Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-09
SchweIIenbach Feels
AFL, Clio Needn't File
Fiscal Statements
By the Associated Press

Secretary of Labor Schwellen-
bach said yesterday he disagrees
with a ruling by Robert N. Denham,
National Labor Relations Board
general counsel, that the AFL and
CIO must file financial statements
with the Government under the
new Taft Hartley labor law.
Mr.. Schwellenbach told a news
conference that Mr.. Denham has
written him saying that the NLRB
counsel interprets the law to re-
ouire such statements from the two
national labor organizations as we'll
as all unions desiring to use the
NLRB's dispute-settling machinery.
The Labor Secretary said that
as he interpreted the law neither
the AFL nor CLIO should be re-
quired to file the fiscal statements.
However, the Secretary conceded
that it was not up to him, but to
MIR. Denham to make the official
Interpretation.
Mr.. Schwellenbach said there are
several other points of discussion"
between the NLRB and the Labor
Department concerning the new Ia
Dor laws provisions.
Required to File Statements.
The Taft-Hartley law requires
labor organizations to file financial
statements and some additional in
formation with Mr.. Schwellenbach's
department. 1t requires the unions
to file still other information with
the NLRB, principally consisting of
statements of union officers dis
claiming any Communist ties.
All the information must be filed
before the NLRB will issue its GER
tification that union is properly
qualified to use NLRB's collective
bargaining facilities.
Mr.. Schwellenbach indicated that
he felt the CLIO and AFL are not
strictly unions and therefore are
free from the data filing RESPONSE
bility of their afiliated unions.
Other Questions in Dispute.
The Labor Secretary listed these
as among other questions in dispute
and under discussion between the
two agencies:
/. Whether the Labor Department
is required to police the accuracy of
financial reports filed by the unions.
The Labor Departments position is
that it cannot be required to vouch
for the statements.
2. Whether the Labor Department
or the NLRB Is responsible for see
ing that unions fulfill the Taft
Hartly laws requirement that they
furnish all their members with copies
of their financial statements. Sec
rotary Schwellenbach said he feels
the NLRB is responsible for admin
istering this requirement.
Mr.. Schwellenbach also disclosed
that he has placed six-month ban
on any one in his department dis
cusSing the Taft-Hartley Act in
public
The reason for this is that Con-
gress passed a law and in a rather
small way 1 am responsible for its
administration" the Secretary said
Sabotage" Attempt Forecast.
He added that Republican leaders
in Congress had contended that the
Democratic administration would
sabotage" the new labor law.
Il chose the month period
rather arbitrarily" he said. But
think that six months will be suf-
flcient time to evaluate the results
of the act and determine II 1t Is
accomplishing what it was intended
to do"
Secretary Schwellenbach refused
to express any opinion on the pros
poets of labor peace.
II have an even better excuse
than ever in not answering that
question" he grinned. II have
nothing to do with labor disputes
any more"
The new labor law removed the
Cancellation Service from the Labor
Department and made it indie
pendent.