Milford chronicle., 1949-09-02
TAFT-HARTLEY LAW

5000
TAFT-HARTLEY LAW
The Taft Hartley Act has been in effect
two years. The National Labor Relations
Board and the courts have been interpreting
this law and apply it to actual cases. Some
provisions are still unexplored. Congress
didn't change syllable of the law this year.
The White House and labor unions worked
for. repeal. Senator Taft tried to make some
changes, though not nearly enough to suit
labor unions. When his program won in the
Senate, labor leaders and Democratic party
leaders suddenly lost interest. Rather than
allow Senator Taft to improve the law
with Republican bill that kept injunctions
and other big Taft-Hartley features-they
chose to let it stand. The non-Communist
provision is perhaps the most thoroughly in
terpreted part of the Taft-Hartley Act. Union
officers must sign no-CommuniSt oaths or
else union can't charge an employer with
an unfair labor practice. 1t can't even get
on ballot in plant election. The effect has
been that most non-complying unions have
been squeezed, raided, defeated and weak
ened to the point where lately even extreme
left-wing unions have been falling into line.
The only major unions which haven't COM
piled are the United Mine Workers, the AFL
International Typographical Union, and a
handful of CIO leftist unions. Some pro-
visions have been classified. For example,
the question of mass picketing. The NLRB
has ruled that picketing violates the act if
itresults in physical obstruction" of a plan
entrance but that vile name-calling on a
picket line isn't in itself a violation. The
Taft-Hartley act bans mass picketing by
banning restraint and coercion of employees
The law doesn't contain the term "closeC
shop" either, but it bans the closed shop by
banning discrimination against nOn-unior
workers.
THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
The law requires Congress to adjourn
July 81, except in time of war, or othel
emergency. But Congress drives along with
billions of dollars in appropriations still
awaiting action. Our Government ha!
squandered almost $2,O00,000,O00 more thar
its income. The President has been calling
on Congress for more taxes to meet contin
ued spending. And if the present razzle
dazzle scheming and deficit spending is no
checked-and the chances are against it
the current year will total five or six bill
lions. The Department and Bureau chief
are the main hackers of the Administration
waste of money. Congress grudgingly SUI
rendered. The Democrats claimed the Righ
of Party Politics. They stood by the Presi
dent hoping to buy up labor union votes
The Hoover Commission laid down Plai
! and practical plan that would save $4,000
100000 a year-for the American Govern
ment and the taxpayers. There was tire
mendous whooping of approval for gran
: 75-year-old Hoover. Nevertheless, our sc
called "Capitalistic Nation shelled out ii
: money and drove the United States to tn
edge of bankruptcy. There isn't "great col
: poration" in the United States that woul
use as poor judgment in management of il
affairs as have the Democrats who rul
, America. You, yes You, are being penalize
for more and more taxes. You are victil
of useless, senseless strikes brought on /
Labor Bosses-and these strikes have pyr;
: mided the costs of everything. Everythir
. costs more. We are having hard times, no
: and no relief in sight. One wonders no
e. wage-workers and their families can g
: enough to eat; how they can buy clOthe
: Thousands of little barrels have been scra
e ed to the bottom. When will this spendi1
: spree stop?
d GRASS ROOT EDITORS SCOOP
a THE DICTIONARY
L GrassroOtS is a very big word, "but "
is can't spell il" and if you look in the di
II tionary you probably won't find it, eithe