Evening star., 1947-04-24
| Senator's Are Divided
Into Three Groups
|0n Labor Measure
BY The Asseeiass6 4 Press

The Senate Is splitting rough
" into three groups for the
lengthy labor law debate that
win be resumed tomorrow after
yesterdays slow start.
The groups:
l. A strong combination Of Re-
Ipublicans and Southern Democrats
who want to put more teeth Ia the
bill approved by the Senate Labor
Committee. For example, Senators
Taft, Republican. of Ohio; Ball, Re-
publican, Of Minnesota; Byrd, Demo
'crat, Of Virginia. and George, Demo-
|crat, OF Georgia.
2. A middle group whose members
would like to keep the bill approx
imately as it IS. Among them, SEN
ators Ives, Republican, of New York;
Morse, Republican, Of Oregon, ana
Ellen. Democrat, Of Louisiana.
3. A smaller faction, led by SEN
ators Thomas, Democrat, of Utah;
Pepper, Democrat, OF Florida, and
Murray, Democrat. OF Montana, who
think the bill goes too far In re-
stricting union activity.
Minority Report Issued.
Senators Thomas, Pepper and
Murray issued a minority committee
report in which they said the meas
ure is mild" only when compared
with the completely repressive"
Hartley bill which the House ap-
proved last week.
BY other standards, they said, the
Senate bill is harsh; it contains
many barriers, traps and pitfalls"
to complicate the settlement of
disputes, and it would create mis-
understanding and conflict"
But this opposition group did not
disclose what tactics it will use in
the debate.
In the House foes of the Hartley
bill made no effort to soften it by
amendment. Confronted with
Republican-Democrat steamroller,
the opponents simply denounced the
measure and sat back to await (a)
a milder Senate bill or (b) what
they predict will be a veto by Presi-
dent Truman If the legislation in
its final form follows the Hartley
bill outline.
To reporters question whether
his group will offer any amendment
in the Senate, Senator Pepper
grinned and said, 1--WE win make
ourselves heard from; that's all I
can say now"
Senator Taft opened the debate
yesterday with an explanation of
the Senate committee bill. Then
the chamber turned to other mat
ters. 1t was due to spend most of
today debating the nomination of
Gordon r. Clapp as iva chairman.
Senator Wherry Of Nebraska, the
Republican whip, told reporters the
labor bill will come up again tomor-
row and probably will be debated
about 10 days.
After the debate ends, the Senate
and House versions will be sent to
a Senate and House conferees for
long battle to eliminate the scores
of differences. That group will
emerge with the single bill which
will be sent to the White House
perhaps early In June.
The provisions which are most
likely to be in that final version
are those which now appear-in
basically the same form-in both
the House and Senate bills.
Provisions in Both Bills.
An analysis Of the two measures
prepared by the Library of Congress
shows these provisions to be.
Blocking national emergency
strikes through 75-day court in
functions to be obtained by the
United States Attorney General;
Banning the closed shop but per-
mitting the union shop under GER
tain conditions;
Relieving employers of any legal
compulsion to bargain with FORE
men;
Taking the Cancellation Service
out Of the Labor Department and
changing its name;
Making it easier for an employer
to petition for elections to determ-
inc what union, If any, shall repre-
sent his employees;
Requiring unions as we'll as en-
ployers to bargain collectively;
Requiring unions to make regular
financial reports; '.-..
Permitting unions to sue and be
sued in Federal courts for contract
violations;
Guaranteeing free speech to en-
ployers, though not the right to
make threats.