Evening star., 1948-12-05
Lincoln
Continued From Page C-1J

him from being charged q higher fee
than other workers to join q union
It guarantees him the right to know
all the details of his unions
finances, fees, dues, constitution and
bylaws and methods of selecting
officers. The worker also is given
the right to vote secretly to accept
or turn down his employers final
offer of settlement in disputes held
to be national emergencies.
The Taft-Hartley law, far from
making slaves of the workers, guar
antees the right to strike and safe
guards their right to collective bar
gaining. Indeed. 1t further assists
the process of collective bargaining
1t prohibits unfair labor practices
by employers.
The law also safeguards the rights
of employers. 1t permits them to
discuss labor-management relations
problems with their employees
which they could not do under the
administration Of the old Wagner
Act. It protects the business of
an employer against secondary boy
colts, jurisdictional and representa-
ton disputes of unions, and it gives
the employer the right to file unfair
labor practice charges against a
union or its agents-which it could
not do under the Wagner Act
although that act provided for union
charges Of unfair labor practices
against employers. The right to
sue a union or its agents for viola
ton of a contract, also is provided
just as the worker Is given the right
to sue an employer. The employer
is protected from demands that he
pay for services which are not per-
formed feather- -bedding).
Mandate Theory Denied
These are provisions which should
not be opposed by any one-em-
ployer or union leader-unless he Is
seeking monopolistic control by big
business or monopolistic control by
big labor.
The Taft-Hartley law, in an
effort to safeguard the American
people, carries a provision author
izing the President to appoint a
fact-flnding board in strike or
lockout which he believes would
impern the national health or safety.
If q court grants a Government
request for an injunction, such a
strike or lockout would be illegal
for a period of 30 days. II the dis
pute is not settled during the S0-day
period the workers involved would
then vote secretly whether to accept
the employers final offer Of settle
ment or 90 out on strike.
The enactment of the Taft Hart.
ley Act was the fulfillment of q
pledge given before the 1s46 con.
gressional elections.
The repeal of the Taft Hartley
Act. If it happens. will be the full
filiment of a pledge made by Presi-
dent Truman and other Democrats
prior to the national election Of
1e4s.
The labor leaders have shouted
that the election is a mandate tc
repeal the Hartley law. II
is a fact. however, that the Dewey
Warren ticket ran more strongly III
the big industrial States than die
the Republican ticket of 1944-alse
headed by Dewey. And 1t is q
further fact that had the farmers
and other rural voters given the
Republicans support equal to that
given them In 1914, Gov. Dewey
not Mr.. Truman, would be taking
the presidential oath next month
That the farmers had any desire
or any compelling interest in repeal
Of the. Taft-Hartley Act cannot be
established. The mandate theory
therefore, does not stand up.
Nevertheless, the labor leaders
will do their utmost to get as mild
a labor lava law as greatly in
their favor-as possible. And to
get it they will threaten each and
every member of Congress. The
prospects, for the present at least,
are that President Truman will back
ithaca 1aoIerc