The union times., 1947-04-26

OAA 0 ~~4S~AS
 Confronted with the adoption of this legislation by an overwhelming majority in the House of Representa- lives and the practical certainty of the passage of an almost equally tough bill in the Senate within a few days the leaders of labor were pinning their hopes on Presidential veto.
 These hopes gained support from public statements by members of Con- gress and from unofficial advices from high quarters.
 A MAJOR CRISIS
 Members of the AFL Executive Council, gathering for their regular quarterly Spring meeting, made it clear that they regard the present leg islative situation as one of the major crises i'll organized 1abor's history.
 The Hartley Bill, adopted by the House by an almost S-tO-l vote, pre- sents direct threat of the destruc- ton of major gains built up by na- tiOnal unions after long years of struggle and, if it becomes law, may put many unions out of business al- together.
 Faced with this menace, it was ex- pected that the Executive Council would make another effort to arrange. conferences with the CIO for the merger of the two organizations into a solid and united labor movement. AFL leaders believe it is the part of craftsmanship to unify the ranks of labor for the strongest possible re- sistance against the anti-union drive. - RECESSION DANGER
 The Executive Council also will consider warnings of the possibility of, an economic recession this Fall due to continuously rising prices and the failure of business to raise wages in line with higher living costs.
 The Council is expected to give strong support to President Tru- mans demand for a gradual reduc- ton of prices all along the line by American business and for wage in- creases to make up for losses in purcnaslng power.
 But the main attention of the Coun- Gil will be concentrated on the imme- diate legislative crisis. AFL Legis- lative representatives have virtually given up hope of persuading the House of Representatives to reconsider its drastic verdict on anti-1abor legis1a- ton, but the situation in the Senate presents a more promising picture.
 UNPALATABLE DOSE
 The measure approved by the Sen ate Labor Committee is far less dras- tic than the Hartley Bill adopted by the House but 1t is still completely unpalatable dose for organized labor to swallow.
 Moreover, Republican leaders have openly threatened to toughen the committee bill when it gets to the floor of the Senate with amend ments which would bring it closer in line with the Hartley Bill.
 Even though the Senate should adopt a relatively moderate bill, the differing measures would go to con- ference between the House and the Senate and in view of the present tenn per of the House there is little fkeli- hood that the "hate-1abor" brigade would yield.
 Under these circumstances, one of the factors to be considered is whether it would not be better strategy to let Congress go ahead and pass the worst possible bill, thereby increasing the chances of Presidential veto.
 Should the President veto the mea- sure as finally adopted, there is little doubt that anti-1abor forces in the House could muster the required two thirds majority to override the veto.
 DIFFERENT IN SENATE
 But an entirely different situation exists in the Senate where party lines are more closely drawn Republican leaders doubt whether the Senate would override a Presidential veto and some of them have privately indicated that they would just as soon have the veto stand and have no new labor legislation. This, they believe, would give them political capital in the l948 campaign.
 On the other hand, Democratic leaders believe the Republicans have killed their political goose in l948 by officially sponsoring anti labor legislation.