Evening star., 1947-04-27
Senate Night Session
Forecast if Debate
|Lags on Labor Bill
By jones Y. Newton

Senate Republican leaders yes
terday decided to drive for quick
passage Of the general labor bill
and expressed confidence a tinal
vote will be taken before the END
| of this week.
Chairman Taft told newspaper
men after a long meeting Of the
nine man Senate Republican Pol
icy Committee that a night session
will be held Wednesday If debate
on the labor bill shows signs OF
tagging. He predicted final vote
will come Thursday or Friday
adding, 1--WE assume there will be
no difficulty In passage of the bill.
While the Republicans were cer-
tain the bill approved by the SEN
ate Labor Committee could breeze
through, there was newly developed
tendency to go slowly on -four
amendments which would make the
measure tougher on unions.
Senator Taft said the Policy
Committee instructed Senator
Wherry of Nebraska, the Republi-
can whip, to poll party members
as to their views on the amend
mentS
One Amendment May Be Changed
He also said some party leaders
doubted the merits of one of the
amendments and it possibly would
be changed. The amendment would
authorize private employers as well
as United States district attorneys
| to obtain court injunctions against
jurisdictional strikes and secondary
boycotts. The committee draft would
empower the National Labor Rela-
tions Board to seek temporary In
functions before ruling on charges
of unfair labor practices" involved
in such union acts. Any change In
the amendment apparently would
remove injunctive relief from en-
ployers.
Senator Taft said there was no
discussion of a possible conference
with President Truman over labor
Legislation in the policy session. The
President had told newspapermen
his door was open to the senators.
The four amendments are backed
principally by Senators Taft and
Ball, Republican, of Minnesota. The
other three would prevent unions
from coercing workers into their
groups; restrict the practice of in
dustry- wide bargaining, and outlaw
union controlled welfare funds.
Meanwhile, a strong bipartisan
group which favors the committee
bill as it now stands prepared to
fight the amendments. The group
fears that President Truman would
veto the legislation If it is tough
ened. s
Sees Move to Force Veto.
Senator Ellender, Democrat, Of
Louisiana, a member of the mod
crate bloc, charged that some Re-
publicans and some Democrats, for
different reasons, hope the bill will
be made SO strong as to force a
presidential veto, resulting in no
labor legislation at all.
He said Republicans, headed by
Senators Taft and Ball, wished to
put the President on the spot with
the public. Democrats in the group,
including Senators Pepper of Flori-
da and Murray of Montana, he said,
simply are opposed to changing
labor law.
On the other side of the Capitol,
Chairman Hartley Of the House
Labor Committee described protests
against his bill which the House
passed overwhelmingly as ''the hys-
terical cries of anguish emanating
from high-powered union leaders. :"
at Is perhaps significant that
this loud outcry comes from labor
leaders and not from rank and file
union members" he said in state
ment.
ION the contrary public opinion
polls as well as congressional mail
indicate strong support of union
members for legislatino designed to
eliminate dictatorial and arbitrary
control over union policies and
practices."