Evening star., 1946-04-22
Congress Sidesteps
On Labor LEGISLATION
Administration Plays Along
With Unions, Writer Says
By David Laurence

Things are shaping UP so that it looks
doubtful whether there will be any leg
islation passed on the subject of labor
disputes before the recess of Congress
on July 10.
The Democratic administration has
evidently decided to play ball with the
labor politicians and let labor legisla-
ton go by default. For no effort Is
being made by the administration lead
ers in Congress to secure action either
on the Case bill which was passed by
the House or on the modified version
which has been slumbering so long in
the Senate Committee on Education and
Labor.
Now the Democratic leaders are talk
ing of speedup of the legislative pro-
gram so that Congress might adjourn
well in advance of the July 10 date. Back
Of the speedup is the desire of the labor
union spokesmen in Congress to block
action on the Case bill or any substitute
Country Must Decide.
Thus the country, which suffered
severe economic losses and acute incon-
venience as result of mismanagement
by the Democratic administration of the
whole labor crisis, will have to decide at
the polls whether it wants to re-elect
Democrats or try the opposition party.
The labor union politicians are as
surlng the members of Congress that
If they do not tackle the controversial
labor questions now they will be safe
from defeat in the coming elections.
This is based on the theory that the
lifelong Democrats who vote the fegu-
lar Democratic ticket anyway and never
shift their votes, constitute nucleus in
most congressional districts When the
labor vote - which is preponderantly
Democratic-is added, it is enough to
swing the election.
Will the public, which has been in
jured by the strikes and by the failure
OF Congress to provide adequate machin-
cry for handling disputes, ignore the
issue? Will the congressional elections
indicate that much more damage has
to be done to the public interest before
independent voters will elect members
to respond to public demand for action?
These questions are related to what is
happening to labor bills pending in
Congress today.
The Southern Democrats who formed
coalition with the Republicans to put
the Case bill through the House of Rep
resentatiyes by an overwhelming major
ity, are, of course, not so much con-
cerned because labor legislation is
usually not an issue in Southern pri-
maries.
None Pushes for Action.
The Northern Democrats, on the
other hand, have shown no signs of
pushing for action on labor legislation
and they are evidently confident that
the PAC will pull them through the
elections and that the rest of the citi-
zenry will continue to be asleep at the
switch.
The drop-of in activity on labor legis-
latlon is noticeable. Even President
Truman has said nothing recently about
the fact-fnding proposals which he
sponsored. He criticized House leaders
some time ago for not reporting out
measures in which he was interested,
but he hasn't said word about the way
the Senate Labor Committee has anes-
thetized not only the Case bill but all
other bills related to labor disputes.
Even if some bill is reported out in
the Senate, it is questionable when it
can be enacted into law. Inasmuch as
the House and Senate versions probably
will differ, the opportunity for delay in
conference will arise. Should any labor
bill reach conference by the end of May
or early June, which appears doubtful,
it is quite possible that the maneuver Of
the labor politicians will be to keep a
deadlock in the hope that the whole
matter will die before the recess begins.
Already it is apparent that many new
faces will be seen in the new Congress.
The Republican party may make the
biggest gain in seats it has made since
1888. The public is believed to be losing
confidence in the willingness of the
Democratic leadership to meet squarely
the problems of reconversion.
If, on the other hand, Mr. Truman
asserted himself in these next few weeks
and mobilized public opinion behind
drive to get some constructive legisla-
ton passed on labor questions, he prob
ably would save the House from going
Republican and might cut down Re-
publican gains in the Senate.
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