Evening star., 1948-11-09
The Political Mil
Taft Labor Act Repeal
Is Toughest Kind Of Job
Potential Majority of Senate Gould
Block Return to Wagner Law Status
By Gould Lincoln

ny OOWtU LtUCOtw
Outright repeal of the Taft-Hartley Labor
Act, put high on the White House agenda for
the new Congress, is going to be the toughest
kind of job-unless considerable number Of
the members Of the incoming Congress who, in
the old Congress, voted for the measure change
their minds. They may If they are afraid OF
future reprisals by organized labor. However,
they weathered the recent storm at the polls
and may figure they can weather another. Or
they may just plain believe the act should
not be repealed.
In the Senate will be so Senators who voted
to override President Trumans veto of the
Taft-Hartley bill. In addition two new sena-
tors, Mrs Smith of Maine and Senator -elect
Mundt of South Dakota, Republicans, both
voted for the bill as members of the House.
Two other new Republican Senators, Schoeppel
of Kansas and Burdick Of North Dakota, will
have an opportunity to say how they feel to-
ward outright repeal Of the law-which would
mean return to the status existing under the
old Wagner Labor Relations Act.
Here, at least, is a potential majority of the
Senate against repeal. majority Of the
Senate is 40. In the event of tie, the new
Democratic Vice President, Barkley, of Ken.
lucky, could vote repeal.
Lineup In House.
In the House after January will be 227
members who either voted to override the Pres.
ident's veto of the labor bill or were paired for
that purpose A majority of the House mem.
bership Is 2l8. In the House very consider
able number of new members will be found
and some of them may vote as did their prede-
cessors. The House vote, taken June 20, l947,
on motion to override Mr.. Truman's veto was
33l to 49, BY no means all the new members
IN the House will be Democrats-for in the
Republican primaries considerable number
OF new candidates supplanted incumbent mem
bers Of the House This lessons the number
of members of the Eightieth Congress elected
to the new Congress. These new Republicans
may vote as did the members whose seats they
are taking. The same may be true Of some Of
the Democrats in the Eighty-hrst Congress.
The administration may. when the time
arrives, reach the conclusion 1t would be un.
wise to seek outright repeal Of the Taft
Hartley law. Indeed, already there Is talk Of
sitting down with the leaders of organized
labor and of management and working
measure fair to both, which may be put
through as a substitute for the present law.
1t Is doubtful that Mr.. Truman would care to
face again threats of a Nationwide tieup Of
by John L. Lewis without some law, beyond the
Wagner Act, to deal with desperate situation.
Features Under Attack.
So the probabilities are that strong efforts
will be made to modify the Taft-Hartley law,
rather than repeal it, Two features Of the law
which will be attacked are those which prohibit
the closed-shop contract and which make 1t
necessary for a majority of the employees to give
their assent in an election to have q union
shop, shop in which a man may obtain q
job before he joins union, but in which he
must join the union within 80 days after his
employment.
Modification Of the labor law may be ex-
pected. But there are many provisions Of the
Taft-Hartley law which should remain on the
statute books. If there is an effort TO wipe
them all of, the administration may come @
cropper.
The Taft-Hartley Act, far from making slaves
Of the workers, has worked well. There has
been greater Industrial peace, and higher
wages, since its enactment. The measure, how.
ever, has been the object of bitter attack BY
leaders of organized labor. Now having given
the President their support In big way to
bring about his election. and having been In.
strumental in the victory Of number Of new
Democratic members Of the House and Senate,
they are demanding the pay-off.