Evening star., 1948-11-21
Bark|ey Assures AFL
Campaign Pledges 10
Labor Will Be Kept
BY O Stoff Correspondent Of The Stor

by q Srorr SofFeSPOnoenf OF me SToF
CINCINNATI, Nov. 20.-Vice Pres
ident -elect Barkley told the AFL
yesterday that the Democratic cam
paign pledges are as valid today as
they were befor the election, but
he warned labor not to expect any
miracles" like quick repeal of the
Taft Hartley Act when the 8lst
Congress gathers in January.
Senator Barkley said he looked
for little or no legislative action
between the convening Congress
January and the Inauguration Of
President Truman II days later.
But he promised the administration
will get to work on repeal and a
substitute labor relations bill as
soon as possible after January 20.
The speaker. who was cheered
wildly by the AF'L convention dele
gates, said he could not promise
that a Hartley repeater would
be the first bill dropped into the
Senate hopper, but he gave assur-
ance that it would be among the
first matters to be considered.
Communists Assailed.
On the subject of foreign policy,
Mr.. Barkley declared every effort
would be made to keep on a nom
partisan basis, and he assured the
world that the United States will
not grab off one square foot Of land
belonging to any other nation" and
that we will not demand repara-
tions resulting from the war
AS for peace, he said that no
man can predict how long it will
be before the big issues of the world
will be settled" He drew long ap-
plause when he tore into the Com
muniSts and referred to Commu-
nism as a monster" roaming and
plundering the world. The Senator
praised the work of the AFL and
CIO in their attempts to check and
eradicate Communism at home and
abroad.
Aside from Taft-Hartley repeal,
Senator Barkley who spoke for
nearly an hour, promised the ad-
mlnistration would make good on
pledges to raise the minimum wage
TO 'at least rs cents an hour; in
crease old age benefits so per cent !
and broaden social security cover
age.
He said it was most important
to obtain uniformity of benefits |
among all states and that to get /
II tho EoSoro1 coyorpp,opt ,>robo bl,,
will be forced to assume the liabil-
tiles of those states unable to pay |
their share.
Wagner Act Revival Seen.
One of the first things the new
Congress will be asked to do, Sem
ator Barkley said, will be to build
up the Labor Department form the .
present skeleton SO that the Sec
retary of Labor will not be ashamed .
of his job"
In place of the Taft Hartley Act, /
he predicted that Congress will re-
enact the Old Wagner Act with |.
notifications He declined to say
what ''modifica tons the admins
tration has in mind, adding that
the program was in the hands of
Secretary Tobin.
Senator Barkley declared that
changes in the Wagner Act which
protected the right of worSels to
join unions and bargain collectively,
should be made by those who be-
lieve in the law and not by those
who are against it" as was the case
in the Taft-Hartley amendments.
The convention adopted several
resolutions including ones appl ov-
ng nearly all points OF the admin
stration's domestic and foreign
programs. j.
Other resolutions called for unity
with the CIO, repeal of the Lea
anti-Petrillo) and Hobbs anti
acts.
Appeal Made to Lewis.
William C. Dohelty of Washing
ton. president of the National AS
sociation of Letter Carriers, intro
duced the CIO unity recommended
ton and also niJre important che
setting up national legislative
council which Will meet periodically
to keep watch or Congress to see to
it that the Democrats live up to
campaign pladges.
The convention passed unani-
resolution calling on John
L. Lewis and his United Mine Work
ers to come back into the AF'L. !