Evening star., 1943-01-30
The Political Mill
New Hobbs Bill indicates Thot Congress
Is Determined to Halt Labor Rocketeerino

selves-equivalent to the union
wage scale for days work.
Some Of these union members
took the money and offered to
do the work OF driving and ,in-
loading the trucks while they
were In the city-and some of
them did some of the work.
Others took the money and the
owners and drivers declined to
let them work, and still others
took the money and made no
offer to work at all.
The court held that a provision
in the Anti-Racketeering Act of
June IS, 1894 which says that
"the payment OF wages by bona
fide employer to bona fide en-
ployee" is not to be considered a
crime and must be construed as
giving exemption to the union
and its members. The opinion Of
the court was handed down by
former Justice Byrnes, now eco
nomic administrator.
Chief Justice Stone, dissenting,
said that the implications in the
opinion. 'if valid would render
common law robbery an innocent
pastime." The Chief Justice
harshly scored the racketeering
activities Of the union. He in
sisted that when Congress had
the Anti -Racketeering Act under
consideration, mo member of
Congress and no labor leader had
the temerity to suggest that
such payments, made only to Sc
cure immunity from violence and
Intentionally compelled by as
sault and battery, could be re-
garded as the payment Of wages
by bona fide employer or that
the compulsion of such payments
is a legitimate object of labor
union, or was ever made so by
any statute of the United States"
Terms REDEEMED.
The Hobbs bill redefnes the
terms robbery" and "extortion"
obtained in the existing Anti
Racketeering Act and eliminates
the phrase which exempts the
payment OF wages by a bona
fide employer to bona fide en-
ploye" which was the basis of the
Supreme Court decision. Penal
ties for violation of the law are
fines Of not more than $4,000 or
imprisonment for not more than
20 years.
A minority report. opposing the
bill was again filed, signed this
time by Representative Celler,
Democrat, Of New York, and
Representative Lane, Democrat,
OF Massachusetts,. Mr.. Celler
signed the minority report in the
last Congress, along with former
Representative Eliot OF Massa-
chusetts. The minority report is
practically the same as that of
last year, except that it gives de-
tailed figures to show the success
OF the pledge given by leaders of
organized labor not to strike dur
ing the war. 1t says that the sue
cess of the mo strike" pledge
removes whatever. alleged evils
are said to require the passage
OF this bill" =,
The measure carries a second
title, written at the suggestion of
Director OF the ONCE OF Defense
Transportation Joseph B. East
man. 1t makes 1t q crime, during
the present war, for any person
by force or intimidation to OBJ
struct or retard the transporta-
tion OF persons or property or
troops, munitions and mail, by
train, highway vehicle, airplane
or vessel. The President is given
specific authority to use the
armed forces of the United
States to prevent any such OBJ
struction.
Opposition to this second title,
Mr.. Hobbs said, has been heard
from railroad unions, on the
theory that 1t is an anti-strike
measure.