The daily independent., 1937-08-05

William Green Displayed Cour-
age In Rescuing Wage-HOurs
Bill In Senate; His Own Exc
cutive Council Opposed 1t; He
Lacked Rank -And-File Sup
port; Issued Statement AS Fa-
vor To FDR; Both Disapprove
Bill Unless Revised; Nicholson
Hiring Linked To Fight For Big
Wattage BY Radio Station
WLW.
Washington-The inside story
of William Green's rescue of the
wages and hours bill in the Sen
ate gives you an idea of how much
The House Of Representatives will
be called upon to modify that
measure.
Had it not been for the mild
hammered little President of the
American Federation of Labor,
the bill now would be as dead as
the siX-judge Supreme Court
bill. Roosevelt can thank Green
and no one else.
What is more, Green's support
MOI only was decisive, but it was
an act of real courage.
There have been times when
certain White House mogulS prl-
vately have spoken disparagingly
Of Green's courage. But on this
test, when nCS only would it have
been easy, but to his personal ad-
vantage, to have ducked, Green
went down the line 100 per cent.
Nerve
L required nerve on Green's
part because a powerful group
in his own Executive Council was
diametrically opposed to him. Led
by John P. Frey, pugnaclouS boss
of the Metal Trades department,
this group had Stormed the Sen
ate, and had the wages and hours
bill practically defeated.
Their action constituted the
first time in the history of the
A. F.. Of L.. that members of its
Executive Council have openly
gone over the head of their Pre-
Sidcnt and opposed him OH a ma
jor legislative question.
What made i. doubly courage
Gus of Green to oppose them was
the fact that he no longer has
his membership il the United
Mine Workers, also lacks rank
and file support inside the Fed
Grafton. Therefore, to retain Of
flee he must depend on the good,
will of his Executive Council.
Nevertheless. when Roosevelt
huyriedly summoned Green anC
asked him to save the bill. he die
not stall or spar. His reply wa,
straightforward.
Il want to be frank with you
Mr.. President" he said. The bill
is not in a satisfactory form. II
was considerably revised in com
mittee and is not The Legislation
1 endorsed when l appeared me-
fore the committee. However,
don't want to do anything to ,hurt
YOU
You ask me to extend a help
ing hand. and out of Friendship
and goodwill to you I shall do so
But, again. wan. to be frank.
shall do so on the understanding
that if the bill is not revised il
the House TO meet our demands
shall be free to diSapprove of it.
That is entirely satisfactory
Bill" the President replied The
bill is no. what l want. either. But
it seems to be the best we car
do in the Senate and we vii
make every effort to better it in
the House"
A half hour later, Green sent
Senator Hugo Black, AdminStra-
ton floor leader on the legiSia
lion, the statement that cut the
ground from under Frey and re-
vived the bill.
Busy Lady
The death Of her veteran col
league, Senator Joe Robinson, has
redoubled the work of Mrs. Hat
tie CaraWay.
She has always been one of the
busiest members of Congress, for
in addition to a heavy mail from
her own State, she receives hun
dreds Of letters from women all
over the country. A large per-
centage of these letters are from
wives of veterans.
Mrs. CaraWay takes great pains
with her correspondence, arriving
at her office early in the morn
ing and working late ut night to
handle it. This is necessary be-
cause Of her rule to be in her seat
throughout the duration of every
session Of he Senate of the three
major committees of which she is
member. She has one of the best
attendance records on Capitol
Hill.
Since Robincon's death the
whole burden Of Arkansas affairs
has fallen on her shoulders, and
her mail has become so heavy
that she has had to employ three
additional StenographerS.
Charley Nicholson
The reasons behind CroSley
Radios hiring of Charley Mich