Evening star., 1947-09-20
Taft Outlines PROGRAM
On Reclamation and
Wafer Power Tonight
BY Gould Lincoln
Sfor 3taH corrsspondsnt

SiSH StoT ~offSSPohoe"
RENO, New, Sept. Ex-senator
Taft of Ohio, in an address at
q Republican rally here tonight,
will discuss a subject close to the
heart of this Western country
reclamation and the use of water
power.
He will outline the historic atti-
tude of his party toward these prob
lens and its program for the future.
The Ohio Senator, who yesterday
completed a weeks. stay in Cali
fornia, is driving by automobile to
Reno today. accompanied by Mrs.
Taft.
His address to the Commonwealth
Club of San Francisco yesterday
on the important subject Of high
prices and imitation developed a
Republican program which chal-
lenged the imagination and pre-
sented his answer to the New Deal
ers who are suggesting return to
Government price control. His
audience, made up mostly Of busi-
ness and professional men, listened
carefully and at the conclusion of
the speech gave Mr.. Taft an ova-
tion.
It was not a rabble-rousing speech,
however. He was not interrupted
during his address by applause, ex-
cept when he praised Senator Know
land Of California, and mentioned
the probable election of a Republi-
can President next year.
500 Pickets at Hotel.
The labor unions of San Francisco
threw up a long picket line before
the Palace Hotel, where Senator
Taft was the guest of the Common
wealth Club at luncheon. Since the
Senator was staying at the hotel,
he did not have to cross the picket
line.
More than 500 pickets were in
line, carrying banners attacking
Senator Taft. Some of them read:
THE Bosses Sweetie Pie" EN-
ployers Are Daft Over Taft" I'VE
Amt Got Much Money But We Sure
Got Votes" and "Stooge for the
National Manufacturers Associa-
tion."
The CIO San Francisco Council
put out statement with heading:
Warning! This Man Wants to Be
President" 1t said in part: 1--WE
are not demonstrating against Sen
ator Taft's right to speak, but since
it is not likely he will tell the truth
about his record in the Senate, we
are using this method to focus pub
lie attention on it."
Confers on Sailors Contract.
Senator Taft met with Harry
Lundeberg, president of the Sailors
Union of the Pacific, and Gregory
Harrison, attorney for the ship
owners, to discuss methods by which
new contract may be worked out
between union and the shipowners,
permitting the use of hiring halls"
without violating the prohibition
against the closed shop contained
in the Taft-Hartley Labor Act.
Under the present maritime con-
tracts, involving both AFL and CIO
unions, the unions control the hiring
halls and provide all employees re-
quested by employers.
Both Mr.. Lundeberg and Mr.. Har-
rison. after the conference, ex-
pressed hope that a new contract,
within the law, can be worked out,
and Senator Taft said he believed
it could. The present contract ex-
pires September 80. Senator Taft
said he would be glad to submit any
legal questions involved to the Joint
Congressional Committee, set up
under the law to consider any
necessary changes, if the parties
could not get together. He said, too,
the committe would be glad to con-
slider any amendments either side
wished to present.
In press interview yesterday aft
ernoon, Senator Taft said fatty
there would be a tax reduction, If
the Republican Congress can get 1t
through over President Truman's
protest. He declined to forecast the
terms Of the bill. however.
At the same conference, he was
asked whether he had favored an
increase in the minimum wage,
under the law, in the past.
He replied he was sure he had
done 50.
Why wasn't something done
about 1t at the last session of Con-
gress?" he was asked.
Senator Taft replied there had
been no opportunity because of
press of other business and also
that q number of industries wanted
exemptions from the terms of the
law.
The Commonwealth Club has
1000 members, but only about $500
were able to get into the hotel
rooms to hear him. 1t had been a
sell-out weeks ago. He was intro
duced by Warden James A. john
ston OF Alcatraz Penitentiary, pro-
gram chairman.
Later In the day, Senator Taft
attended an informal party at the
Bohemian Club, given by Theodore
d. Roche, chairman of the Repub-
Acan National Committees Finance
Committee for Northern California
and q reception given by the Re-
publican County Committee chair
man, Herbert Hanley, at the st.
BABY'S NEW WHITE SHOE between IIth
ana c SITS. ne. and 570O st., CAPITOL
Heights, Nd HI. 53o7.