Evening star., 1945-12-19
By Frank x. Kent

Usually those whose business it Il
regularly to observe Congress car
forecast its action with a reasonable
degree of accuracy. But, sometimes
ignoring, its own past performances
Congress acts without reference to
reason and thus battles the most
seasoned observers. It's present
attitude on the burning question OF
union-management relations seems
one Of these instances.
For example, it has been the con-
tention-and a sound contention ii
was, too-that from 1884 until the
present year the tendency of Con-
gress had been to impose some kind
of restraint and responsibility upon
the unions but that its efforts were
consistently thwarted by President
(Mr. Roosevelt), who, because of
his political alliance, always threw
his personal weight on the union
side. This charge was amply sup
ported by evidence. Twice the House,
responding to public sentiment,
passed regulatory legislation and
twice Mr.. Roosevelt's personal in
f1uence killed it in a Senate COM
mittee.
Actually, the only law touching
labor not Endorsed by the labor lobby
to get through in IL years was
the eviscerated and absurd Smith
Connally bill which had to be passed
over the Roosevelt veto, and for the
repeal of which even it's authors are
now asking. Considering the
changes that have occurred in the
past nine months, one could reason
ably expect a very different attitude
in Congress than the one now ap-
parent. Not only has public senti-
ment for regulating the unions in
creased but the situation in the
White House has altered materially.
Irestead of a President ready to
oppose all effort to legislate on
labor there is President who
openly requests legislation. Instead
of President eager to veto labor
proposals not indorsed by the CIO
there is a President anxious to
sign q bill which the CIO is de-
nouncing as vicious and sinister.
The hard-and-fast political alliance
between the President and the CIO
has been dissolved, and for the
first time in more than 10 years a
small gesture of independence has
come from the White House Under
these circumstances Congress nor
mally should Immediately have
bounded into action behind Mr.
Truman's fact-finding proposals,
which clearly are in the public in
terests and sure to be publicly ap-
proved One would have supposed
Congress could not have been re-
strained, that with record breaking
speed it would have given the Pres
ident the exceedingly mild measure
for which he asked and then pro-
ceeded to see how much further it
could go.
But, did Congress, as everybody
expected, bound into action? 1t did
not bound at all. 1t did not even
move. Neither House nor Senate
committee has made the least ef-
fort to bring the Truman proposals
out. On the contrary, they acted as
If they were wholly unimportant
and it made little difference when
they were taken up. AS things now
are, hearings in the Senate will not
even start until the middle of jan
uary and the legislation cannot pass
before February.
Considering the way in which
Congress has groaned and grieved
about presidential opposition to la
Dor legislation in the past, this con-
spicuous failure to act on the Tru-
man request just makes no sense.
Nor are any of the explanations
adequate. Certainly, it is at vari-
ance with the predictions of quick
action so freely made at the time of
the Presidents message. Yet, de-
spite this unprotected congressional
lag, the present forecast is that
early in February both House and
Senate committees will report ia
vorably the Truman proposals and