Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-06-08
Politicians Place
Party Interests
Above Nation
BY GEO. ROTHWELL BROWN
spectral 20 THT DETROIT INNS

spectral 90 THE DETROIT INNS
WASHINGrON, June : IT
w will have 10 he recorded of
Congress on the pages Of history
that in one af the most f3tcful
weeks Of the war IL waverod
heSitatingly between duty and
political eXpcd!encg.
II viii have To be said ~ this
Congress not all OF II but Of
great part Of it-that ~ was
guided almost wholly during the
last week, when the power of
the government was dcfcd in
time Of war crisis by organized
labor by the eyebrows of John
l.. Lewis.
When John l. froVned and
raised his hirsutc adnrnmCnt
menacinGly, the House in a
frenzy Of fear rushed around
ring by f-iiii 4Att- fettS at urrrr
that II would pass such a law
as would teach John l.. Lewis
who was the real boss Of the
show.
IT WAS with this fear upon It
that the House on @Friday
passed a drastic bill aimed 20
prevent conSpiracicS leading 10
strikes in war industries.
1t is a sad commentary upon
the leadership of the House of
Representatives. and upon many
Of its moro puSSy-footing men,
berS. that but for the menace Of
Lewis coal strike the anti
strike bill probably would have
failed Of enactment.
DEPUBLICANS and Demo-
~ Gratis alike, many Of them.
were eagerly hopeful of winning
the favor Of labor at the polls.
One Of the new members. a
little franker or perhaps more
naive than his foxier colleagues.
Rep. Fred Norman. CR) of
Washington, in a speech IN the
House on Wednesday, when the
rule for the consideration of the
anti-strike bill was being dis
cusSed, let the political cat right
out of the bag.
"Mr. Speaker" he said, 81 can
not believe II is wise for the
interest Of the country OR OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY I'd
vote for this rule under the
present circumstances.
For many years the Repuh-
lican Party enjoyed the general
support Of labor. due TO its policy
or protection of the interests of
labor.
"Of late years the trend OF
thought Of labor has been per-
suaded to follow the New Deal
rather than sound Republican
principles.
Last fall the Republican,
nominee had the confidence of
labor. so there Is now another
Republican vote on our side of
the House supporting Joe Martin
and the Republican position on
the tax bill and many other
matters along that line.
IL sincerely hope that the
Republican Party may not he
Unanswered into a false posi-
ton which may he interpreted
az being unfriendly to labor in
general.
LET us defeat this rule and
at least give labor a fair hear
ing"
BY all means give labor a fair
hearing. But what the heck has
the welfare of the Republican
Party got 10 do with coal
strike in the midst of a vicious
war?
OVER at tho north end of the
~ Capitol the Senate. too. was
playing politics with the labor
vote.
The Senate preferred TO take
a holiday on last Saturday 10 re-
naming in session and complet-
ing the enactment of the anti
strike bill which tho House had
passed the day before
II would have been possible 10
have placed this completed act
on the Presidents desk ready
for his signature hy Saturday
evening.
But no. The Senate. too, was
influenced by Lewis whiSkered
eyebrows, and when he ceased
wagglinG them and his roarS
subsidized, and he began cooling
Al IckcS like a sucking dove the
Senate began to weaken.
Morn than a month hnA now