The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-24
Bill
Continued From Page One)

6 when the Senate passed the final
compromise version worked out
with the House.
Its first phases seem bound to be
marked by disputes and litigation
- as were those of the Wagner
act as unions and employers
test out the new acts terms. The
Supreme court in the end will have
to decide what many of them
mean, as it did with the Wagner
act and even still is doing a decade
afterwards.
Provisions which the courts are
likely to be asked to clarity partic-
ularly are those dealing with I'M
ion security, damage liability Of
unions for jurisdictional strikes
and breach of contract, and "un-
fair practices by unions.
The new law bans the closed
shop, under which non-unionists
may not be hired, but permits the
union shop with certain restrictions.
In a union shop, non-unionists may
be hired but then must join up.
1t also imposes a long string Of
restrictions on union activities
which have sprung up under the
Wagner act.
Few, if any, of its sponsors claim
ed it would work without some
controversy. But where the Presi-
dent and its other foes called it
entirely unavoidable and worse, its
advocates contended it would bring
the power of unions and employers
into better balance and promote
industrial peace.
Truman Duties
The first thing now will be for
the President to appoint two more
members for the three-man Nation
al Labor Relations board, which
will administer some sections of
the Taft-Hartley act along with the
Wagner act. He also must name a
new general counsel for the board
who will take over some of the
functions the board itself now has.
These appointments must be con-
firmed by the Senate. They could
bring on a new row between the
President and the Senate if the
executives selections should be
displeasing to the Senators. Mr..
Truman has given no indication so
far of his choices.
The Senate. and House, too, have
appointments to make - to a IA
member joint committee which is
to study the whole field Of in
dustrial relations with an eye to
further legislation if necessary. The
committee also is expected to act
as the ~''watchdog" of Congress, in
the word of Taft, to study the work
ing of the Taft-Hartley act. Sena-
tor Ball CR.-Minn.) is reported the
choice of Senate Republicans to
head it.
Soon, also, might come a big
test OF the provision designed to
cope with nationwide strikes af-
fecting public health or safety. 1t
could come with a soft coal walk
out which seems likely to occur
next month because the govern
ment must restore the seized
mines to private hands June 80
and the operators and John l..
Lewis have no contract.
Injunction Power
The new law provides that the
government may seek an injunction
to block a big strike for 80 days.
During that time an inquiry board
would get busy, and the NLRB
would hold a secret ballot election
among the strikers to see whether
they wanted to accept the en-
ployers' last offer despite its re-
lection by their leaders.
Mr.. Truman commended this
would not work and 1.-The country
would be in for a bitter disappoint-
ment." He held it would only post
pone the coal strike until cold
weather, when its effects would be
worse. Even though the bill nc is
law, it would be up to him whether
to try to use this provision or not.
/. There remained a formality Of
Senate officials certifying their &C.
ton on the bill to the secretary of
state. But it actually became law
when the Senate rollcau was COM
pleted with the yea" Of Senator
Young R.-N.D.), last name on the
alphabetical list.
Young was n Of a dozen Sena-
tors summoned to a White House
luncheon and conference Friday by