C. G. Linke to John A. McKinney on J-M's Asbestos Positions and the Facts (1979)

A four-page confidential memo of January 12, 1979, from C. G. Linke of Johns-Manville's public relations staff to chairman John A. McKinney, copied to F. J. Solon, Jr. "The situation confronting Johns-Manville and asbestos has changed dramatically in recent days," Linke writes: "Instead of defending against a 'legacy of the past', now the integrity of present-day management is being severely challenged." Favorable compensation legislation would not pass if Congress doubted the company's credibility, he warns, and "We must now face reality and ask ourselves whether or not we are playing semantic games in constructing our defense."

What it shows

Linke set nine company positions against what he called the facts. Against "Prior to 1964 we lacked scientific knowledge about cancer hazards of asbestos," he wrote, "In mid-50's JM officials knew of scientific studies showing a relationship between cancer and asbestos." Against the claim that J-M had "come clean" with employees since 1964, he cited a 41-year employee with "a spot on his lung according to the Littleton Clinic, but no one at JM has ever communicated with him about it or warned him of dangers," and another who said it was company practice "into the early 70's not to tell a person about his illness." He added that workers in Mexico "are not being protected." He urged an outside review reporting to an outside director, a board committee on health, and surprise industrial hygiene inspections, and closed: "John, we must stop acting like the wronged woman."

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

C.G. Linke (J-M Public Relations) memorandum to J.A. McKinney, 1/12/79, recommending a new approach to responding to public criticism. Linke states that the "situation confronting Johns-Manville and asbestos has changed dramatically in recent days. Instead of defending against a 'legacy of the past,' now the integrity of present day management is being severely challenged." J-M's credibility is crucial if favorable legislation on compensation is to be passed. "We must now face reality and ask ourselves whether or not we are playing semantic games in constructing our defense. . . ."

Linke then lists J-M's position on certain issues and what Linke believes are the true facts (which contradict J-M's position). One important position of J-M's is that since 1964, it has 'come clean' with employees about asbestos hazards." Linke states that in fact, "[a] current 41-year employee of J-M has called me to say that he has a spot on his lung according to the Littleton Clinic, but no one at J-M has ever communicated with him about it or warned him of dangers." Linke states that "[i]t is time to stop rationalizing our position and determine from the reasonably prudent man's viewpoint what is reality."

Linke makes some recommendations to McKinney to consider in addition to his "28-point plan" which he previously recommended. "John, we must stop acting like the Wronged Woman and begin communicating and demonstrating what I believe to be your genuine concern for the general well-being and health of our own and our customers' employees and the general public."