The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-04-28
AFL AND CIO REJECT
DIXIEGOP PROPOSAL

Washington (LPA) T. Organized
labor last week turned thumbs
down on the "bipartisanv Taft
Hartleyite coalitions latest attempt
to keep "Taft- Hartley principles"
on the statute books while appear
ing to repeal the anti-union mea-
sure.
Labor's insistence upon Taft
Hartley repeal forced the coalition
to withdraw the first Wood bill
last week and submit new mea.
sure. In the words of both AFL and
CIO leaders the first Wood bill was
"worse than Taft Hartley"
Then the Republican and south.
ern Democratic hatchetmen got to-
gether and dreamed up the second
Wood bill. The exact origin Of this
measure is little obscure. 1t was
actually introduced by that rabid
anti-laborite Rep. Eugene Cox Or,
Ga.) in the name of his colleague
Rep. John Wood Cd, Ga) who had
apparently left town. A day later,
however, a statement lauding the
bill was issued by Woods office.
The immediate acceptance of the
bill by the reactionary leadership
of the Republican delegation in the
House lends substance to the story
that COP big-shots like Floor
Leader Joseph Martin OR, Mass.)
and Rep. Clarence Brown Or, Ohio)
Sen. Robert Taft's campaign
manager-were in on the prepara-
tion of the bill.
Just week before Taft himself
had said that he has no objection
to the nominal repeal of the in
famous measure SO long as "Taft-
Hartley principles are preserved"
AFL, CIO and unaffiliated union
chiefs here say that the new Dixie
gop bill does just that. Its opening
clause repeals TIL. But the rest of
the bill, while throwing a few sops
to labor, by watering down both
the first Wood bill and TIL in some
particulars, actually tightens some
anti-union provisions of the present
law.
"There is little to choose between
this bill and the Taft Hartley act,"
the AFL's Legislative Conference
declared last week.
For once the NAM and the
Chamber of Commerce agreed with
the AFL and the CIO. While re-
GREETING the concessions to organ
lied labor" the NAM said that the
new Wood bill "basically retains
the framework of the Taft Hartley
act" And the C of C called it
Hrallying point" for defenders of
TIL.
Changes in the unfair labor
practice" injunction sections of
TIL proposed by the Wood hill
actually broaden the power off
NLRB General Counsel Robert
Denham, union spokesmen point
out.
National emergency" strike in
junction powers are also strength
ened
In contrast to the many quail
fications tackled onto every conces-
sion made organized labor, anti
union employers are left complete
ly free to institute suits against
unions. Restrictions on union poll
tical action expenditures are re-
tanned, as is the ban on the closed
shop.
Probable strategy of the Dixie
cops when the showdown fight on
Taft Hartley begins in the House
his week will be to move the SUBJ
stitution of the Wood bill for the
rhomas-Lesinski bill. This is the
measure which repeals Taft Hart
ey and reenacts the Wagner act
President Truman, as well as the
lnions, is supporting it.
If the "bipartisans" lose this
the betting is that they ,
they'll move key Sec [
ions of the Wood bill, one at |
ime, as amendments to the pro- /
lnion bill. t
Taft and his colleagues in the 4
Senate are waiting to see just how
he voting goes in the House be- c
ore mapping their tactics for the $
senate battle. They're afraid that /
the Wood bill is decisively re- Z
ected-in whole and in part-in h
he House the doubtful" Senators G
will plump for genuine repeal of {
aft Hartley too. {
nhh,ssn% nnuno !.