The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-07-01
WOULD PURGE
LABOR UNIONS
OF FOREIGNERS
Vandenberg Thinks Public
Rights Paramount
in Unrest

WASHINGTON, July /. (UP)
Sen. Arthur Vanderberg, r.,
Mich, has announced he is plan
ming this week to offer three
amendments to the Wagner Labor
Act which would ban "quickie'
walk-outs, purge unions of for
eigners, and remove the cause OF
the strike in Little Steel by re-
curing written collective bargain
ing contracts.
In announcing his plans, Van
denberg conceded that he. might
be going too far in some direc-
tions and not far enough in 9TH
ers. But, he said, he is convinced
that the best welfare of labor it
self required a conclusive study
of the whole related problem.
Moderate projections now may
prevent radical restraints later,
Vandenberg warned. "In the final
analysis the public interest IS par
amount. There can be but one
sovereignty-the sovereignty OF
governmental this country"
Vandenberg's first amendment
proposes to broaden the Wagner
Act so that employers, as well as
the workers, may demand an cleo
ton under the direction Of the ma
tional labor relations board to de-
termine majority rule for the pur-
pose of establishing collective bar
gaining representatives. 1t would,
likewise, permit subsequent re-
peated elections at the option OF
either party upon the termination
or the breach of a contract.
Under the law today only the
worker can call for an election
and no provision is made for cleo
tons at the expiration of con-
tract. Labor leaders vigorously
opposed an amendment of this
kind when the Wagner Act was
before Congress. They contended
that employers, with strongly en-
trenched company unions, would
utilize the provision to demand
elections before the trade union
lists could try to organize their
workers. .....
The second amendment, which
would require written agreements
between employers and the unions
also specifics that strikes could
be called only by a majority vote
E of all employees. The amendment
further proposes that if a breach
of contract is not corrected upon
order of the labor board, the
board is to be empored to declare
the union an outcast and torstop
the collection Of dues and assess
ments during the period of disci-
pline. ~
Trade unions always have bat
tied against any congressional
Imitation on the right of the
workersto strike. The unions are
not required to disclose the
amount of dues they have in their
respective "war chests% nor do
they pay taxes on this money.
Dues and assessments are the lie
blood of the unions and thus labor
leaders would fight as hard
against any limitation on this
phase of their activities as on
their right to call the workers out
on strike. -,
The third amendment would
% Prohibit compulsory political
assessments upon union members;
(2) require that all officers,
agents and representatives OF
unions shall be citizens of the
United States; 60 forbid the
unions from using threats, intimh-
dation, coercion or physical Vio-
lence in their organization cam
paigns; (4) forbid strikes "for
the purpose of coercing or forcing
any person to violate any contract
or the laws of any state Of the
United States"
The United Mine Workers OF
America, headed by John L. Lewis
who also is field marshal Of the
committee for industrial organi-
cation, contributed 100000 to
President Roosevelt's reelection
campaign fund. The money was
raised by assessments placed on
the 100000 union miners.
"There are four parties to a
collective bargaining dispute I'M
der the Wagner Act-the major
ity employees, the minority en-
ployes, the employer and the pub
lie" Vandenberg said "The Wag.
ner Act ably defends the first. II
seems to me that it now must ac-
knowledge the rights of the three
others"
Action on Vandenberg's amend
ments probably will not come IN
to this session. Administrator
leaders have made no secret OF
the fact that they do not want
the Wagner Act amended until II
has had what they describe as
"fair chance to operate. Its opera
tions were seriously hampered oy
court actions before the U. ). Su-
preme Court upheld it.