Evening star., 1947-05-24
Senators0ppose
Accepting New
|Curbs on Labor
Conferees Agree on
Provision Outiuwing
Federal Strikes
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

by the Assoetofed Ffsss
Senate conferees today stood
pat against any more major con-
Icessions to the House in draft
ing the final version of legisla-
ton imposing strict legal curbs
on labor unions.
Although most of the big differ
snces between the House and Sem
ate bills still exist, Senator Taft,
Republican, of Ohio said he expects
an agreement by next Wednesday.
Senator Taft, head of the Senate
conferees, said this would permit
the compromise bill to come UP for
ratification in House and Senate
about June 2. The conferees go
back into session Tuesday.
Would Outlaw Federal Strikes.
The Senate group agreed late yes
terday to accept House provision
which outlaws strikes by Govern
ment employees. They also went
along with the House on section
prohibiting expenditures or contri-
buttons by unions for national elec-
tions or primaries.
In exchange, Senator Taft said,
The House probably will agree to
congressional study of the entire
field of labor-management relations,
a provision of the Senate bill.
The Senate has consistently baked
on the more far-reaching provisions
exclusive to the House bill.
These include ban against in
dustry-wide collective bargaining in
nearly every case, an authorization
for private employer injunctionS
against some strikes and boycotts
and fiat outlawing of union health
and welfare funds.
Senator Taft made 1t clear that
his group does not intend to yield
much more ground.
House conferees, on the other
hand, have indicated they are will
ing to yield to the Senate on sew
|eral major points in order to get
a bill on which the Senate would
override veto by President Tru-
man.
Senator Taft and Representative
Hartley, Republican, of New Jersey
planned to meet today with confer
|ence committee attorneys preparing
the tentative draft of a bill covering
provisions on which the conferees
are In agreement. They also ex-
Ipected to outline points of difference
remaining and to draw up sugges-
tions for settlement.
With an eye to the possibility that
John L. Lewis might call another
coal strike July l, the conferees
agreed yesterday to keep instantly
ready provision designed to smash
such a tieup.
Strike Possibility Discussed.
Deciding to postpone the effective
date of some sections of the bill, the
Conference Committee stood pat for
immediate effectiveness of a pro-
vision which authorizes the Govern
ment to obtain injunctions against
national and emergency strikes.
Senator Ball, Republican, of Min
nesota and Mr.. Hartley told report
ers that the committee discussed the
possibility of coal strike July / in
standing by plans to put the emer-
gency section into effect promptly.
The date is significant because the
Government must turn the soft coal
mines back to private operators
then.
Mr.. Lewis, president of the United
Mine Workers, has been negotiating
with Northern coal operators and
will begin contract negotiations with
the Southern operators separately
next Wednesday. The Southern op-
orators have refused to enter ma
tional agreement covering the whole
industry.
The Senate House conferees
reached an informal agreement to
delay for so days after enactment
proposed changes in the Wagner
Collective Bargaining Act. A sec
tion setting up new mediation
service would become effective 80
days later.
Originally the whole bill was
scheduled to go in effect immedi-
ately If approved by Mr.. Truman.
or passed over his veto. Senator
Ball said a delay on some provisions
would be required to permit re-
nirired adnoipistrative rhapoes