Evening star., 1939-05-05
Keller Asks Calling
Of Liberty Lawyers
In Labor Act Hearing
Seeks to Determine
If Conspiracy Existed
Against Legislation
. By JOHN C. HENRY.


Norton of the House Labor Com
mittee to subpoena three or four
Liberty League lawyers" for ques-
tioning as to whether they had en-
gagged in a conspiracy" to destroy
the National Labor Relations Act.
Mr.. Keller's request, later modified
to "invite" rather than subpoena
came during spirited defense OF the
Labor Act and the Labor Relations
Board in the process of questioning
Representative Hartley, Republican,
of New Jersey, sponsor OF bill OF
amendments to the act.
Revisionists Attacked.
Representative Fries, another 1lli-
nois Democrat, also attacked busi-
ness groups seeking revision OF the
act, naming the United States
Chamber of Commerce and the Ma
'tional Association of Manufacturers
as doing all they can to poison the
minds Of the American public
against the Labor Relations Board.
Although Mr.. Lartley's bill Is
identical with the A. F. Of L.-sup-
ported amendments and contains
provision permitting employers to
petition for employe elections, the
New Jersey Representative said he
did not believe such feature is
in his measure. He added, further,
that he does not favor allowing
employers to petition.
Discussing the suggestion in the
Hartley bill that employers be per-
mitted to interfere" in employe
organization, Mr.. Keller expressed
himself as surprised that A. F. OF l..
lawyers would draft such pro-
visions"
He promised that the New Jersey
Representative would receive an
astonishing amount OF opposition
from A. F. of L. unions to the fed-
Grafton amendments.
Numerous A. F. of l.. unions have
written the Senate Labor Committee
in opposition to federation amend
ments.
Despite industry pressure for out
right repeal of the wage-hour law
as we'll as extensive revision OF the
Labor Act, expressed most recently
in resolutions approved yesterday by
the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, ad-
ministration leaders in the House
are making clear their determine
ton to forestall such developments,
at least in the present session.
Already decided on certain amend
ments to the Wage-Hour Act, the
House Labor Committee has been
withholding their consideration on
the floor in hopes of getting a sus-
pension Of rules or special rule
by which the House membership
would be prevented from tinkering
with the recommended changes or
doing anything calculated to pull
some teeth from the Labor Standards
Act.
Until such protection is assured
Chairman Norton, Democrat, of New
Jersey has indicated she will keep
the amendments out of the line of
fire.
Plenty Time Urged.
AS for the Labor Relations Act
changes, Mrs. Norton told reporters
yesterday that she would favor
spending the rest of this session
hearing both sides, and then let
opinion crystalize during the fall"
Similar tendency toward making
haste slowly on this piece of legisla-
ton has been expressed on the Sen
ate side where although hearings are
considerably more advanced at least
another month of receiving testi-
mony is assured Senator Burke,
Democrat, of Nebraska and sponsor
of one of the most widely supported
set of amendments, said last week
that he did not expect action this
session unless Congress were here
through the summer.
Any alteration of the wage-hour
law is even more remote in the
Senate, however, where there has
been no consideration of the subject.
Comments on Position.
After passage of the chamber reso-
lutions yesterday, w. Gibson Carey
jr., new president of the organiza-
ton. told reporters that these steps.
along with stimulation of the free
flow of risk capital" were needed to
encourage private investment ana
assure industrial recovery.
The 42-year-old head of the Yale
& Towne Manufacturing Co. SAID
the chamber not only would take
its case directly to Congress, bur
would try to convince the public of
its value.
Discussing the recommendation
for fundamental changes in the
Wagner Act, Mr.. Carey said he
nevertheless had recognized foc
years the right of workers to COL
lective bargaining.
Questioned as to the main reason
for advocating repeal of the wage
hour law. he replied:
1T is the idea of government con-
trolling basic economic processes of
the country. An essential require
ment OF the whole capital system is
that it be kept fluid"
House Hearings Continue.
The House Labor Committee, at
its session today, heard, in addition
to Representative Hartley, Repre-
sentative Anderson, Democrat, of
Missouri.
Following the lead of many others
seeking revision of this act, Mr. An
derson grounded his case principally
on criticism of the Labor Board,
suggesting that the present agency
not only be abolished, but that re-
vamped law be enacted.
"The conduct of this board in its
adjudication is worse than any kan
garoo traffic court in the land" the
ST. Louis Congressman told the
committee today. 'The Labor Board
in its decisions has disregarded the
evidence and even gone so far as to
create illusions of violation by in
sinuating evidence that never ex-
listed in the record.
There has been, and charge