The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1946-06-21

washington, u. C.--Ihe text or
President Truman's message to Con-
gress explaining why he vetoed the
Case Bill follows:
l am returning herewith, without
my approval, H. R. 1908, entitled can
Act to Provide Additional Facilities
for the Mediation of Labor Disputes,
and for Other Purposes"
The outstanding domestic problem
confronting this country today is the
maintenance and increase of produc-
ton. We must have production, or the
effects of runous initiation will be felt
by every one of our citizens. Strikes
and lockouts are the greatest handi-
caps to attaining vital production.
Inasmuch as the solution of our
present-day labor problems constitutes
the key to production, this present bill
must be judged in the light of whether
it will assist in reducing labor strife
in the nation.
l have given careful study to the
bill. have not considered it from the
standpoint of whether it favors or
harms labor, or whether it favors or
harms management. have consider
ed it from the standpoint of whether
or not it benefits the public, which in
cludes both management and labor.
In the determination of the ques-
tion of whether or not the great ma
jority of our citizens will be benefit
ted by this bill, the question present
ed is whether it will help to stop
strikes and work stoppages and pre-
vent other practices which adversely
affect, our economy.
| have reached the conclusion that
it will not
| have tried, as the representative
Of all the people of our nation, to ap-
proach this problem effectively, free
from the emotional strains of the
times, and free from every considera-
ton except the welfare of our nation
and of the world which is so dependent
upon our recovery to full peacetime
economy.
This bill was undoubtedly passed by
sincere belief that it would remedy
certain existing conditions which cause
labor strife and produce domestic tur-
moil. cannot agree with the Con-
gress with reference to the results
that would be achieved by it.
l trust that there will be no con-
fusion in the minds of the members
of the Congress or in the minds of
the public between this bill and my re-
quest on May twenty fifth for emer-
gency legislation.
At that time / requested temporary
legislation to be effective only for a
period of six months after the ter
mination of hostilities, and applicable
only to those few industries which had
been taken over by the Government
and in which the President by procla-
nation declared that an emergency
had arisen which affected the entire
economy of the country.
1t was limited to strikes against the
Government, 1t did not apply to strikes
against private employers.
Such emergency legislation is now
before the Congress, and again make
the request that it be passed.
H.R. 49O8 is utterly different from
my proposal of May 25, in kind and in
degree. It's range is broad, dealing
with wide variety Of subjects, some
Of which are wholly unrelated to the
subject of settling or preventing
strikes. 1t covers strikes against pri-
vate employers. It is permanent legis-
lation, operative even after the re-
conversion period is entirely over. And
it applies not to a few selected and
vital industries, but to every dispute,
no matter how insignificant, if the dis
pute affects interstate commerce.
At the same time, May 25, also re-
quested permanent legislation leading
to the formulation of long la
Dor policy designed to prevent the re-
currence of such crises, and generally
to reduce work stoppages in all indus
tries. further recommended the i'm
mediate creation by the Congress Of a
joint committee to study the entire
question and, within six months, to