Evening star., 1934-05-31
WAGNER REVIEWS
LABOR BILL Teeth
Predicts Passage After Re-
storing Controversial
Amendments.
BY the Associated Press.


Two amendments designed to re-
store some Of the provisions Of the
original Labor Board bill were in
troduced today by Senator Wagner,
Democrat, Of New York, author Of
the proposal for outlawing unfair In
dustrial practices.
One of the amendments would per-
NIT the proposed Industrial Adjust
ment Board to hear complaints of
unfair labor practices on its own
initiative, without waiting for action
by the Department Of Labor.
The other would restore some of
the mediation powers conferred upon
the board in the original bill, but
transferred to the Labor Department
under the revised measure approved
by the Senate Labor Committee.
Expects Early Passage.
After introducing the amendments,
Wagner told newspaper men he ex-
pected the bill to be passed at this
session.
With the situation confronting us
and no machinery to handle it,"
Wagner said. there must be legisla-
ton of this kind
The Senator explained that, under
the bill as reported by the committee,
the Industrial Adjustment Board
would be able to hear no charge of
unfair labor practices until the Sec
retary Of Labor had submitted COM
plant.
He said he wanted the board to be
side body and added his amendment
would permit the board. on its own
initiative or on complaint Of any in
terested party. to hear evidence on an
unfair labor practice.
Provides for Mediation.
The other amendment, Wagner said,
| would permit the board to use Labor
Department conciliators to mediate, If
1t saw a chance to settle a strike
Wagner would not interfere with
the bills provision placing all con-
ciliators under the Labor Department,
but said in considering a dispute in
| volving unfair labor practices, the
board might find a chance to settle
other issues and should have the
! power to do so.
Chairman Connery Of the House
Labor Committee said he believed his
committee would speedily report out
the Wagner measure for House action
| II the Senate should pass it.
The possibility the House Commit
tee might insist on a hearing to the
more drastic provisions Of its own
measure faded yesterday. Committee
members indicated that because there
was q desire to enact some form of
industrial adjustment legislation into
law this session, the House would GO
/ along with the Senate measure in
virtually unchanged form.
Those supporting the general pur-
pose of the Wagner act saw in de-
velopments of the last 48 hours aug
| mented reasons for passing the bill
They pointed particularly to the
| threat of general strikes in the steel
and textile industries.
Criticism of the labor bill came
from Henry /. Hartman, president of
the Chamber of Commerce Of the
United States, and James E. Emery.
general counsel of the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers. Emery as
serted the measure was mot calculated
for industrial peace but to incite dis
agreement.
Opposes Action Now.
| Hartman said Congress Should
undertake no legislation Of this kind
| now"
The more moderate provisions of
the labor BILL" he said of the amended
measure. "only tend to make less
prominent the fundamental objections
to this legislation; they do not lessen
the objections"
Emery particularly deplored a Sec
| ton which he said defined as an un-
fair practice an attempt by an en-
ployer to discourage an employe from
joining any labor organization.
"Communistic unions" Emery said,
"exist on every side. They continual
ly foment labor disturbances. While
dealing with employers respecting
working conditions. they excite strife,
| incite violence, stimulate discomfort
and aim at the subversion Of political
and social institutions by force"