The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-12-03
President COnupOses Strong Message On Labor Measures

Washington, Dec. S-(UpD@lThe postwar record of labor and man. Agoment showed little agreement be- tween them today on flindamentAla except the expedition og both sides Co compulsory arbitration and pres- ldenllal fact-flnding boards
 President Truman now ls reported by Q White House caller Co be plan- ming Co send Co Congress "the strongest message he knows how Co prepare" asking for lafof leRlslatlon. Republicans are thinking along the same lines. But neither Republicans nor Democrats have come up yet with details of leglslatlon which could obtain the support of both the White House and e congressional majority.
 Mir Trlmane first shot aa the labor problem missed the target q year ago last week when his man. agement-labor conference adjourned here, failure. The delegates reach. cd agreement on some general prin. clples, including opposition to come pulsory arbitration.
 Tried Finding Boards
 But the conference was unable to suggest how work stoppages might be avoided when the usual settle- ment procedures had failed. Tn polite language, Mr. Truman told Congress one year ago today that the confer ence, therefore, had been o bust.
 He then came up with his own plan for fact-finding boards with the power to supena individuals and records-company or labor books, for instance He proposed e cooling off period of 90 days before a stop- page in any industry vitally affect- ing the public interest. Neither labor nor management liked his plan and 1t made scant congressional progress.
 Last Springs railway strike brought a showdown in which Mir. Truman asked emergency power to break strikes against the Govern ment in any industry or in an indus try designated as affecting the na- tons economy. He proposed loss of seniority for strikers against the Government and sought authority to draft strikers into the armed serv- ices. He also proposed that profits from Government operation of a seized industry be turned over to the United States Treasury.
 The House passed the bill two hours after the President asked for it, although the railway strike had been settled while he was address ing Congress that day. The Senate acted within week on May Si after eliminating the draft and profits sections of the bill.
 Bill Had Plenty Of Strength
 But that bill never was finally en- acted. Congress passed the Case Bill which MT. Truman vetoed on June II. The House sustained his veto by a margin of five votes. The Case Bill would have established a 60-day cooling off period for Federal media ton; made unions liable to suit for contract violation: and applied Fed eral anti-racketeering laws to un- ions. It also would have discouraged unionization of supervisory employees.
 In vetoing the Case Bill, Mir. Tru- man suggested Congress set up a joint committee to prepare per manent long range labor legislation. {" Congress did nothing about that.
 Out of the back and forth between Congress and the White House, how- ever, e pattern of thought appears to be developing. Ie suggests that cer- tain industries vital1y affecting the public welfare must be protected from work seoppages by rules con- siderably more strict than would be applied to less basic operations.
 That issue is raised directly by the current coal strike and would be largely duplicated in e steel strike which is a possibility in February when the current contract expires. It would reach at least to the rail- roads, communications and public services in general.