Milford chronicle., 1947-06-27
Labor Bill Passes
Over Truman Veto
Senate Votes 68 To Is To
Override President; 20
Democrats Join 48 Re-
publicans To "Spank"
The Chief Executive.

WAOf1ltNG YIN - u6 dlI-f1dEl-
ley labor bill became the law of the
land last Monday.
The Senate overrOde President
Truman's veto and his all-out appo-
sition, 68 to 25.
This was six votes more than the
required two-thirds majority-more
even than the bills supporters had
expected.
Anr the chamber spurned a final
appeal which the President sent by
Democratic Leader Barkley (Ky)
two hours before the roll call.
The President insisted that this
dangerous legislation" will hurt
"our national unity" and so "ren-
der a distinct disservice not only
to this nation but to the world"
Truman'S SharpeSt Setback
Senator Taft (R-Ohio) told the
tense Senate just before it voted,
however, that the COP Congress
would "be held delinquent" if it
failed to pass the bill: He shouted
that unions today are big business
and should have the same respon-
sibility as corporations"
The outcome was Mr.. Truman's
sharpest setback at the hands of
the Republican-cOntrolled Congress,
elected last November.
1t was a tremendous victory for
Taft, widely mentioned as a possible
COP Presidential candidate next
year. Taft sponsored the bill with
Representative Hartley (R-NO.
The Senate showdown found 20
Democrats going along with 48 Re-
publicans to override. For uphold
ing the President and his veto were
% Democrats and three Republi-
cans-Senators LANCER (ND), NAL
one New, and Morse (Ore).
Buck, Williams With Majority
| both of Delaware's Senator's, C.
Douglas Buck and John ]. Williams
voted for the bill. Senator Buck
said:
"The voters of America are to be
congratulated on having elected tC
Congress, last fall, men whose frs
interest is the nations welfare, anC
who, together with other stauncl
and loyal American citizens, previ
OuSly chosen for Congress, are re
sponsible for the passage of the la
Dor bill in the Senate this afternoon
This marks the first time it ha
been possible to amend the one
sided Wagner Act since its passag
IL years ago, and the result will b
beneficial to both labor and man
agement.
"The passage of the Hartley-Taf
labor bill over the Presidents vet
is a sound example of the democra
tic system of government at work
the voice of the American peopl
was recorded through their repre-
sentatives in Congress"
Only Three Absent
The full strength of the Senat
was on hand for the historic ballo
with the exceptions of Senate
Wagner (D-NY) i'll in New York
Senator Elbert Thomas (D-Utah)
who is in Geneva, and Senator Bill
bo (D-Miss), who has not taken tn
oath. Even if all of them had bee
here and voted to uphold the vet
it would have made no difference.
Wagner, father of the labor rela
tions act bearing his name, sent
message from his Sickbed which tn
clerk read just before roll-call. H
called upon his colleagues to uphol
. the veto and concluded:
"The President would not lie z
this critical moment in history"
! This apparently was a referenC
to the arguments of Taft and Har
ley. They had said that some {
the Presidents statements weI
; mot so" and false"
Last Mondays ballot compare
with votes of 68 to "a on May
1 when the Senate originally passe
it's labor bill, and 81 to II on Jun
, 6 when the Senate passed the fin;
l compromise version worked OF
with the House.
That chamber had voted to ovel
D ride the veto on Friday last; as 500
:; as it was delivered, by 331 to 8
nearly 4 to 1.
So the Taft-Hartley act of 49,
4 took it's place in the law books b,
side the Wagner Act of 1885 and
new era of labor-management rel;
tions in America was born.
: Only FOrmality Remains
There remained a formality
D Senate officials certifying their a
ton on the bill to the Secretary
IL State. But it actually became la
+ when the Senate rollcall was con
: pleted with the YEA of Senate
II Young (R-ND), last name on Il
D alphabetical list.
o Young was one of dozen SEN
e tors summoned to White Hou'
e luncheon and conference last FL
: day by the President in the va
S hope that the Senate might stop Il
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