Evening star., 1946-12-28
Congress Rush Seen
To Pass Legislation
Restricting Unions
(Last of Three Articles.)
By Mox HolI
A.soeiafd Press Labor Reporter

Associufd Press Labor Reporter
Those in Congress who want to
write a new labor policy for the
United States will lose no time
Speed is one of their objectives.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
who will be chairman of the Senate
Labor Committee, says he hopes a
bill can reach the Senate floor In
February and be passed before that
month ends.
Sponsors of legislation in the
House will seek to pass their own
bill even before that.
Congress will open next Friday
with many members in a mood to
curb labor leaders. The coal strike
is fresh in their minds. There Is
a feeling around the Capitol that
the longer it takes to pass legisla-
ton the milder it may be.
Two Factors in Labor Debates.
Here are two important factors
that will influence Congress in its
labor debates:
/. The wintertime strike situation
2. The immense practical difficult
ties of writing labor bills that the
lawmakers can agree upon, that will
stand up in the courts and that will
really accomplish what their spon-
sors seek to accomplish.
Two previous laws illustrate the
difficulties.
The 1943 War Labor Disputes
(Smith Connally) Act was called an
"antistrike" measure. 1t didn't pre-
vent strikes, and some labor leaders
even found it rather helpful.
The 1916 Lea Act to curb James
C. Petrillo, president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Musicians, was
ruled unconstitutional in four diff
ferent ways by a Federal Court in
Chicago.
Strikes Would Spur Action.
If there Is a wave of strikes, as
there was last winter, Congress will
probably be more drastic. Will there
be such wave? 1t is entirely pos
sible there VIII not be.
Opinion is divided. CIO unions
are demanding bigger wage raises
than corporations want to give. But
there is surprising amount of
optimism around the Labor Depart
ment. Officials are saying the unions
are eager to avoid strikes at this
time and will settle peacefully if
offered moderate raises.
The next few months in Congress
will make labor history. What will
be the order OF events?
First a message from President
Truman. His labor recommends
tions are awaited eagerly. Predic-
tions are flying that he will seek to
make unions have more public
responsibility" that he may even
suggest changes in the Wagner Act
of 1885.
Many Bills Are Expected.
During the first few days, bills Of
all descriptions will be introduced
in the House and Senate. They will
be referred to the Labor Commit
tees, headed by Senator Taft in the
Senate, and probably by Represent
ative Lands, Republican, of Indi-
ana in the House.
. In the last few years these COM
mittees have been friendly to unions.
They will be less friendly now.
The committees will hold hear
ings. Labor leaders will denounce
everything that they consider anti
labor legislation. They will oppose
all strike-restricting bills as in
voluntary servitude and therefore
unconstitutional. Business leaders
will support some proposals. de-
nounce others. The business leaders
will not agree among themselves
Government officials will testify
probably along whatever lines Mr..
Truman adopts In his message.
Committees Will Advise Houses.
Then the two committees will
make their decisions. Each will re
port out" one or more bills. That
means they will send their rec
concentrations to the floor for de-
bate.
The debates will be vigorous.
Members will seek to amend the
committee bills to suit their own
views. There will be dozens of roll
call votes, approving some points,
killing others. When each house
has finished its work, it will send
the result to the other house.
In the end, Senate House COM
mittee probably will meet to make
compromises and iron out differ
enceS.
The final version will 60 to the
White House. If the President signs
1t, the country, will have a new law.
II he vetoes it, Congress still can
override him if it can muster a two
thirds vote in each house