Evening star., 1947-01-09
New Case Bill
Would LET u. 5.
Enjoin Strikes
Workers Also Made
Subject to Unfair
Labor Charges
Nv the Associated Press

Representative Case, Repub-
1ican, of South Dakota today in
troduced legislation authorizing
the Government to enioin labor
unions from strikes that endanger
the public welfare and making
workers as we'll as employers
liable to unfair labor charges.
Mr.. Case, author of a labor bill
that passed Congress last year only
to meet presidential veto, said his
new measure is intended to let labor
and management live together" in
peace.
In a statement, he said he does not
consider his measure "the bill" but
"a bill" which he hopes will afford
IAN opportunity to meet our re-
sponsibilities in comprehensive
way"
Senate and House leaders have set
January 20 as the outside" date to
start hearings on new labor legis-
lation.
The new Case bill expands in some
respects on the one which failed
last year. In other aspects it goes
beyond the top Senate bill intro
duced by Republican Senators Ball
of Minnesota, Taft of Ohio and
Smith of New Jersey.
Injunction without Seizure.
Among other things, the Case bill
would:
/. "Legalize" the procedure fol-
lowed when the Government got
an Injunction against John L. Lewis
end his coal miners in the recent
coal strike, without requiring Gov
ernment seizure of the struck prop
erty.
2. Specifically authorize the At
torney General to use the lnJunc-
ton when strike in an essential
monopolized service or industry
burdens or ohstructs commerce in
such a way as to endanger public
welfare, health or safety" after the
President has authorized a proposed
emergency commission to investi-
gate and recommend settlement.
3. Define unfair labor practices
by employees closely paralleling
those now covering employers IN
the Wagner Act. Labor organiza-
tions and leaders would be forbid
den to coerce employees, use violence
against them, seize property In
strikes, withdraw essential mainte-
nance workers, or order strikes
without a majority vote of employees
In secret ballot.
4. Empower the Attorney Gen.
eral to file charges of unfair labor
practices. The. National Labor Re-
lations Board, which would be in
creased from three to five members,
now has this power alone.
Restrictions ON Unions.
S. Avoid industry-wide bargaining,
if this is desired, by giving employers
as well as employees the right to
choose their representatives in bar
gaining.
6. Restrict labor unions in some
respects, but still protect their right
to strike, assemble peacefully and
picket peacefully.
Z. Deprive labor organizations that
engage in sympathy and jurisdic-
tional strikes of their exclusive bar
gaining rights and make them liable
for civil damages. Individual union
members would not be affected.
8. Authorize suits by and against
labor unions,
9. Require all national unions to
supply members with annual state
ments or finances, officers and OBJ
legations.
10. Forbid political contributions
by labor organizations, corporations
and national banks.
II. Grant congressional recogni-
ton of the right of various States
to enact laws to ban closed-Shop
agreements.
IL. Authorize the Attorney Cen
eral alone to use injunctions in
fragrant cases of boycott, secondary
strikes and combinations to fix
prices or restrict production"
Limits Injunction Use to u. S.
Mr.. Case said this last provision
would let the Government protect
public interest without opening the
door to "indiscriminate use of in
junctive process by private employ
ers"
He asserted that in his plan for
dealing with disputes affecting pub
lie welfare he had sought to "avoid
involuntary servitude on the one
hand and Government seizure on
the other" both of which are in
volved in compulsory arbitration" 4"
Mr.. Case said he tried to avoid
(See LABOR, Page A-5)