The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-26


 reach the floor. But So effectively was the CIo-LNLP lobby organized that at least 100 congressman were persuaded to vote against the amendments, giving the labor forces one of the biggest victories in months.
 The real story of how the labor lobby worked is just now coming out. Congressman Howard Smith of Alexandria, Va, chairman of the House committee which investigated the National Labor Relations Board last year, referred to the lobby as a "goon scquad" but it was any, thing but that.
 The lobby was made up of the best-looking, the smartest, and the highest type of labor representa- tives that the c. I. O. unions could find. They were recruited from all over the country. They were care- fully schooled not only in what they were to say, but what they were not to say. The importance of being courteous to the congressman was stressed, and also the fact that there must be no threats, not even of withdrawal of labor sup- port at the next election.
 LOBBY
 LIEUTENANTS
 General credit for organization of labor lobby goes to four men John T. Jones, c. I O. legislative representative and director of La- bor's Partisan League; Lee Pressman, o. I. O. general counsel; Len DeCaux, editor of 0. I. O.. News; and a newcomer, Russ Nixon, an assistant to Jones. For the last five years Nixon has been at--of all places-Harvard University, getting himself Ph.D. degree, doing 1t- tie teaching in labor relations, act- ing as secretary of the Massachu- sets branch of the LNLP. He has been in Washington only a few months, but if the organization of this type of labor lobby is in any sense his work, the affable young man will be heard of further.
 Organization of the lobby began on Friday, June 13. The Vinson bill, providing for cooling-off periods and arbitration of labor disputes, was scheduled to be called up in the House for June g. The four men named above, decided that some- thing had to be done to check the flood of "anti-labor" legislation be- ing proposed in both Houses, sent out calls on Friday the 18th to over 30 of their international unions, asking them to send in four or five of their best men for two weeks work in Washington Then the Vim son bill was laid on the table and the Connally-May amendments substituted.
 Nothing much happened during the week of June 29-July 5, and tn original delegations went home, but not before c. I. o. headquar- ters had sent out call for a July 2 meeting in Washington of six picked legates from each c. I. O. international and two from each LNLP state headquarters. Tn all, about 250 came to town. They were immediately given a course in how to lobby, without benefit of the usual lobbyists tricks = the cock tail party with entertainment. This was strictly an open, business hours lobby.
 TURNING ON
 TRE PRESSURE
 The men were split up into geo. graphical units. They were given lists of the congressman from their states and lists of the unions in each congressman's district. They were told where the congressmen's offices were, and they were told the procedure for calling congressman of the floor and buttonholing them in the corridors of the Capitol itself. There were some amusing sidelights here: Some of the labor men, re- spectfully, didn't think they should bother the honorable congressman while they were in session. The boys got over that as soon as they were shown congressman mapping in the cloak-rooms, reading newspapers on the floor, and in general playing horse all over the place.
 Where the going was a little tough, wires went out to the local unions in the congressman's home district. And wires came back from the To- cal unions to the congressman, tell ing him how his constituents felt about this legislation. This double pressure will get almost any con- gressman, almost every time, and 1t worked here, perfectly.
 The strictly amateur character of the lobby was one of it's strongest assets. There wasn't & lawyer in the bunch, and 1t didn't operate as Hobbies usually do, with form letters and city slickers. Some of the lobby ists were talked out of their posi- tions on the first call on their con- gressman, but they came back to headquarters got new answers, and went back to outtalk even the con- gressrnau.
 A NEW,
 PERMANENT FORCE
 When the votes were counted. the Connaiiy-May measure was licked by 60. c. l. o. headQnagteTs' tally takes credit for switching at least 100 votes.
 But the important thing is that the labor forces have learned trick. They haven't the money to cali in c lobby Ike this fog every measure they don't like. But they can do it again when they think it necessary hgaiFist the Vinsou blll, the Bail blll the neynelds blli, Afl~ other afax blil, the Disney bill e anr of flle cllelo