Detroit evening times., 1945-10-02
PAUL
NIALLON
Behind
The News


down his House ways and means
committee for a round of wrist
Slapping rather dumbfounded
them. They came out benumbed
and speechlesS, but surprised
more than chastened. A minor
din had been raised against
them by the leftleaning writers
and shouters because they de-
layed action on the increase OF
unemployment compensation.
Within the din, il was con-
tended a big party split had de-
Veloped with the southern bloc
fighting Mr.. Truman, etc. etc.
Actually. as both Mr.. Truman
and the committeeman knew,
neither the issue nor their re-
lection of il was new. They had
voted even stronger against the
same thing when Mr.. Roosevelt
and Go tried to push il through
last year. The four Democrats
who stuck 10 their guns were
merely defending their own past
records. The worst that could
he truthfully said of them was
that they did not change their
minds when Mr. Truman re-
newed Mr.. Roosevelts request.
MO ONE here is now charging
~ Go had anything TO do with
the Presidents decision TO make
a public scene of the issue and
demand that the congressman
do as he wanted.
Congressman near the inside
said they judged Mr.. Truman
WAS hurt because this was his
firSt unsuccessful encounter; he
thought he had to make a dis
play of his position, and refuse
10 accede qui Y; also he
thought he was on sound politi-
cal ground.
What is behind the whole
matter--as behind nearly every
thing else in the domestic news
including the strikes-iS the
new grand mass assault of CIO
10 take over and direct the in
flationary economy of the nation
and next years congressional
elections, although no doubt Mr..
Truman does not look AT il
fully that way.
new method of scare
lobbying started few weeks
ago First came New York
state delegation representing
Go, then Maryland and last
week Pennsylvania. The Penn
sylvanla delegation was about
$50 strong.
THROUGH their flue n e
Il they get the caucus rooms,
where members of Congress are
supposed TO meet in party ses-
SlonS.
Instead of calling on the leg
iSlatorS, they "inVlt g both
senators and representatives TO
come to see them. They are well
organized r a h Go man is
given by his organization a
mimeographed poll sheet.
| obtained one used upon the
Mary and delegation 1t is
headed summer commitment" ="
All members of Congress
we're asked to say how they
would vote on the unemploy-
ment compensation bill frs I
(the specific CIO Kilgore biilO
then the fun employment BIT,
minimum wage increase 10 90
cents an hour, the fair employ
m ent practices bill and the
Ball. Burton. Hatch bill TO
which CIO is opposed because
il would require unions TO as
sumo more responsibility in a
mild way
Ordinarily no threats are
made against the congressman.
All concerned are too subtle
for that. But every one in
volved knows what the game is.
During the Maryland meeting
one CIO speaker did say some
thing about taking care of those
congressman at the next cleo
ton who did not vote the Go
way. and Senator Tydings
walked out. creating a stir by
proclaiming he was elected by
the people Of his state and was
answerable to them, not to this
one class.
A FTERWARD the C1O state
~ delegations call on Senate
and House leaders TO impress
them, then get into hired spe-
cial buses and ride down to the
White House for talk with
the same Truman secretary,
Matthew Connolly, who seems
to he IN charge Of receiving
them
| have heard estimates that
the New York delegation trip
must have cost $4,000 or S40,-
600 for rounding up leaders
from all parts of the state and
paying their way and lodgings
from home portal TO portal,
but some authorities think this
little high.
Whatever il was, the amount
and method comprise formid-
able warning Of the millions
back in Go Golfers for organiz-
ing political action" even down
in those southern districts
where CIO has no members
remember what nearly hap
pened to Speaker Rayburn, as
all congressman do
Neu- when yea couple these
bills with an inSlstent national