Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-09
The Political Mil
Labor Grooming Humphrey
To Defeat Senator Ball
Master Minds of Union Campaign
Pick Far.Left.W Democrat
By Gould Lincoln

tative Hartley Of New Jersey, the master
minds Of the labor union campaign to defeat
members Of Congress who voted for the Taft
Hartley labor law would like to lift the politi-
cal scalp Of Senator Ball Of Minnesota. Un-
less Mr.. Taft becomes the Republican
presidential nominee next year, the union
leaders will have nc chance to shoot at him
until the campaign Of 1850, when in the
ordinary course OF events Senator Taft will
be up for reelection. But with Senator Ball.
it's another matter, for he must run again in
1948.
Already the anti-Ball forces have picked
their man with whom they hope to defeat
the 42-year-old Minnesotan, who did his level
best to have written into the Taft Hartley law
provisions absolutely outlawing the closed shop
and industry wide strikes. Their selection is
the Mayor of Minneapolis, Hubert Humphrey
"a Democrat Of the far-left-wing stamp. Mayor
Humphrey now Is beginning his second two
year term. He is in his thirties-even younger
than Senator Ball-and before he was elected
mayor was professor at McAllister College in
st. Paul. Perhaps with the 1948 Senate cam
paign in mind, Gael Sullivan, executive direc-
tor OF the Democratic National Committee,
picked Mr.. Humphrey to take part in the re-
cent radio meeting Of the Democratic Party.
Republicans Strong in State.
In Minnesota the Democrats and what is left
OF the old Farmer-Labor Party have joined
hands to become an amalgamated party. They
have not, however, made much Roadway to
date. Minnesota has Republican Governor,
two United States Senators and seven out Of
eight members of the House Of the same poll
tical persuasion, and heavily Republican State
Legislature 1t Is in such state, however that
the C1O and AFL leaders have tackled the Job
Of eliminating the colorful and hard hitting
Mr. Ball. who was appointed to the Senate In
October, 1910. by former Gov. Stassen and who
was elected Senator In 1912.
Mr. Ball aroused the ire Of Republicans in
his State in 1914 when he came out for the re.
election of President Roosevet-because he
preferred Mr.. Roosevelt's stand on international
affairs to that Of Gov. Thomas E. Dewey Of
New York. Many of them were ready to take
the Senator apart with their bare hands, after
that episode. Apparently most OF them have
Gained down since. Mr. Ball has been going
steadily ahead, supporting Republican meas
ures in the Senate and Republican candidates
at the polls. Mr.. Ball had leading part In
the stassen-for- President campaign in 1914
and he Is expected to have the support of the
Stassen following for senatorial denomination
in the primaries in September 1948 Incl
dentally, he will be working for Mr. Stassen for
the Republican presidential nomination next
year.
Brisk Fight Held Certain.
The only Republican so far to raise his head
as potential opponent Of Mr. Ball next year
is Stafford King-about so years old-who has
been State auditor for 20 years. Whether Mr.
King will actually enter the primary against
Mr.. Ball, or whether some other Republicans
will, is a mere matter of surmise today. How
ever, 1t looks as though Mr.. Ball would be able
to win in any event-and, once he has the
Republican nomination. to win re election over
May or Humphrey or any other Democrat
That there will be q brisk, even desperate fight
waged by the union leaders to defeat Mr.. Ball
Is certain, however.
Senator Ball is chairman Of the Joint Con-
gressional Committee to study the working of
the Taft-Hartley law. labor-management re-
lations in general and to submit proposals for
any amendments to the law that 1t may deem
wise. He plans to call his committee, COM
posed of seven Senators and seven Representa-
tives, to meet in Washington in October He
has been in Washington recently recruiting q
committee staff to study these labor problems
In Mr.. Balls opinion, the Taft-Hartley labor
law Is working well. There have been few
major labor disturbances since it went into
effect. While there has been much talk of
avoiding" the terms Of the law, he finds that
both labor and management, in their con-
tracts, are complying pretty well"