Evening star., 1948-09-09
The Political Mil
Nominations Give Trend
In Toft-Hortley ActFieht
Vast Majority of House Members
Who Voted for Law Again Chosen
By Gould LiHcoIx


President Truman and the labor bosses allied
with him in his quest for = four-year term
In the White House after January have not
been successful in the nrst round Of their
fight for = repeal Of the Taft-Hartley Labor
Act. Notwithstanding their strenuous op-
position to those members Of the House OF
Representatives who voted for the labor law.
the vast majority Of those who supported the
rill have been successfully renominated-both
Republicans and Democrats.
Here's the score as 1t stands today. OF 28a
members of the House who voted for the Taft
Hartley Act, in 81 States where nominations
have already been made, 24 have been re-
nominated: IS have been defeated, and 81 have
died, declined to run again, run for senatorial
nominations or have been appointed to judge
ships. OF the Is defeated for denomination.
only in the cases Of 8 are labor leaders able
to claim their opposition was effective in
bringing about defeat. Not an impressive
record.
In one more State Colorado, whose primary
is to be held this month, three Representa-
tives, al Republicans who voted for the Taft
Hartley bill have no opposition for renomina-
ton. The Georgia primary results, unavail.
able at the time of writing have not been
included.
Nine Others Stin to Act.
Nine other States have still to nominsts
their candidates for the House. They are
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New
Hampshire Vermont, Washington, Rhode
Island, Wisconsin and Connecticut, with
cotal representation Of II members in the
House.
The Tsft-Hartley law was passed over Presi-
dent Humans veto in the House on June 20,
l947, by a vote of 331 to SO, and, three days
later in the Senate by 68 to rs. More House
Democrats voted to override the veto than
voted to sustain it, and in the Senate the
Democratic vote was almost &c ally divided
for and against the bill
The second round of the night to elect
Congress dedicated to the repeal OF the Taft
Hartley Act takes place next November q
general election day. Then the candidates
who voted for the law must 60 to the mat
with those nominated against them. Since
nearly all of the Democrats from the Southern
States voted for the act, and nearly all OF
them have been renominated, big bloc OF
Taft-Hartley supporters is already as certain
Of reelection as the sunrise. Among the Re-
publicans, it is virtually certain that great
number Of the supporters Of the Taft-Hartley
Act also will be re-elected-and some new Re-
Under all these circumstances, it would be
political miracle of the hrst magnitude II an
anti-Taft- Hartley majority should be elected
to the new House.
Maine May Point Way.
Maine, whose election for members OF Con-
gress and State officers comes September )S,
will give some indication Of what may 10
expected in the rest Of the country. All three
of Names House delegation voted for the
Taft Hartley Act. Two of these members have
been e-nominated-both Republicans. The
third, Mrs. Margaret Chase Smith, has the
Republican nomination for the Senate and Is
regarded as g. sure winner.
50 far as the Senate is concerned, the anti
Taft-Hartley Act Truman-labor bosses ali-
snce has been virtually without success, In the
nominating primaries. In Tennessee, 1t is true.
Senator Stewart, Democrat, who voted for the
labor bill, was defeated for the senatorial
nomination by Representative Kefauver, who
was the only Democratic House member from
Tennessee to vote against the bill. Involved in
the Tennessee race for the Democratic sena-
torial nomination were bitter fsctional Nights.
however, entirely aside from the Taft-Hartley
bill. Lyndon Johnson-a 100 per cent Roose-
welt New Dealer-is claiming the Democratic
senatorial nomination in Texas But as
member OF the House, Representative johnson
voted for the Taft-Hartley bill, and II hs
hadn't he would not have had chance for
the senatorial nomination.
Mr., Truman and his labor boss allies, on
the showing to date, are not doing we'll III
this political campaign.