Evening star., 1949-01-12
|AFLPushesFiqht
For Immediate
Taft Act Repeal
Return to Wagner Law
Urged Before Work on
Amendments Sturts
By james Y. Newton

The American Federation of
Labor carried the battle for its
method OF procedure in ham
ding labor legislation to the
Capitol today.
Its plan calls first for repeal of
the Taft-Hartley Act and re-enact-
ment of the old Wagner labor re-
lations law before Congress con-
siders the amendments to the
Wagner Act which President Tru-
man has asked. That is the So
called tWo-package approach which
has stirred up controversy. The
CIO takes the same stand.
Three officials of the AFL-Wil-
liam flushing, Lewis G. Hines and
Walter A. Mason, all staff legislative
representatives made arrange
ments to give their views to
Chairman Thomas of the Senate
Labor Committee. Senator Thomas
said the argument over procedure
was sure to arise in the conference.
Before the labor officials met with
Senator Thomas. there were signs
of dwindling support for the two
package procedure. Senator Thomas
said that it appeared to him that
amy labor bill passed will be some
thing like one-package bill"
Truman Keeps Hands of.
The committee chairman talked
with reporters after conferring late
yesterday with Federal officials con-
cerned with the legislation to come
before his group. The officials were
Clark Clifford, special counsel to the
President; Secretary of Labor Tobin.
Cyrus S. Ching. director of the
Federal Mediation and Cancellation
Service; Chairman Paul M. Herzog
of the National Labor Relations
Board, and Abe Murdock, another
member of the NLRB.
Mr.. Truman, meanwhile, is keep
ing hands off the procedural argu-
ment. In his message to Congress,
the President called for repeal of
Taft Hartley, re-enactment of Wag-
ner and the tacking on of certain
improvements" to the old law. He
did not specifically outline the
procedure, but Chairman Lesinski
of the House Labor Committee re-
ported that Mr.. Truman was agree
able to the handling of it all in one
bill If that appeared the best way.
Mr.. Lesinski is busy drafting one
big bill.
Senator Thomas had SAID last
week that he favored the two-bill
approach. He introduced a measure
to repeal the Hartley law and
restore the Wagner Act. The i'm
provements sought by the President
could be handled in another bill.
Expects Amendments to Bill.
Seemingly reversing his position.
Senator Thomas said yesterday that
the improvements probably could be
handled as amendments to the
measure he has introduced.
I'VE can't afford to pass any bill
that would leave the Government
without power to act in an emer-
gency,' Senator Thomas declared.
He said repeal and simple restora-
ton Of the Wagner Act would kill
a Taft-Hartley provision which set
up machinery to deal with national
emergency strikes.
Senator Thomas also noted that
the tWo-step method would scrap
the Cancellation Service, which the
Taft Hartley law took out of the
Labor Department and made an in
dependent agency. Mr.. Tobin wants
it back in the Labor Department.
He also is understood to want the
NLRB, which always has been an
independent unit.
A reporter asked Senator Thomas
whether the administration labor
officials he met with yesterday went
along his ideas.
1--WE did not quarrel" Senator
Thomas replied. They did not
object to my way Of proceeding"
But Secretary Tobin amplified
that later. 1--WE agreed to offer
alternative proposals to cover the
recommendations Of the President"
he said. Il still favor the two
packape ARRANGEMENT.