Evening star., 1949-02-21
Labor
Continued From First Page.)

| Jill Il IL ob oSS.P
do not share the class conscious.
selfish attitude toward labor which
has been demonstrated by many of
the witnesses appearing before our
committee. hold to the view that
1.-THE capitalistic system is the best
economic medium which we could
possibly have for putting into
practice the Christian principles
of brotherhood"
Urges Bill Fair to All.
Senator Morse said the need
Cor bill fair to both employers
and labor, because it is only such
Legislation = = which will make
it possible for our capitalistic sys-
tenn to move forward -
The proposal for labor to adopt
the parity principle on wages came
from J. T. Sanders of the Grange
Legislative Council in teStifying
before the Senate Committee.
Senator Murray. Democrat, of
Montana. told the Grange spokes-
man that labor is trying to keep
wages in line with living costs.
Mr.. Sanders replied that labor
always does that when the cost of
living is going up, but as soon as
costs start down labor talks about
maintaining wage levels"
Mr.. Sanders pointed out that
General Motors workers have the
parity principle. but he argued
that they accept parity going up
but only half Of it going down. f"
The witness said that a declining
market greater emphasis should
be on full employment than on
wage levels. e~.eT
Senator Nesly, Democrat of
West Virginia. asked the witness,
do you think wages now are too
high?" Il
Doubts Wages Are Too High.
II doubt it," Mr.. Sanders re-
piled. but If the trend Of farm
income slumps much, further.
wages would be too high
In his letter to the committee,
Mr.. Murray said the administra-
ton bill represents "a momentous
crossroads in our national life. ;"
and added:
If we pass this bill we will
have made an indispensable first
step in repudiating the reaction
ary program of the 80th Congress.
If the bill fails Of passage. or is
saddled with crippling amend
ments, it will bring home to mil
lions of Americans that the ghost
of the 80th Congress still rules
and that their votes for better
America were in vain"
Mr.. Murray contended that
hackers Of the Taft-Hartley law
at the Senate committee hear
ings have argued the need for it
by using "the device Of the hor-
rible example, carefully
dressed up and repeatedly trotted
out to confuse and frighten the
unwary." He called that unfair
and Irresponsible"
In saying that Senator Taft. CO.
author of the present law, has
made many concessions, Mr.. Muir
ray added that they stem from
something deeper than accidental
benevolence. He said they demon
strate the utter bankruptcy Of
that statute"
His Itemized List.
Mr.. Murray listed the following
18 concessions and retreats" and
said Senator Taft has made
others:
l. He (Taft) has repeatedly
conceded that the provision per-
mitting streakbreakers to vote in
collective bargaining) elections,
but denying that right to strikers.
is one-sided and is q strikebreak-
ing provision"
2. He has conceded that
some secondary boycotts are justi-
fed and that the Taft-Hartley
law goes too far in this regard"
3. He has conceded that pro-
visions which make it mandatory
to obtain injunctions against
unions but not against employers
are one-sided and should be elm
mated"
4. THE closed shop prohibition
apparently no longer seems to
Senator Taft to be a vital pro-
vision of the law. He appears
willing to scrap it,"
5. Senator Taft has admitted
0D