The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1946-02-12

Labor Legislation
Prospects Fading;
Arms Race Seen


action on labor disputes legislation
are fading out on Capitol Hill.
This Is due 20 two things: an
easing o. the strike situation and
powerful arguments against such
legislation by both management and
labor.
The House has the green light on
such legislation and is set TO pass
a bill much more drastic than Pres
ident Truman has proposed. But
the place 70 watch is the Senate.
In the upper chamber, legislators
are not so sensitive 10 ups and
downs OF popular emotion as men,
bers Of the House. The Senate has
been lukewarm 10 labor legislation
right along
This does not mean that no legis-
lation affecting labor will be enact
ed. But Il seems doubtful that la
Dor disputes law will be passed. II
is possible that bill may emerge
Strengthening the government con-
Citation service.
$50
Secretary OF State James Byrnes'
disclosure that President Truman
would like to have UNO observers
witness the forthcoming atom bomb
tests has been interpreted by some
as an effort on the part OF the Chief
Executive 10 avert another world
armament race.
The official view In the nations
capital is that Mr.. Truman wants
the other nations. particularly Rus
sia, to see just how powerful the
bomb Is.
Congress, however, appears bent
on making certain, through legisla-
ton, that vital secrets obtained
from the test remain the property
OF the United States alone.
The current acute stocking short
age is proving a boon to China's
war-crippled silk hosiery industry.
With women lining up to purchase
any kind OF hose, China is going
about to recapture some OF the
business lost during the recent con-
flict.
The war cost China's silk indus
.ry an estimated loss Of three bill
lion dollars. Now production OF SILK
hose in China is booming, and
manufacturers are forming a silk
transport organization to step up
shipments to the United States.
Most Of the valuable educational
pictures filmed for the armed serv-
ices will be turned over to peace
time uses now that the inter-depart-
mental fight has ended.
The Navy, which produced many
thousands OF feet OF such film, re-
Gently battled It out with the bureau
OF education over the latter's dis
posal o. films turned over to 1t.
The bureau was selling the Nays
films and pocketing the money.
The Navy countered by cutting off
the film supply. Now a deal has
been worked out whereby the
films will be distributed by the Sur
plus Proper.y authorities.
Films range from those showing
an illiterate how to handle q wrench
or screwdriver to closeups in tech
nicolor OF difficult operations.
Federal officials concede now that
the seizure OF struck meat plants
was handled badly BY the Admin
istration. .-.--
Originally, the Army was sup
posed to take over. Then It was
changed to nominal seizure BY the
Agriculture Department with the
Army actually running the show.
Finally, the program became seiz-
ure by agriculture with assistance
by the Army, II necessary.
Officials now believe the original
plan for Army seizure should have
been retained. Within "a hours after
the seizure order was issued, the
Army had to send one OF Its top men
TO Chicago to bail out the Agricul-
tural Department.
The Army had a great deal OF
experience handling struck plants
during the war. Agriculture showed
great ineptness in seizing the meat
plants.
Two mistakes were made: From
Washington, the Agriculture De-
partment wired the unions threat.
ening them with penalties. Then
Agriculture's chief operating man
in Chicago announced blandly he
was going to see the packers but
had no plans to see union repre-
sentatives.
The procedure angered the unions,
gave them nothing to hold out to
their members for returning to
work and delayed the flow OF meat
70 the nation for several days.