When Wilson came under attack for laying off
photoelectric The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from a material caused by electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light. Electrons emitted in this manner are called photoelectrons. The phenomenon is studied in condensed matter physic ...
research staff, Putnam publicly reaffirmed his confidence in him. As Putnam searched for a new director, he almost put the Lowell Observatory under the control of Harvard University.
Donald Menzel Donald Howard Menzel (April 11, 1901 – December 14, 1976) was one of the first theoretical astronomers and astrophysicists in the United States. He discovered the physical properties of the solar chromosphere, the chemistry of stars, the atmos ...
, director of the
Harvard Observatory The Harvard College Observatory (HCO) is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United St ...
, offered to move Harvard's telescope to the Lowell Observatory in exchange for naming the next director. Putnam was initially receptive to the idea, but after consulting with several young astronomers (most notably Harold Johnson), Putnam decided against a collaboration with Harvard. Determined to continue the modernization program begun by Wilson, Putnam hired astronomer
John Scoville Hall John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
as director in 1958. Hall took advantage of the launch of
Sputnik 1 Sputnik 1 (, , ''Satellite 1''), sometimes referred to as simply Sputnik, was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program ...
in October 1957 and the ensuing
Sputnik crisis The Sputnik crisis was a period of public fear and anxiety in Western nations about the perceived technological gap between the United States and Soviet Union caused by the Soviets' launch of '' Sputnik 1'', the world's first artificial sate ...
in the United States to seek greatly increased federal funding for the Observatory. Putnam used his extensive political connections to help Hall land lucrative federal contracts, which significantly improved the Observatory's finances. Hall also hired energetic, bright young astronomers and rebuilt the Observatory's reputation as a research institution. In 1961, Putnam managed to make an indirect contribution to the study of
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...
. E. C. Slipher had taken an enormous number of photographs of Mars, but most of them remained unseen by others. Determined to restore the Observatory's prestige, Putnam badgered Slipher into making these images available. In 1962, Slipher's monumental work, ''A Photographic History of Mars (1905–1961),'' was published, marking a major advance in the
planetary science Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of ...
of Mars. Putnam also played a major role in securing a new telescope for the Observatory in 1961.
Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University (abbrevriated OWU) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Ohio Valley, Centra ...
's
Perkins Observatory Perkins Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It is owned and operated by Ohio Wesleyan University. In 1931 it had the third largest telescope in the World; the 69 inch aperture Perkins telescope came onli ...
in
Delaware, Ohio Delaware is a city in Delaware County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located near the center of Ohio, about north of Columbus as part of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 41,302 at the 2020 census. Delaware ...
, had a
cassegrain reflector The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and Antenna (radio), radio antennas, the main characteristic being that the optical path folds back onto itself, ...
telescope which was under-utilized due to poor viewing conditions and low elevation. Putnam led the negotiations which permanently moved the telescope to Lowell Observatory's
Anderson Mesa Anderson Mesa (Navajo language, Navajo: Hosh Dikʼání) is approximately five mesas long, located 20 miles southeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, United States, east of Lake Mary (Arizona), Lake Mary and north of Mormon Lake, in Coconino County, Arizo ...
site (in
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
). The telescope was operated by Lowell Observatory in partnership with the
Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...
and Ohio Wesleyan, and purchased by Lowell in 1998.Oliver, "Perkins Telescope," ''Sky and Telescope'', October 1981 Putnam brought Perkins's telescope to the Arizona observatory as well. The Observatory's existing telescope had cracked in 1964 while staff attempted to update its optical system. The Perkins mirror did not stay at Lowell for long, returning to Perkins' control in 1969. The Lowell Observatory retained the mount, however. Hall won Putnam's approval to rebuild the mount as a telescope, and a new, improved
Zerodur Zerodur is a lithium-aluminosilicate glass-ceramic manufactured by Schott AG. Zerodur has a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and is used for high-precision applications in telescope optics, microlithography machines and inert ...
mirror built and installed (it is still called the "Perkins telescope", however). One of Putnam's last major contributions as trustee was the establishment of the Lowell Observatory's Planetary Research Center. In 1961, Putnam convinced
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
officials to fund a major planetary research initiative at the Lowell Observatory. In 1965, NASA agreed to build the Planetary Research Center at Lowell to house the rapidly growing project. Roger Putnam retired as trustee of the Lowell Observatory in 1967. His youngest son, the classicist Dr.
Michael C. J. Putnam Michael Courtney Jenkins Putnam (born September 20, 1933) is an American Classicism, classicist specializing in Latin literature, but has also studied literature written in many other languages. Putnam has been particularly influential in his publ ...
, succeeded him.


Political career

A Republican early in life, Putnam voted for
Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
in
1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...
. He switched parties and remained a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...
for the rest of his life. Putnam became increasingly active in politics through his business ventures. In 1933, he sat on a commission which helped draft Massachusetts' first
unemployment compensation Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is the proportion of people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for Work (hu ...
act, which
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Joseph B. Ely signed into law in 1934. Putnam was elected mayor of Springfield three times—in 1937, 1939, and 1941. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in 1942, but lost to Republican
Leverett Saltonstall Leverett Atholville Saltonstall (September 1, 1892June 17, 1979) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He served three two-year terms as the List of Governors of Massachusetts, 55th Governor of Massachusetts, and for more th ...
54% to 45%. In 1946 he ran for Lieutenant Governor, but lost the Democratic nomination to Paul A. Dever.


Federal service

President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Putnam to be deputy director of the Office of Contract Settlement of 1944. Established by the
Contract Settlement Act A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more Party (law), parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, Service (economics), services, money, or pr ...
(58 Stat. 651; July 1, 1944) and part of the
Office of War Mobilization The Office of War Mobilization (OWM) was an independent agency of the United States government formed during World War II to coordinate all government agencies involved in the war effort. It was formed on May 27, 1943, by Executive Order 9347. ...
, Putnam helped settle claims arising from terminated war contracts during World War II. Putnam served in that capacity until the office was abolished by
executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of the ...
9809 on December 12, 1946. In 1951, President Harry Truman appointed Putnam administrator of the
Economic Stabilization Agency The Economic Stabilization Agency (ESA) was an Government agency, agency of the United States Government that existed from 1950 to 1953. The creation of the ESA was authorized by the Defense Production Act (, 64 Stat. 798), which was signed into ...
(ESA). After the outbreak of the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, the
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...
enacted the
Defense Production Act The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 () is a United States federal law enacted on September 8, 1950, in response to the start of the Korean War.Congressional Research ServiceThe Defense Production Act of 1950: History, Authorities, and Con ...
. Title IV of the Act gave the president the authority to impose wage and price controls in progressive steps. The ESA was established on September 9, 1950, when Truman issued Executive Order 10161, which established the ESA and charged it with coordinating and supervising wage and price controls. After Congress amended the Defense Production Act in July 1951 to permit looser price controls, ESA Administrator
Eric Johnston Eric Allen Johnston (December 21, 1896 – August 22, 1963) was a business owner, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, a Republican Party activist, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and a U.S. governm ...
quit in frustration six weeks later. Putnam was named his replacement in November after Truman's first choices for the office refused to take the job.


The steel seizure crisis

Putnam faced an immediate crisis as head of the ESA. The collective bargaining agreement between the
United Steelworkers of America The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers (USW), is a general trade union with members across North America. Headqua ...
and the nation's major steel manufacturers was to expire on December 31, 1951. Yet few negotiations had taken place. Steelmakers refused to grant any wage increase without a guarantee that the
Office of Price Stability An office is a space where the employees of an organization perform Business administration, administrative Work (human activity), work in order to support and realize the various goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a po ...
(OPS), a subdivision of the ESA, would grant a price increase to match. The union, however, was pushing the
Wage Stabilization Board The Wage Stabilization Board (WSB) was an independent agency of the United States government whose function was to make wage control policy recommendations and to implement such wage controls as were approved."Executive Order 10161, September 9, ...
(WSB), another ESA agency, to grant the workers a significantly higher wage. President Truman and Putnam were convinced that the key to taming
inflation In economics, inflation is an increase in the average price of goods and services in terms of money. This increase is measured using a price index, typically a consumer price index (CPI). When the general price level rises, each unit of curre ...
was to break the price/wage spiral in which higher wages pushed prices higher, only to induce workers to seek even higher wages to overcome the inflation in prices. Putnam worked feverishly for six weeks to settle the steel talks. He ordered his subordinates at OPS and WSB to meet with the union and manufacturers and to call meetings of both sides. He also coordinated settlement efforts with
Cyrus S. Ching Cyrus S. Ching (May 21, 1876 – December 27, 1967) was a Canadian-American who became an American industrialist, federal civil servant, and noted labor union mediator. He was the first director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Ser ...
, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, but the talks failed. Putnam then urged President Truman to personally intervene in the steel crisis and use his influence with union leaders, which he did on New Year's Eve.
Philip Murray Philip Murray (May 25, 1886 – November 9, 1952) was a Scottish-born steelworker and an American labor leader. He was the first president of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), the first president of the United Steelworkers ...
, president of the Steelworkers, subsequently postponed the strike for 45 days beginning January 3, 1952. The steel crisis issue was now out of Putnam's hands. In Executive Order 10233, President Truman had expanded the WSB's powers in April 1951. To ease the threat of strikes and make the Board's wage stabilization efforts easier, the Board was now authorized to make recommendations on economic and non-economic issues in collective bargaining disputes—a power it had previously lacked. The Board could not, however, force parties in a labor dispute to accept its findings. When making recommendations, the Board was authorized to report only to the president—bypassing Putnam and his superior, Charles Edward Wilson, administrator of the
Office of Defense Mobilization The Office of Defense Mobilization (ODM) was an independent agency of the United States government whose function was to plan, coordinate, direct and control all wartime mobilization activities of the federal government, including manpower, economi ...
(of which ESA was a part). As one incentive to get the union to postpone the strike, Truman agreed to let the WSB investigate the labor dispute and invoke the direct presidential reporting provisions of E.O. 10233. While the Wage Stabilization Board conducted its hearings, Putnam was forced to replace the administrator of OPS.
Michael DiSalle Michael Vincent DiSalle (January 6, 1908September 16, 1981) was the 60th governor of Ohio, serving from 1959 to 1963. A Democrat, he was a member of the Toledo City Council and served as the 46th mayor of Toledo from 1948 to 1950. Early lif ...
, the OPS administrator, had announced his resignation in the fall in order to run for the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
. Putnam and Truman agreed to replace DiSalle with
Ellis Arnall Ellis Gibbs Arnall (March 20, 1907 – December 13, 1992) was an American politician who served as the 69th Governor of Georgia from 1943 to 1947. A liberal Democrat, he helped lead efforts to abolish the poll tax and to reduce Georgia's votin ...
, a former governor of
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
. The issues involved in the steel wage case were so complex that the Board extended its deadline for issuing a decision by 30 days. The union also agreed to put off its strike until the Board acted. During this time, Putnam met repeatedly with
White House staff The Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP) comprises the offices and agencies that support the work of the president at the center of the executive branch of the United States federal government. The office consists of s ...
to keep them abreast of developments at the Board and price negotiations between OPS and steel manufacturers. When the Board issued its recommendations on March 20, 1952, it triggered a crisis which led to seizure of the nation's steel mills. The decision to give the workers a 26 cent-an-hour raise (which included bringing their pensions to parity with workers in other industries) was largely seen as an overly-generous award as well as a union victory. Although he had been bypassed by the procedures of E.O. 10233, Wilson decided to intervene in the dispute to avoid having the terms of the recommendation accepted. He met with Putnam and Arnall on March 21 and informed them he would be involved in the steel industry labor dispute personally. Wilson then traveled to
Key West, Florida Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Islan ...
, to meet with a vacationing Truman. Believing he had won Truman's consent to reduce the wage recommendation, Wilson subsequently denounced the WSB recommendation and sponsored a number of collective bargaining sessions between the parties over the next few days. An angry Putnam and his deputies met with Wilson on March 27. Wilson Putnam, and his deputies then met with the president on March 28, at which time Putnam told Truman that the WSB recommendations met wage stabilization goals and that Wilson's actions were inappropriate. Truman agreed; Wilson resigned.
John R. Steelman John Roy Steelman (June 23, 1900 – July 14, 1999) was the first person to serve as "The Assistant to the President of the United States", in the administration of President Harry S. Truman from 1946 to 1953. The office later became the White ...
, Assistant to the President of the United States (a position which later became the
White House Chief of Staff The White House chief of staff is the head of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, a position in the federal government of the United States. The chief of staff is a Political appointments in the United States, politi ...
), was named interim director of the Office of Defense Mobilization on March 30. Negotiations between Steelman's staff, employers and the union unraveled over the next seven days, and the union announced it would strike on April 9. In a nationally televised address at 10:30 p.m.
Eastern time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. * Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...
on April 8, President Truman announced that he was seizing the nation's steel mills under his authority as commander-in-chief. The steelmakers sued to regain control of their property. As the case wound its way through the courts, Putnam attempted to restart negotiations and avoid a strike. On April 23, he personally ordered a $3-per-ton increase in the price of steel. Although the award was higher than the $2.75-per-ton price increase permitted by law, it was lower than the $4.50-per-ton increase last offered to the steelmakers by Arnall 10 days earlier and far lower than the $12-per-ton increase the steelmakers were publicly claiming was needed to make up for the WSB's wage recommendation. An angry Congress began investigating the Truman administration's wage and price stabilization program. Putnam engaged in a public war of words with Wilson after Wilson testified that authority to hear labor disputes should be taken away from ESA, WSB and other stabilization agencies. On June 2, 1952, the
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
ruled in '' Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer,'' 343 U.S. 579 (1952) that the president lacked the authority as commander-in-chief to seize the steel mills. The union struck the next day. The strike lasted 53 days. Although Putnam was involved in presidential efforts to resolve the dispute, Truman's personal aides were primarily responsible for intervening in the strike. The steelmakers and the union reached a tentative agreement on July 24, 1952, after Truman threatened to use his powers under the
Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, also known as the Burke–Wadsworth Act, , was the first peacetime conscription in United States history. This Selective Service Act required that men who had reached their 21st birthday ...
to draft the steelworkers and turn the steel mills into military installations. After just a few hours of negotiations, the parties settled on essentially the same terms offered by the WSB four months earlier. Putnam was outraged by the steel manufacturers' behavior during the steel crisis. He felt the steelmakers had held "a loaded gun poised at the Government's head" and that the employers' publicly stated reasons for forcing the union on strike were "hollow" and pretentious. :Some day, I hope we shall know the real motives behind the mysterious conduct of the steel industry in this tragic incident. Some day, perhaps we will know why this strike was dragged out for 53 days only to be settled on substantially the same wage ''and price'' terms which the companies could have had nearly four months ago.


Remaining tenure at ESA

The steelworkers' strike made Putnam work much harder to maintain the Truman administration's wage and price stabilization program. Putnam was forced to give aluminum workers a 21.4 cents an hour wage increase just days later in order to avoid a strike. But he later imposed new wage restrictions on nine large classes of small businesses and strict limitations on the kind of Christmas gifts employers could give to workers in order to avoid a spike in inflation. Congress stripped the WSB of its labor dispute adjudication powers in the wake of the steel seizure crisis. Putnam struggled to keep union representatives on the new board, and to find industry representatives willing to serve. He succeeded in fully staffing the Board, but the wage stabilization program continued to disintegrate. A revolving door at the top of the ESA and its key agencies worsened the situation. Nathan Feinsinger, the chairman of the WSB, resigned in July 1952. Putnam appointed
Archibald Cox Archibald Cox Jr. (May 17, 1912 – May 29, 2004) was an American legal scholar who served as United States Solicitor General, U.S. Solicitor General under President John F. Kennedy and as a special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. During ...
as his replacement in August. Ellis Arnall resigned in early August, and Putnam appointed
Tighe Woods Tighe may refer to: * Tadhg, a given name * Tighe, former name of Burlington, California * Tighe, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Tighe (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) People with the given name Tighe

*Ti ...
, chairman of the federal rent stabilization agency, as his successor. A second labor wage dispute crisis hit in October 1952.
Bituminous coal Bituminous coal, or black coal, is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt. Its coloration can be black or sometimes dark brown; often there are well-defined bands of bright and dull material within the coal seam, ...
miners organized by the
United Mine Workers of America The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the Unit ...
had negotiated a wage increase of $1.90 per hour but no increase in fringe benefits (as other unions had). Without union knowledge, the coal operators submitted the agreement for approval to the reconstituted Wage Stabilization Board. Mine union president
John L. Lewis John Llewellyn Lewis (February 12, 1880 – June 11, 1969) was an American leader of Labor unions in the United States, organized labor who served as president of the United Mine Workers, United Mine Workers of America (UMW) from 1920 to 1960. ...
, angered by the lack of respect, refused to participate in the WSB's hearings despite Cox's pleas for union input. Reluctantly, on October 18 the Board cut the wage increase by 40 cents. Angry union coal miners engaged in a nationwide wildcat strike the next day. With the presidential election just weeks away, Lewis asked Putnam to take personal control of the coal miners' case on October 24, and Putnam did so on October 25. The strike ended. Putnam deferred action until after the election. When Lewis balked at further delay, Putnam threatened to rule against the union. Although Putnam, Cox and other stabilization and mobilization officials all eventually endorsed the lower pay award, Truman reversed the WSB on December 3. Cox and industry representatives on the WSB resigned in protest. The decision led to the collapse of the Wage Stabilization Board, and it quickly became clear that neither President Truman nor
President-elect An ''officer-elect'' is a person who has been elected to a position but has not yet been installed. Notably, a president who has been elected but not yet installed would be referred to as a ''president-elect'' (e.g. president-elect of the Un ...
Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
would seek to retain national wage and price controls. The coal pay dispute and the increasingly untenable position of the administration's wage and price control program led Putnam to resign as ESA administrator on November 6, 1952. Truman named DiSalle his successor until Eisenhower named a permanent replacement or Congress failed to renew the Defense Production Act. During his last months in office, Putnam continually defended the wage and price control program as necessary for the national welfare while conceding that neither Congress nor the next president (whether Truman or Eisenhower) would be likely to retain it.


Later life

After leaving federal service, Putnam returned to his position as chairman of Package Machinery. In 1953, Putnam became president of
WWLP WWLP (channel 22) is a television station in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, affiliated with NBC. Its second digital subchannel serves as an owned-and-operated station of The CW (via The CW Plus). Owned by Nexstar Media Group (majori ...
, Springfield's first television station.
WRLP-TV WRLP was a television station marketed in Greenfield, Massachusetts, which broadcast on UHF channel 32 from 1957 to 1978. For most of its history, it was a satellite of WWLP in Springfield. History Location WRLP came into existence because of ...
, WWLP's sister station, took its call letters from Putnam's name. Late in life, Putnam also served on the board of the Third National Bank of Hampden County and the board of the Van Norman Machine Tool Company (now part of the Kwik-Way corporation). Putnam believed higher education was the key to social uplift and the country's economic problems. Beginning in 1958, he served on the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges. In 1966, he served on the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education."Roger L. Putnam, 78, Truman Aide, Dead," Associated Press, November 25, 1972 Putnam also received honorary degrees from
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
(1949),
Saint Anselm College Saint Anselm College is a private Benedictine liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire, United States. Founded in 1889, it is named after Saint Anselm of Canterbury. As of 2024, the college's enrollment was 2,094 students. History ...
(1952), and the
University of Massachusetts Lowell The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell and UML) is a Public university, public research university in Lowell, Massachusetts, with a satellite campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts. It is the northernmost member of the University of M ...
(1970).


Death

Putnam died of a
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
at Mercy Hospital in
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...
on November 24, 1972, aged 78.


Legacy

*
Roger L Putnam Vocational-Technical High School Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy (formerly Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical High School) is an American vocational high school located in Springfield, Massachusetts, next to the Springfield High School of Science and Technology. ...
in Springfield, Mass., is named for hi

* Alumni House, the home of the Boston College Alumni Association, was renamed in 1967 in honor of Putnam, a benefactor of the college."Campus Guide. Alumni House", Boston College, January 2, 2003.


Notes


References

*"Aluminum Strike of 15,000 Averted" ''New York Times'' July 29, 1952. *"Arnall Is Reported Set to Resign Today" ''New York Times'' August 6, 1952. *Belair, Jr., Felix. "Woods Appointed Price Stabilizer" ''New York Times'' August 27, 1952. *"Blue Bloods v. Blue" ''Time'' September 28, 1942.
"Campus Guide. Alumni House." Boston College. January 2, 2003.
Accessed July 18, 2007 *Cochran, Bert. ''Harry Truman and the Crisis Presidency.'' New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1973 *Dubofsky, Warren and Van Tine, Warren. ''John L. Lewis: A Biography'' Reprint ed. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1992 *"Economic Stabilizer and New Wage Board Chairman" Associated Press August 1, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Arnall Appointed DiSalle Successor" ''New York Times'' February 8, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "DiSalle Appointed Stabilization Head" ''New York Times'' December 17, 195. *Egan, Charles E. "President Unable to Fill Pay Board As Industry Balks" ''New York Times'' December 14, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Putnam Discounts Inflation Spiral In Steel Price Rise" ''New York Times'' August 6, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Putnam Disputes Wilson Testimony" ''New York Times'' May 8, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Putnam Retiring From Federal Job" ''New York Times'' November 7, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Putnam Studying Coal Pay Petition" ''New York Times'' October 26, 1952 *Egan, Charles E. "Putnam Takes Over ESA As Its Problems Mount" ''New York Times'' December 2, 1951 *Egan, Charles E. "Truman Approves Miners' $1.90 Rise, Overruling Board" ''New York Times'' December 4, 1952 *"E.S.A. Chief Sees Controls Ending" ''New York Times'' August 11, 1952
"Hendricks Family Boosts Discovery Channel Telescope With Additional $5 Million Contribution" Press release, Lowell Observatory. March 19, 2007
*Hoyt, William Graves. ''Planets X and Pluto.'' Phoenix, Arizona: University of Arizona Press, 1980. *Lawrence, W.H. "New Englander Is Designated Economic Stabilization Head" ''New York Times'' November 27, 1951. *Leviero, Anthony. "Putnam Holds Hope of Saving Pay Board" ''New York Times'' December 9, 1952. *Loftus, Joseph A. "Miners End Strike on Order of Lewis" ''New York Times'' October 28, 1952. *Loftus, Joseph A. "Steel Price Ceiling Is Set $3 Higher By Putnam Order" ''New York Times'' April 24, 1952. *Loftus, Joseph A. "Wage Board Cuts Coal Pay Rise 40C to Bar New Round" ''New York Times'' October 19, 1952. *Loftus, Joseph E. "Wilson Asks Labor Disputes Be Taken From Wage Board" ''New York Times'' May 7, 1952. *Marcus, Maeva. ''Truman and the Steel Seizure Case: The Limits of Presidential Power'' New York: Columbia University Press, 1977 *Murray, James E. "Contract Settlement Act of 1944" ''Law and Contemporary Problems'' 10:4 (Spring, 1944). *"New Economic Stabilizer" ''Time'' December 10, 1951 *"9 of New Pay Board Take Oath of Office" United Press International August 6, 1952 *Oliver, R.C. "Perkins Telescope" ''Sky and Telescope'' 62:10 (October 1981). *Pierpaoli Jr., Paul G. "Truman's Other War: The Battle for the American Homefront, 1950–1953" ''Magazine of History'' 14:3 (Spring 2000). *Putnam, William Lowell. ''A Yankee Image: The Life and Times of Roger Lowell Putnam'' Phoenix, Ariz.: Lowell Observatory/Phoenix Publishing, 1991 *"Putnam Advocates Stand-By Control" Associated Press October 13, 1952 *"Putnam Backs Controls" ''New York Times'' December 20, 1952 *"Putnam Installed in Stabilizer Post" ''New York Times'' November 30, 1951 *"Putnam Lists Rules for Christmas Gifts" ''New York Times.'' November 1, 1952 *"Putnam Rules Out A Steel Price Rise Based On Pay Lift" ''New York Times'' December 15, 1951 *Raskin, A.H. "Mill Opening Sped" ''New York Times'' July 25, 1952 *Raskin, A.H. "New Labor Board Tackles Hard Job" ''New York Times'' August 10, 1952 *Raskin, A.H. "Steel Union Strike Is Again Postponed to Give Board Time" ''New York Times'' February 22, 1952 *Raskin, A.H. "Steel Union to Put Strike Off 45 Days on Truman Appeal" ''New York Times'' January 4, 1952 *Raskin, A.H. "U.S. Steel Mediation Deadlocked" ''New York Times'' December 21, 1951 *"Roger L. Putnam, 78, Truman Aide, Dead" ''Associated Press.'' November 25, 1972 *Slipher, E.C. ''A Photographic History of Mars (1905–1961)'' Flagstaff, Arizona: Lowell Observatory, 1962 *"Steel Is Held Able to Absorb Pay Ris." United Press International January 26, 1952 *"Talk of Decontrol Opposed By Putnam" ''New York Times'' November 29, 1952 *Tenn, Joseph S. "Lowell Observatory Enters the Twentieth Century -- In the 1950s" ''Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage'' 10(1) (2007) *"U.S. Out to Isolate Steel Price Rise" ''New York Times'' July 28, 1952 *Vawter, Roderick L. ''Industrial Mobilization: The Relevant History'' Park Forest, Ill.: University Press of the Pacific, 2002 *"Wage Curbs Are Eased" ''New York Times'' October 16, 1952 *"Wage Curbs Put on Small Concerns" Associated Press July 31, 1952 *Well, Martin. "Roger Putnam, Truman Economic Aide" ''Washington Post'' November 26, 1972 *Whitney, Robert F. "Johnston Will Quit Stabilization Post" ''New York Times'' September 3, 1951


External links


Lowell ObservatoryPackage Machinery Co.
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