Evening star., 1947-08-01
Text of Tofts Address at Columbus

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prevent reduction. In spite Of Dem.
ocratic opposition, the total reduc.
ton Of expenses below the Presi-
dents figure should be 81, 900, ,Oo0, 900
If 1t is, the Government surplus
will be approximately $1,000, ,000, 900
David Lawrence said last night that
the Eightieth Congress had achieved
the best economy record ever at
tanned by q peacetime Congress In q
quarter Of century and made the
biggest cut in presidential recon-
mendations for expenses since the
present budget system was estab-
lished In 1923. He points out that
Representative Cannon, of Missouri
the ranking Democrat on the House
Appropriations Committee, admits
that $4,000, 900, 900 has been cut in
appropriations, which would be
equivalent to about $4,000, 900 600 in
expenses.
Furthermore, by resolution fathered
by Representative Clarence Brown
Of Ohio and Senator Lodge Of Mas
sachusetts, the Republicans have
set up a commission to study the
whole organization of the Govern
ment, on which former President
Hoover has accepted an appoint
ment, to strike directly at the foun-
dation of the present extravagant
cronAipo 1Iya odpoSt ~ vr,os diAR Ro,,1X
indeed to accomplish savings by
pairing each appropriation bill as II
came to the Congress. We are de-
termined to reduce the vast jungle
of bureaus, Of which the Federal
Government now consists.
We adopted a labor act over the
most violent opposition to any legis-
lation have ever seen in Congress
The labor barons and the President
fought every reform except the most
trivial; and they were determined
there would be no labor bill of any
kind. The new act proceeds on a
simple principle, to eliminate as
many as possible of the injustices
set up by present law, particularly
the Wagner Labor Relations Act and
the regulations and decisions under
that act. 1t Is based on protecting
the union member against arbitrary
treatment by his leaders. 1t is based
on making collective bargaining
really free and equal. Originally
the employers had great advantage
in such bargaining but by reason of
special legal privilege, regulations
and decisions the labor barons came
to have every smaller employer at
their mercy. The principle OF COL
lective bargaining will be strength
ened by our provisions imposing
equal power and equal responsibility
on big labor and on big business.
BY redressing admitted injustices in
the law we have tried to create q
condition where employer and en-
ploye meet on equal terms. and
neither will make unreasonable de-
mands because he knows they can
not be enforced.
Labor Fav0rs Reforms.
The act itself has been violently
attacked. but polls show that great
majority of labor itself is in favor
of nearly every reform contained in
the act. Working men. who after
all are the labor movement. favor
a majority vote before their leaders
can impose upon them union shop.
And they also are in favor of written
consent to check-of system.
Labor Is in favor OF making welfare
funds trust funds in which they
have an equal legally enforceable in
terest. Labor Is in favor of requir-
ing financial reports from their
leaders. Labor is in favor OF free
speech for employer and employe.
Labor is in favor of getting rid OF
Communist officers.
The act does not in any way pro-
hibit q strike for better wages and
hours. It does prohibit secondary
boycotts and jurisdictional strikes
which were admitted by every wit
ness before the Labor Committee to
DC UuJI dkCOuS dpuSCo VI Vic PSWVA
of union bosses. We have put
unions on the same basis as corpo-
rations so far as spending their
members dues for political purposes
is concerned. We have corrected
many minor injustices developed in
the administration of the National
Labor Relations Act. particularly
those which actually encouraged
strikes; and we have created joint
committee to study the operation OF
the act and to deal with the more
fundamental problems necessary to
insure increased productive strength
We do not wish to follow England
where it has become so apparent
that once the productivity Of the
individual worker declines nation
is indeed in dire straits.
In the field of Government regu-
lation and control, the war was de-
clared officially ended for legisla-
tive purposes. Most Of the remain
ing controls were eliminated or mod
ified. Only rent control in modified
forvr and Avy1nrt nnnfro1 ram q In he =