Evening star., 1941-12-04
Labor
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cious instrument of oppression con-
coCted in haste by the avowed enc
mics Of labor. 1t was adopted in
anger by those whose minds were so
lnflamed against the eXcesses of a
single individual they sought 10 pun
lsh all American workers.
Il do not believe that the Smith
bill will ever become law. But if
II Goes I fear IL will have the
opposite effect from that intended
It will provoke strikes. not prevent
them. II will not stabilize industrial
relations but upset them.
America needs the willing and
patriotic services of its great army
OF workers to produce the weapons
Of defense. The overwhelming ma
lorlty Of these workers are far ahead
Of their Government in the realiza-
tion that national defense means
the defense Of their own freedom
and the freedom of labor the world
over.
Nothing so far proposed is more
certain TO Shatter that faith of
American workers and destroy their
morale than the Smith bill. The
A. F. L. will exert every resource
at its command TO defeat this
dangerous measure"
The Vice President. in referring
the bill TO the Labor Committee, took
the unusual step in explaining his
decision formally. Some Senators
had urged that the measure be re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
which had reported out the Connallv
bill. giving the President power to
seize plants when mediation fails.
At the same time. Senator Byrd.
Democrat, Of Virginia revealed he
will make fight in the Senate for
the bill.
Senator Byrd said he regarded
the House measure as far more eff
feCtive" than the Connally bill |
The House bill requires a secret
ballot Of all workers in a plant to
decide whether to strike, prohibits
violence in strikes the importation
of outside pickets or strike breakers,
and requires filing with the Govern
nent of detailed financial statements
by labor organizations.
In referring the bill, Mr. Wallace
made the following statement:
The chair announces that he has
given the most careful consideration
TO the reference of House Bill 4139.
He refers the bill to the Committee
on Education and Labor, rather than
TO the Judiciary Committee. Senate
Bill 2O54 was referred, as requested |
BY Senator Connally. to the Judiciary
Committee because of the property |
seizure aspects of the proposed leg
islation.
House Bill 4l39 as passed does not T.
contain these aspects. so therefore /.
there is no basis whatsoever for ref
erence to the judiciary Committee.
Even if it did contain the property .
seizure aspects there would be real
question as to the propriety of the .
reference of such bill as House Bill
4l39 to the judiciary Committee be-
cause of the fact that even in such
case the bill would still be predom-
inantly labor in nature"
Byrd to Ask Action.
Chairman Thomas of Utah of the
Labor Committee is due back from
New York tonight. Senator Byrd
said he would ask the chairman to
consider the House measure as the .
basis for whatever type of strike .
control the Senate sees fit to pass
The Virginian said he thought the
fact that the House passed the bill
by majority of more than 100 en-
titles it TO decision in the Senate.
If the Senate uses the House bill
as the vehicle for debate, 1t could
strike out all of the Smith provisions,
and substitute a plan of its own,
and the effect would be to put both
solutions in the hands of conferees
from both houses for final deter
IT, on the other hand. the Senate
should pass the Connally or some
other Senate bill without taking up
the House measure. a stalemate
would result, unless the House saw
fit to act over again by taking up
the Senate bill The usual course,
however, is for either body to work
on the bill passed by the other
branch. striking out any sections 1t
does not agree with and submitting
the differences to conference.
just before the Senate recessed
until Monday, Senator Taft. Repub-
lican. of Ohio. obtained unanimous
authorizing the Labor Com
mittee to make a report during the
week end recess if it reaches a con-
clusion within that time
The Senate is scheduled to begin
debate Monday on the two bills al
ready eported-Senator Connally's
plant seizure proposal. and the me-
diation plan put forth by Senator
Ball, Republican, of Minnesota. If ,
the House bill is to be used as the {
parliamentary vehicle for any action
taken by the Senate. il probably !
would have to be out of committee !
early next week.
n