Evening star., 1947-05-14


Relations Act as untouchable.
Ever since 1885, 1t has been Demo-
cratic Party strategy to smother in
committee reform bills on the labor
question. Not only In the House but
in the Senate a small group OF men,
bers kept legislation from coming 10
the floor and thus did distiHct
disservice to their country and to
the cause of labor.
This ability readily I souelch
legislation in committee Also misled
the labor union leai0det may of
whom confused the DWork kadership
with bossism. 4ust bJlse they
could control r eongressiot commit
tees or couN I'd depend 4a White
House vet1 20, the labor-q| In chief
tains d Reluded tfemselv1into be-
lievins 9 that no legislatiott all was
~sded.
Letters From Wofks.
What these men oyeriked was
simple thing called pAc senti-
ment, which Is aroused VIII abuses
occur. Certainly there mu5oe MANY
millions of rank-and -fiIt workers
who disagree with the lar-union
bosses. The mail from theAworkers
has been piling In at thtCapitol.
1t Is surprising that the lak. chiefs
never seemed to realize tit their
public relations were in ned of inn
sprovement. Just as corporhon ex-
ecutives few decades ago Id "the
public be damned" so did HIabor-
union bosses echo the sam senti-
ment In recent months. conse.
quently, the public interest hs be-
come clear and members a Con-
gress have seen that reform were
long overdue.
The Senate bill Is by no meAs the
legislation the country want II is
bill evolved through politial ex-
pediency-a desire of the Rt,ubli-
conference.-the coalition to aoid a
presidential veto or at least ii win
If possible, enough votes to override
a veto.
The House bill represents more
what the country really demands
The leaders Of the House, however
are ready to compromise In confe.-
ence along the lines of the Senats
bill In order that some legislation
may be enacted rather than no
legislation. The administration
spokesn1en in Congress fumbled the
ball on the veto question. They told
the House and the country several
weeks ago that Mr.. Truman would
veto the labor bill. This aroused
Speaker Martin, who felt compelled
to announce that, if the veto came
and 1t wasn't overridden, this would
be the end of labor legislation for
this session. Senator Barkley. ad-
ministration leader, called this "in-
t1m1dation" but he didn't refer to
threats that came from Democratic
sources and which influenced mem
oers OF the Senate to soften the
Dill they were writing in ordey to
placate the President.
Difficult Committee .L6b
The joint conference t Committee
VIII have a difficult task. Senator
Taft showed he caHb be a POLITICAL
strategist, too, whM he named SEN
ator Ives as a 9onferee along with
Senator s Ball. Ahese three Repub-
licans know| inside influences
'nat pr9pnlpted3 3he Senate to pass
oi 1t did Senator Ellender,
Democrat, of Louisiana, is also
thoroughly fam Jar with labor legis-
latlon. and, OF Aurse, Senator Muir
ray, democrat, ef Montana, repre-
sents the New lal viewpoint. These
HVe Senate COZ 4erees will be all
poWeriui IN wiring the final bill.
Cue OF the conference will come
pin tnat clarifla some of the am
oieultleS OF the anate bill and con-
cedes certain potts to the House
II the Presldet vetoes the con-
ference Dill, the targin above two
.nlros IN the Houe will be substan-
tial but In the Sdate the. vote will
be close and, despte the two-thirds
vote for the Senae bill this week
some Senators maSswitch later and
60 along with Mr.. Truman.
A small minority will thus have
the responsibility fd killing or en-
acting labor Legislation at this ses-
sion. But whatever bill is enacted
VIII not impair lab&'s legitimate
r1ghts-in fact, the rishts of unions
Will be considerably strengthened
even though employers rights will
oe recognized for the fist time.
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