Evening star., 1947-06-24
On the Record
Political industrial Effects
Of New.Lobor Law Wuited
Character of Administration of Act
Depends on Enlarged NLRB
On the Record


Character of Administration of Act
Depends on ENLARGED NLRB
By Gould Lincoln
The Taft-Hartley Labor Management Rela-
tions Act Is now on the statute books by action
OF the Congress and despite the efforts OF Pres
ident Truman to kill it. It is the first COM
prehensiye labor legislation since the enact
ment of the Wagner National Labor Relations
Act early in the Roosevelt administration It
was vitally needed. to correct many abuses of
the power given labor leaders and their unions
under the terms of the Wagner Act and other
Federal statutes.
what are to be the effects Of this action by
Congress-and Of President Truman,s veto,
oVerrldden by large margins in both House
and Senator When 1t is said that the vote in
the Senate was CLOSE" It does not mean that
1t was close at all-for the Senate voted by
more than two-thirds vote to override the
President. 1t merely means that the effort to
sustain the presidential veto more nearly sp-
preached success in the Senate than 1t did in
the House. The vote in the House was 331 to
SO, almost four to one; the vote In the Senate
was SO to 25
Any discussion of probable effects of these
actions divides into political effects and effects
on labor management relations In other
words, will the Presidents veto of the labor
bill help him to be reelected next year? Will
Senator Tafts successful sponsorship of this
legislation enhance his chances for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination next year? And
what will be the effect on the industry OF the
country-will there be more industrial peace
or more industrial war?
Veto Pleased Labor Chiefs.
President Truman, OF course, pleased the
leaders of organized labor with his veto-and
also pleased large number of the rank and
file union members. He would have seriously
offended them had he approved the labor bill,
but whether they would have turned from him
next year to Republican presidential candi-
date is another matter One thing 1t may have
done-it may have removed any really serious
threat by Henry Wallace, should MIR. Wallace
attempt to win away from Mr. Truman the
Democratic presidential nomination or start a
third party On the other side, Mr.. Truman's
veto has undoubtedly displeased considerable
number of independent voters-men and
women who rallied to him when he defied the
stranglng efforts of the Railroad Brotherhoods
and Of the United Mine Workers of America.
The Republicans are content, apparently with
the fall of the cards.
Undoubtedly the political effect of the pas
sage Of the bill and the presidential veto will
of necessity depend in good part on what hap
pens during the coming months In the field
of industry and labor management relations.
1t viii depend, also, on the character Of ad-
ministration of the new act. If 1t is so admin
istered, under the enlarged National Labor Re
lations Board-it Is to have two addition mem
bers, total Of fve-and under President Tru-
man. that 1t causes great labor trouble and
war; II the administration undertakes to sabo-
tage the new law-as some Of the Republicans
fear-and does sabotage It, the sentiment in
the country may swing strongly against Mr..
Truman, for the country Is sick Of labor war
fare
The Republicans and their Democratic allies
in Congress have recognized the dangers which
may arise from the administration OF the new
law by an unfriendly adminstration-headed
by President who in his veto message could
find nothing in the law to praise but only
much to criticize. So they have written into
the law provision for the appointment OF q
Joint Congressional Committee, composed Of
seven Senators and seven Representatives.
They have given to this committee unusual
powers to go into every phase of the admin
istration of the law
Taft Prestige Enhanced.
II there is any attempted skulduggery, any
deliberate effort on the part of the admnistra-
tion to hamstring the law by incorrect interpre-
tations. this committee will bring the offending
officials before it and demand the reason why.
This joint committee also is set up for til:
purpose of examining carefully the need OF
any amendment of the labor laws. inclueing
the Taft-Hartley Act, and is directed to report
to Congress what changes, if any are found
advisable in the light of the future enforce
ment of the laws. This committee will be of
major Importance -i
The President, under the new law, must
appoint two additional members of the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board, and also gen.
eral counsel who is to have wide powers Of
administration. Provision is made that these
appointments be confirmed by the Senate. No
violent critic of the new law apparently has
the slightest chance of being confirmed by
the Senate, which will insist that the new
members of the board and the counsel be
men of open mind and high type.
Senator Taft, chairman of the Senate Labor
Committee, whose name is attached to the
new law, is entitled to full credit for its pas
sage in its present form. Further, he has
been the Presidents chief opponent in the
debate over the provisions of the bill. Un-
doubtedly his prestige in the Senate, and his
stature as presidential candidate have been
enhanced.