Evening star., 1947-09-18
The Political Mill
Taft in Role Of Champion
Of Republican Congress
ANY G. o. P. Nominee Will Have to
Run on Record of Party Lawmakers
BY Gould Lincoln

run on Record OF Party Lawmakers
By Gould Lincoln
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17-senator Robert
A. Taft of Ohio has taken on himself IN his
present Western trip. the role of champion Of
the Republican Congress and the record n has
made. As he sees it, it is his duty. So with all
the logic at his command plus his knowledge
OF congressional action. he has swung into
action, and he is doing q complete Job. Tied
into his championship of Congress NAV well
be his own chances for the presidential nomi-
nation next year. Certainly there Is tied into
this campaign Of education the chances of the
'Hepuohcan Party in the coming national elec-
tlon. For whoever the presidential nominee NAV
oe-Senator Taft or another-he will have to
run on this congressional record
ihere Is no note of apology in Mr.. Taft's
speeches-either for what the Republican Con-
gress did or what it failed to do in its first
session. The same is true when he is called
on to answer questions, either from the audi
ences which he addresses or the large group Of
newspaper correspondents trsveling with him
and the local press. Nor is there ever any sug-
gestlon OF compromise of principle on the part
OF the Republican senatorial leader. He Is bold
ana direct, ne is not scintillating without any
OF the graces of an orator, he is impressing his
comments OF those who hear him, even when
they do not agree and are opposed both to him
and his principles of government, are a testi-
mony to his frankness
Symbolzes Labor Law,
Senator Taft symbolizes to the r,,hI,c the
new labor law which bears his name and
which has been excoriated by union labor
leaders from one end of the land to the other
1t Is natural, therefore, that discussion of
this law should find its way into every address
ne has made. And the Taft-Hartley law must
be regarded as one Of the principal-if not ths
principal-enactments Of the Republican Con-
gress Mr.. Taft is doing a great deal to dispel
the log which has hung over the real meaning
Of the provisions of the act
Representative Madden, Democrat of Indi-
ana, in debate of the Taft-Hartley law at
Santa Cruz made a devastating statement.
He said that not more than one in a
hundred members of labor unions knew the
contents of the Taft-Hartley law Yet all
members Of labor unions are, according to
their leaders, opposed to this slave law"
Senator Taft now is engaged in trying TO In
form the rank and file Of labor just what the
law does and what 1t does not do. This is a
task which the labor leaders themselves should
undertake. Yet they have so far given their
time to denouncing the law, calling names,
and distorting the real meaning Of the pro-
visions Of the act.
Furthermore, Senator Taft has laid great
emphasis on the fact that the law itself set
up joint committee of Congress to watch the
laws operation, 10 consider any amendments
that may be necessary, and to recommend
changes Already this committee Is organiz-
ing IN Washington, D. G. The Ohio Senator
lays great stress on the fact that no piece OF
legislation Is perfect and all should be open TO
amendment
Meetings Picketed.
Labor unions have picketed Taft meetings
with banners demanding outright repeal OF
the Taft-Hartley law. But the more the labor
leaders adopt such tactics, and the more they
attempt to howl down the law itself, the more
they are playing into the hands of q man who
knows what the law does. Indeed, there is
more and more evidence that rank and nle
members Of unions are becoming interested In
an act which is designed to protect them from
unscrupulous leadership. Here in California
many Of them are fed up with strikes and loss
Of wages
In his speech to the Town Hall in Los An
geles. Senator Taft declared the Republican
party believes the Federal Government should
proceed with program Of public welfare. 1t
Will nave welfare program. But, ne said, the
Republicans are loath to proceed with any
such program while the Truman administra-
tion, with its New Deal hangover, remains In
control of the executive. He expressed a hope
that "our program (social welfare) may be in
augurated under a Republican President In
1s4s." This statement by the Republican leader
of the Senate on domestic affairs virtually says
there will be no attempt by the Republicans
to enact program Of social legislation In its
next session, and no such attempt until Con-
gress meets after the presidential election It
may have been Senator Tafts way Of explain
ing why none was attempted at the last session
of Congress. It is, however, certainly revealing