The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1945-07-19

Tau4n
Rp~4~
hin WASHINGTON
BY Waller Sheod
"a WNU c~orrsspondsns.
Labor 'Invades' Agriculture
WNU Washington Bureau
62I Union Trust Building,

WNU Washington Bureau
SCI Union Trust Building.
ABOR organizations which have
~ inched their way into the field
OF agriculture " vigorous protest
OF agricultural organizations are
now planning engagements of
these labor beachheads already
gained, according to indications
here.
So alarmed has the Farm
Bureau federation become over
latest reports of labor en-
croachment into the farm field,
that they are preparing to 60
before congress and ask for
preventive legislation, proba-
bly, similar to the Hobbs bill
which passed the house in 1912,
but which died in the senate.
This measure brought labor
organizations within the terms
of the federal anti-racketeering
act.
This latest point of conflict is an
other outbreak between farmers on
the eastern seaboard, particularly
In the Philadelphia area, and the
Transfers Union. ALL, which is
seeking to bring farm workers driv-
ing farmers trucks into the team
sters union. In some instances farm
ers' trucks have been stopped and
the unions have charged an unload
ing fee" where the drivers have
been non-union. The house agricul-
tural committee is expected within
a few weeks to start hearings on
complaints of farmers and revive
the hot cargo" investigation Of 1912
which exposed union practices in
the food industry. It is reported
that some of the farm-to-market
truckers have been required to
pay union fees as high as $56 to
unload ~perishable foods.
The farm bureau contends that
this practice is an interference with
the movement of food to market,
will be ruinous to crops and trade
and will diminish supplies to on
sumers in a period in which food
supplies r critically needed.
Farm Leaders Apprehensiue
Farm leaders are apprehensive of
what may happen when and if John
L. Lewis. head of the miners union,
makes his peace and is received
back into the American Federation
of Labor. When that happens, and
predictions are that it will happen
soon, the labor organizations are ex-
pected to expend real money to
finance union expansion.
Milk drivers in the dairy indus
try, workers in canneries and proc
essors in fruit and other perish
ables, fruit pickers, hop workers
and some others already unionized
constitute the beachheads or spring
boards from which further attempts
to organize agricultural workers
and farmers may proceed. 1t will
be recalled that the interchangeable
Mr.. Lewis boosted that he would
organize the agricultural workers
of the nation into unions and farm
leaders here do not believe that his
boast was all bluff.
The contention is made here that
if the labor unions car force farm
workers who drive farm-to-market
trucks to join the teamsters union.
why cannot they force drivers of
tractors or combines or any other
farm machinery to join a ma
chinists union or some other labor
union?
Teamsters Very Actiue
The teamsters union has been
particularly active since the 1912 de.
cision Of the Supreme court which
set aside convictions of mem
bers of a New York local who had
forced out-of-state trucks to hire a
union member as a guest driver
at So to 50 per truck. AS a result
Of this decision Representative
Mike Monroney (Dem.. Okla.) intro
duced a bill to amend the Clayton
antitrust law to repeal the exemp-
tons labor unions enjoy under the
law. He didn't get very far with the
bill. But he has now reintroduced
the bill aimed primarily at collusive
practices and it is before the house
judiciary committee. Representa-.
tive Hobbs (Dem.. Ala.), has also
r~eintroduced his measure, which
has received approval of the house
judiciary committee, and the meas
ure is now pending before the house.
mot only have the unions at
tempted to force farmers to join
them. but they have threatened to
boycott professors and distributors
who handle the farmers products"
one farm leader said.
I'VE intend" he continued, ito
use every resource we have to pro.
tect the farmers against this inva.
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