Resignation Of Burke Accepted

Resignation Of Burke Accepted
(News Washington Bureau) LANSING - Governor Williams today accepted the resignation of George J. Burke, Ann Arbor attorney, from the State Civil Service Commission and began hunting a successor.
Burke tendered his resignation yesterday in a letter to Williams in which he bitterly protested criticism of the meritragency's policies.
O Williams lauded Burke & "loyalty” and “ competent ability and expressed "sympathetic understanding, because, when he accepted reappointment he felt he might not be able to serve a full term.” Reappointed In 1948
Burke had served on the commission since it was first formed in 1941 and was reappointed in 1948. His term was to have run through 1956.
"I will write him (Burke) in the reasonable future, telling him that he has served the commission loyally and with competent ability," Williams stated.
The governor said he had no successor in mind. Political _observers pointed out, however, that the appointee must be a Democrat and a strong advocate of civil service, as was Burke,
The non-partisan board has been traditionally composed of two Republicans and two Democrats. Burke's resignation leaves it one Democrat short. The appointment does not require Senate confirmation. Labor Wants Place
Involved in the picture is the fact that organized labor has been clamoring for a place on the merit board, which supervises state personnel policies.
Also complicating matters is the "Kunzig affair”, in which the Michigan Supreme Court has supported the Civil Service Commission's reinstatement of Louis A. Kunzig as executive director of the Liquor Control Commission after the Liquor Commissions abolished his job.
It was this incident that led directly to Burke's decision to resign, complaining as he did so against criticism levelled at the Civil Service Commission because of its stand on the issue.