Evening star., 1947-09-23
Debate on Labor Law
Will Be Staged Today
By Bar Association
Rx the Assoeiatsd Rrsss

CLEVELAND, Sept. %. - The
American Bar Association today
plunged into the controversial field
of labor law with full l-dress debate
on whether the Taft-Hartley Act is
a fair and workable law.
The 10th convention of the asso-
citation. offered itself as a testing
ground for what may become one
of the key political Issues Of 1948
by inviting labor lawyers and corpo-
ration counsel into a free-for-all In
Cleveland's Municipal Auditorium.
Joseph A. Padway and Lee Press
man, general counsels of the AFL
and CIO, respectively, were expected
to air labor's protests against the
requirement that union officials file
non Communist afiidavits, and
other sections of the act. \
Denham Launches Meeting.
Robert N. Denham, judge and
prosecutor under the law in his
capacity as general counsel OF the
National Labor Relations Board,
launched the meeting arranged by
ABA's section on labor relations
law. Labor attorneys have at
tackled his recent ruling that top
AFL and CIO officials must file non-
Communist af1idavits before any of
their affiliated unions or locals may
obtain NLRB protection.
A rival attraction on the second
day convention program was the
appearance Of Harold E. Stassen Of
Minnesota, sole avowed Republican
candidate for President, at a joint
luncheon of the international law
section of ABA and the Junior Bar
Conference. Affairs of the United
Nations we're on the agenda.
Chief Justice Vinson told the
lawyers last night that they should
assume leadership in a reatfirmation
Of faith in their country faith
that can triumph over "totalitarian
doctrines"
Challenges to Law.
These doctrines, he told the con-
vention, not only menace the ideal
of government abroad but are at
work in the United States.
"The challenge to the supremacy
Of the law has not been confined
to the totalitarian regimes" the
Supreme Court leader warned. I'm
our own country we have seen the
evidences that there are those who
have failed to realize that the only
alternative to the supremacy of The
law is anarchistic chaos or the
reign of a personal dictator"
The weakness of the family, the
growing lack OF respect for Law
and the legal process" and world.
wide uncertainty and confusion are
characteristics of the day, he said
But perhaps the greatest hazard
he declared, "is the danger Of losing
faith in ourselves"
Jowitt Praises Services.
Viscount Jowitt, lord chancellor OF
England. last night joined Chief
Justice Vinson In applauding prog.
ress of the Bar Associations pro-
gram to provide low-cost legal aid
for the needy. He told the legal
aid section that the Anglo-Saxon
peoples could not boast of equality
under the law "as long as the rich
man has an advantage over the
poor man."
The old proposal to admit women
jurors to all Federal courts brought
an angry roar of opposition from
Southern members but was approved
by a 63-42 vote in ABA's House Of
Delegates, which passed nine other
resolutions without opposition. Tht
vote gave ABA approval to a pending
Senate bill.
Former Gov. John M. Slaton o1
Georgia, leading the Southerners in
the first sharp split in the delibera-
tions, said the measure would be
IAN invasion of State rights" Fed
eral jury service now is controlled
by individual State laws.
william j. Donovan, wartime chief