The Lincoln times., 1946-01-10
This Week in
WASHINGTON

- -
Washington, D. C.-President Tru-
man is showing no inclination to
back down on his proposal for labor
legislation involving fact-finding
committees and cooling off" pc
riod before strikes are carried out.
And returning congressman. who
have been home gathering the senti-
ments of their constituents, predict
that the President will either get his
bill passed, or that legislation stron-
ger than the President asks will gain
support.
For the congressman say that the
people back home are getting really
excited about the labor-management
pickering which has delayed produc-
tion. Not only are the people get
ting impatient over waiting for post
war production to get going, but
some congressman say there is a
growing fear among the people that
labor problems may result in a Sc
we're depression.
Workers." said one congressman,
must not only produce but they
must keep their consuming power,
if We hope to have prosperity" He
pointed out that the backlog of pur-
chasing power, which has been built
up throughout the war and which
is needed to assure prosperity, is
fast evaporating as millions of men
are using up their savings to sup
port themselves while striking.
When Congress gets back to work,
labor will be the Number One SUBJ
ject on the calendar and we can ex-
pect an end to the syfooting on
this touchy subject which has been
So apparent during the war. One of
the big factors which has brought
about a noticeable change in attitude
is the charge of "cowardice" which
Phillip Murray, president of the CIO,
hurled at the President. That made
the people maG-and it is the con-
sensus of opinion here that labor lost
a major battle when the public heard
Mr.. Murray's statement.
Even though our relations with
Russia seem to be less strained as
a result of the conferences of the
"Big Three" ministers, there are still
many top government officials who
share with the people the feeling
that we don't know enough about
what does go on in Russia. If the
press had been free to listen in and
report the conference talks and de-
cisions, it would undoubtedly have
done wonders to encourage amicable
relations, but as it is, Russian Sc
crecy is becoming major bone of
contention in reaching satisfactory
agreements.
1t is the feeling here that Secre-
tary Byrnes, President Truman, and
a few other government heads know
a lot more about Russia than they
feel they can confide in the people
but there is considerable doubt that
even those who have conferred with
Stain have a really clear insight
into Russian plans, Russian goals and
Russia's willingness to cooperate
with our country. There is one
cheering angle to the picture, how
ever: practically all of our govern
ment leaders who have talked with
Premier Stain return to this coun-
try with increased respect for him
and trust in him. We can only con-
clude that if they know something
We don't know, it is something which
creates optimism in the outlook for
our future relations with Russia.
1t is not anticipated that the con-
gressional holiday will do much to
end the arguments over the future
of the OPA and price control, since
congressman report that they find as
much disagreement over the subject
among the people as they have found
in Washington. The chances are,
however, that the OPA will remain in
business during all of 1946 with its
powers considerably reduced. For
even many of those who squirm most
under the lack of freedom which price
control inflicts on business continue
to fear that lack of control might
result in ruinous initiation.