Montana labor news., 1945-12-20

PRESS REPORTS ON
SENATOR MURRAY
GROSSLY UNTRUE
Letter From International
Explains Mistake and
Senator'S Position
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF
MINE. MILL AND SHELTER


q MINE. MILL AND SHELTER On
d December 8, l945 N1
STo All Montana Locals "
a aGreetings: Ky
y Because a misapprehension has beenW
q caused by press release carrying theSi
q story that Senator James E. Murray IA
~ would introduce and sponsor anti-labor
ID Blegislation requested by President Tru- =
1 man l am writing to you to clarity VI
"a this situation. b
" Senator Ellender of Louisiana, ii
" member of the Education and Labor Y
8 committee introduced on December OF
ggthe legislation requested by the Presi- U
r. dent. Senator Murray declined to do (
" so. In a talk with Senator Murray
VI we were assured he has not changed%
1Ahis position regarding labor, and will =
M not support legislation to hinder unions
!, in their wage fight He felt that even ,
W had he introduced the legislation, that
" would not have necessarily meant het
1,Awas in support of the bill. Senator Muir
W raw is chairman Of the Education and
~ Labor committee, and in this capacity
AAmust give the proposed bill considera-i
Astion.
Aa The fact is that at the very beginnings
Nsof the UAW's wage dispute with GM,i
n Senator Murray brought the merits OF
the Unions case to the Senate. He char
~ facterized GINS proposal for an extended
eIa workday as "unthinkable," and stated
ISbis position on the wage dispute on the
&tSenate floor on October "a as follows !;
@"Both sides must take the public into
NJ their full confidence and give a straight
SAforward, honest statement OF the facts
NJ so that the American people may know
~ whether this demanded increase IN
M WAGES may be made without an in
@Acrease in prices.
IL ION the part Of labor, clear-cut
y statement of the facts has been pre-
@ sented in brief which I ask to be in
Aserted in the Record at the conclusion
"a of nv remarks Labor has stated it is
y, willing to recede from its demand OF
VI adjust its proposal in view OF any ne"
NJ facts developed"
"a On October % Senator Murray in
, sserted in the Congressional Record gov
: & ernment figures showing corporation
9 sales and profits which proved very
Nsuseful in the wage fight. He also is us
HAing his influence to get the administra
Sstion officially TO make public statistic
~ demonstrating the ability OF manutac
A8turing corporations to raise wages, an
Esthe necessity for them to do SO in orde
to avoid a serious depression.
AB During his service in Congress, Sena
NStor Murray has initiated and spon
%Asored more legislation in the intere'
w of labor than possibly any other sena
tor. All Of the bills now being sur
d. Na ported by the CIO have either bee
8 Il authored or endorsed by Senator Mui
=, ray. 1t is unfortunate indeed that
w misunderstanding was created IN rel;
W ton to the pending anti-labor legisl
"a ton, and hope this letter will ser
Tsto clarity the situation.
" suggest that if stories have a
Nd reared in the press quoting our o
Ns nosition to Senator Murrays supppos
"a stand on the Truman proposal II
NJ matter be corrected by issuance
~ clarifying statements TO the press.
" REID ROBINSON,
W President.