Evening star., 1946-12-30
Council Appears
Sure 10 Approve
Tuck Labor Bills
Wording, However,
Moy Be Modified
To Some Extent
BY the Assoeioted Press

V4SI1moINO, td., D6C. oV.-h
clearcut, showdown fight between
Gov. Tuck's administration and
labor organizations in Virginia over
the Governors proposed labor regu-
lating legislation crystallized over
the week end with the conclusion
by the Virginia Advisory Legislative
Council of its public hearings on the
two bills recommended for study by
the Governor.
That the Council would give its
approval to the principles of the
legislation appeared certain today,
although the drafts of the two bills
-forbidding strikes and lockouts in
public utilities and outlawing the
closed shop-may be modified to
some extent. The Councils final
recommendation to the Governor
for transmittal to the extraordinary
session of the General Assembly a
week hence, may not be submitted
until after the session has actually
started on its work.
Some members of the Council
have indicated they might prefer to
wait until members of the Assembly
reach the capital at the end of this
week and get the viewpoint of some
OF the members of the House and
Senate before making definite rec
concentrations to the Governor.
Opposition Is Vigorous.
Conclusion of the public hearings
in Roanoke Saturday on the two
bills drafted by Attorney General
Abram P. Staples at the Governors
request, brought a more vigorous
and diversified opposition to the
proposed bills than did the hearing
in Richmond the day before.
Joseph c. Mcintosh, international
representative of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,
AFL, attacked the proposed legisla-
tion, terming it unnecessary and
questioning the good faith of its
sponsors, in striking contrast to the
silence which he and other AFI
leaders maintained at the Richmond
hearing. The CIO, through the Rev.
Charles c. Webber, chairman of the
CIO Political Action Committee ir
the State, reiterated the opposition
expressed at the Richmond hearing
and other places, both for ano
against the legislation. expressed
their views at the Roanoke meeting
Saturday.
The opposition of Mr.. Mcintosh Is
regarded as particularly significan'
with regard to the proposed bill
which would forbid strikes ane
lockouts in public utilities since the
union he represents is the bargain
ing agency for employees of Virginia
Electric g. Power Co., the largest
intrastate utility in Virginia which
would be affected by the legislation.
Militia Action Recalled.
In many quarters Mr.. Mcintosh
appearance at the Roanoke hearinr
and his outspoken opposition to.tht,
bills proposed by the Governor j.
regarded as the IBEW's answer t.
the action of Gov Tuck last sprin
in ordering the induction of SOM
1000 VEPCO employees into the
State Militia when they threatene6.
to strike. The Governor sought t.
justify that action on the theorr
that the State could not permit ::
strike against utility, the service
of which are so closely identifieJ
with the public health and safety.
Meanwhile. Gov. Tuck has beer
spending most of his time pseparin,
the message which he viii deliver
to the Assembly on the opening da
of the extraordinary session, called
primarily for the purpose of au
thorizing increases in the pay G.
public school teachers.
Unless the VALC completes 1t;
study of the labor legislation an.
prepares its recommendations this
week, the Governor is not expected
to discuss in his message details CT
the proposed bills which he has
turned over to the Council for study.
Instead, he is expected to wait fcr
the councils recommendations anil
transmit these to the Assembly
along with supplementary mes
sage dealing with the labor legisla.
ton.