Evening star., 1941-11-30
BY ]. a. O'LEARY.

A week OF congressional conflict
over variety of bills to curb labor
trouble in defense plants will open
in the House tomorrow with legisla-
tion including the 60-day "cool-o =
period believed TO have the best
chance.
On the eve of the battle, Majority
Leader Mccormack last night gave
his personal Endorsement to the
House Labor Committees Norton
Ramspeck bill, which embodies the
60-day waiting period. accompanied
by voluntary mediation and definite
authority for the President to take
over factories when all other ef-
forts fail.
At the same time, Representative
Smith. Democrat. of Virginia,
author of a more drastic substitute
bill. charged in a statement that
labor leaders are preparing to gather
on Capitol Hill to threaten members
of Congress with political defeat
"if they vote their honest convic-
tions on strike legislation
Norton Bill Praised.
Mr.. Mccormack emphasized he
was speaking only for himself, but
in other quarters it was indicated
administration forces will put their
strength behind the Labor Com
mittee bill, which is less drastic
than some others that will be pro-
posed.
The Norton bill" said Mr.. Nc
Cormack, "is the best bill, in my
personal opinion, providing for
period of reason. and adequately
meets the conditions that require
consideration at this tmie."
Prospects are the House will
vote on the issue Thursday or Fri
day and that the Senate will be
ready to begin debate Thursday and
run over into next week. In the
Senate the Connally bill is the first
to be reported from the Judiciary
Committee. 1t has the further ad-
vantage that its essential feature
the taking over of plants where dis
putes cannot be settled-has al
ready been incorporated in the
House Labor Committee bill.
First Vote Likely Thursday.
Under the parliamentary situa-
ton in the House. the first vote
may come Thursday on the more
drastic Smith bill, which places re-
strictions on strikes in defense
plants and would suspend the bene-
fits of the National Labor Relations
Act and of the social security pro-
grams in the case of persons who
violate these conditions.
One of the conditions in the
Smith bill would make it unlawful
to strike against a defense plant
until the Secretary of Labor had
taken a secret ballot and found
majority of the workers for the
strike. 1t also would confine picket
ing to persons who were employed
in a plant Immediately preceding
the labor dispute.
AS showdown neared on the
issue, William Green, president of
the American Federation of Labor,
sent letters to all members of Con-
gress asking them to vote against
any "anti-strike legislation"
Reiterating that the A. F. L. had
adopted an official mo strike" policy
in defense industries, Mr.. Green
said, THE enactment of such leg
islation will cause widespread re-
sentiment among the membership of
the American Federation of Labor
and all their friends"
c. 1. o. Meeting Called.
Also opposing enactment Of any
of the proposed measures, the G.
I. o. has called meeting of repre-
sentatives of its affiliates here to-
morrow.
In his statement last night Mr..
Smith described as "goon squads"
the labor groups he said were pre-.
pairing to oppose anti-strike legis-
(See LABOR, Page A-3)