Evening star., 1948-09-22
Campaign 10 Furnish
Answer on Approach
In Presidential Race
Dewey Leons to Dignity
As Truman Tries Rough
And-TumbIe Techniques
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Maybe the American people like
polenlics, or maybe they like the
dignified approach by men who as
pire to the Office of President Of
the United States.
The current campaign will furn-
ish the answer. Certainly, from the
speeches thus far, 1t Is apparent
that Gov. Dewey has chosen the
dignified approach. President Tru-
man has chosen the rough-and-
tumble technique.
Going before audiences and boldly
proclaiming that he was going to
give EN- hell" President Truman
gets applause, especially from those
who think a presidential contest
and a boxing match have some
thing in common. But Gov. Dewey
comedies that maybe all the ills
from which the country is suf-
fering did not emanate from Demo-
cratic administration. He merely
argues that it would be better to try
the Republican program for a
change.
On the subject OF dignity, there
is cause for regret that the presi-
dent Of the United States should be
travelling around the country call
ing his opponents names while a
crave situation in international az
Iairs prevails.
Truman Seems Unworried.
When Secretary of State Marshall
departed for Paris, he spoke Of the
critical condition of world affairs.
One might think that, under such
conditions, q President OF the
United States would reflect some OF
the solemnity of current affairs and
imply ut least that he is concerned
with what is going on in the world.
Many people, for instance, think
America Is on the brink of war.
Mr.. Truman doesn't seem to be
worried or he would not be run
ming about the countryside pour
ing It on" and otherwise carrying
on in the antics Of a political stump
speaker.
Gov. Dewey has all the better Of
IL so far as the impression that
will be made on those men and
women In the electorate who like to
see q President carry the dignity
OF his Office while he holds 1t.
President Truman has q case for
his side of the controversy. He isn't
making it, however. He is choosing
instead to engage in what his op-
ponents call a campaign OF fear
and smear"
The other day Mr.. Truman called
his opponents "hypocrites." He re-
peatedly tells his audiences, espe-
cially the laboring men, that Re
publican administration will take
away their rights and he boasts
that collective bargaining was
granted first by a Democratic ad-
ministration.
The facts Of history prove other
wise. Thus the Norris-La Guardia
Act. which is still on the statute
books and prevents employers from
applying to courts for injunctions
against strikes, is regarded as a
precious piece of labor legislation.
Did the Democrats pass 1t? It was
q Republican President, Herbert
Hoover, and a Republican Congress
which In 1882 enacted that law.
AS to the origin of collective bar
gaining in Federal law, 1t will be
found first in statute enacted by
a Republican Congress and Re-
publican President, Calvin Coolidge,
in the Railway Labor Act OF 1925.
Here Is the language Of that law:
Representatives, for the purpose
Of this chapter, shall be designated
by the respective parties, without
interference, influence or coercion
by either party over the designa-
ton Of representatives of the other;
and neither party shall in any way
interfere with, influence or coerce
the other in the choice Of repre-
sentatives.
Employees shall nave the right to
organize collectively through rep
resentatives Of their own choos-
ing"
Law Passed In 1904.
It was Republican Congress
that passed in 1904 the employers
liability law and Republican
President, Theodore Roosevelt, who
signed 1t.
The theory that the Republicans
have never originated or passed any
legislation friendly to labor unions
is a mistaken one. AS matter OF
fact. when all politics Is stripped
away, 1t will be found that both
parties have been responsive to the
will of the people on liberal legisla-
ton In the past and they will con-
tinue to be In the future. The mat
ter Of pressures from one group to
take advantage Of the other groups
in our economic system is not con-
fined to any one group either Mr.,
Truman said at Dexter. Iowa:
But it is terribly dangerous to
Let any one group get too much
power in the government. We can
not afford to let one group shape
the nations policies in its own in
terest, at the expense of the others. p"
Mr.. Truman is right about that,
but In his Iowa speech he COM
pletely omitted mention OF labor
groups as having at any time In the
last IS years exercised their pres
sure as against other groups. He
could only remember that, as he
alleges, when the Republicans were
in power the business group held
sway. The recent coal strike which
nearly paralyzed the economic sys-
tenn has apparently been forgotten
already.
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