Evening star., 1941-04-20
Vinson 10 Seek Rule
For Consideration Of
'CooIing-0ff' Bill
Administration Has Made
No Move to Sidetruck
Measure, He Says
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

BY GOULD LINCOLN.
Battle lines on and off Capito
Hill formed last night over the Vim.
son bill to curb strikes in plant,
engaged in national defense produc.
ton by providing a cooling of
period
Chairman Vinson of the House
Naval Affairs Committee, which has
ordered the bill favorably reported
TO the House, said he would ask the
Rules Committee Wednesday for q
special rule for consideration of the
measure by the House. His request
will be for Y hours of general de-
bate, to be followed by considera-
ton of the bill under the usual FIVE
minute rule. Mr.. Vinson predicted
the Rules Committee would grant
the special rule and that the House
would pass the bill.
No effort has been made by the
administration to sidetrack the bill
Mr.. Vinson said. However, he is
under no illusion regarding the at
titude of the White House toward
any strike legislation at this time
The President has made it clear he
wishes his new National Defense
Mediation Board to handle the situa-
ton.
Confers With Rayburn.
Mr.. Vinson has discussed proce-
dure regarding his bill with Speaker
Rayburn. If it is possible to obtain
the rule for its consideration early
enough Wednesday to have it printed
and submitted to the House, the bill
may be called up Thursday; if not,
then Friday. In any event, Mr.. VIM
son hopes for final action on the
measure the following week, al
though he admitted there might be
some delay.
Reluctance of the administration
to seek or approve anti-strike leg
islation has ben manifested on
many occasions when its represent
atives have appeared before con-
gressional committees. including the
House Judiciary Committee. which
has held exhaustive hearings on
the strike situation Sidney Hill
man and William Knudsen. heads
of the Office of Production Man
agement. Undersecretary of War
Patterson and others have ex-
pressed the opinion that it would
be better to go ahead without ad-
ditlonal legislation. The admins
tration's attitude was clearly ex-
pressed by Chairman Summers OF
,the Judiciary Committee in the
House Friday when he said; The
agencies of the Government that
,have the responsibility of prepar-
4, ing for national defense say they
do not want any additional legisla-
: ton. In other words, they have all
. the law now that they say they
: want to do their job"
. Passage Expected.
+. House Republican and Demo-
cratic leaders, however, last night
expressed the opinion that the Vim
son bill. probably with some amend
rents. doubtless would pass If tits
brought TO vote. so aroused has
the membership become over the
strike situation. They can see good
reason for cooling of" period,
during which conciliators and me-
diators would have opportunity to
avert a strike and shutdown of
plants working for national de-
tense.
1t Is presumed the administra-
ton leaders will make a checkup
of sentiment in the House If they
are convinced nothing can prevent
the passage of the Vinson bill they
may content themselves with max
ing the best show of opposition
they can without an intensive drive
to prevent a vote or passage of the
bill Even If the bill passes the
House, there is always the Senate
in which such legislation may be
delayed indefinitely.
Organized labor leaders. however,
are lining up strongly in opposition
TO the Vinson bill-or to any meas
ure seeking to limit the right of
immediate strike. They are strongly
opposed to the Vinson bill also be-
cause it provides for freezing the
open and closed shop conditions
as they now exist in plants, during
the period of the emergency. Philip
Murray, head Of the c. l. o. and a
member of the Presidents National
Defense Mediation Board, already
has gone on record as being strongly
opposed to the Vinson bill.
League Hits Legislation.
Iabors Nom Partisan League yes
terday published a pamphlet and
circulated it widely setting forth
the attitude of organized labor
against any legislation dealing with
strikes. 1t is entitled Who Causes
Strikes?" 1t urges all union mem
bers to start to work on their repre-
sentatives in Congress without de-
lay, in an effort to defeat any bill
such as that reported from the
House Naval Affairs Committee.
Send your Congressman and Sen
ators letters. resolutions, state
ments," foreword said Tell them
you are opposed to the anti-strike
and anti-union legislation. Give
them the facts to show how employ
ers are causing strikes through un-
fair treatment of workers and vio-
lation of the Labor Act"
The booklet insisted that employ
ers are responsible for more than
s5 per cent of the strikes and for
other delays in production. En-
ployers, it said, have provoked strikes
BY "flagrantly violating the labor
act. through illegal anti-union acts"
1t argued that many strikes could
have been prevented by forbiddlng
Government contracts to violators
of the labor act.
Profits Are Cited.
Other employers, it said, have
provoked strikes by refusing to pay
a living wage, despite enormous
profits" This last, it said, applies
to practically every strike in the
aircraft industry, which increased