Montana labor news., 1949-03-31
To Get Support For
Taft-habey Re- ~s.s,,

adj lIiNo iOiNs " r
leaders of the nations major
labor organizations, which rep
resent some $1,000, 900 work
ers. joined forces on a nation
wide broadcast in a united ef-
fort to gain public support for
labor's drive to repeal the Taft
Hartley law and to enact the
Thomas bill now pending be-
fore Congress.
AFL President William Green.
George NJ. Harrison. president OF
the Brotherhood Of Railway Clerks
Harvey w. Brown, president OF the
International Association of Ma
chinists. and James +. Carey. sec
rotary OF the Congress OF indus
trial Organizations. appeared to-
gether on a special program broad
cast by the American ~Broadcasting
company under the sponsorship OF
the Democratic National committee,
Senator Ebert ID. Thomas Of
Utah. chairman Of the Senate Labor
and Public Welfare Committee, was
moderator. He described the ad-
ministration's new labor legislation.
which he introduced into the Sei-
ate. as a carefully balanced measure
designed to restore collective bar
gaining and to lessen labor dis
putes."
All the labor spokesman de-
nounced the vicious Taft-Hartley
law and urged the speedy enact
ment Of the Thomas bill which re-
stores the old Wagner Act with
certain amendments calculated to
strengthen labor's rights while at
the same time protecting the pub
lie interest.
Mr.. Green declared that the ia
tai error" OF the Taft-Hartley Ac,
was that Its major purpose was to
make strong unions weak and weak
unions weaker thus eventually
tearing down the high American
standard Of living which the rmions
have helped to build up over the
!. years. not only for union workers
bu, for all the American people
Declaring that the American trade
ui.ion movement had taken the lead
ership in exposing the hypocrisy o.
the Communist philosophy" he sait
that strong unions were America!
ii,st line OF defense against infil'
tration and boring from within by
Communists"
rs it not. then, the better part o
wisdom for our government 10 pro
ten this effective defense Ike. ra'
Their than to w-akcl it by oppressive
lepislation;" Mr.. Green asked. Il
for no other reason than this. Con
gress should adept the Thomas bill
without delay
Mr.. Harrison praised the provi
sions Of the Thomas bill concern
ing national emergency strike
while de%nouncing similar provision
OF the Taft-Hartley law which, h
said, meant a return to the ell
OF government by Injunction 1T
explained that the Thomas bill ha
adopted almost word FOR word -,
procedure for the scttieIaelt os ma
ticnai strikes contained H. the Raj.
wa, Labor Act which was enacted i,
1926.
defending this me.hod which re
lies principally upon 4 iact-f. idiaI
process accompanied by full public
ity To bring aboit the orderly settle
ment Of major disputes in the rail
road industry. Mr.. Harrison sal
that in the q years of its operatio
the Railway Labor Act has sue
ceeded in eliminating nationa
strikes on railroads almost entirel
without damaging the interests Q
labor, management OF the public
Mr.. Brown emphasized how tn
broadcast offered concrete evidenc
that all labor was united in supper
OF the administration bill, which
lie said. would help to restor
friendly and peaceful labor rela
lions in the United States an
avoid many disputes so conlmo
under the Taft-Hartley Act.
The unions, Mr.. Brown said. ar
a breastwork against depression
and therefore collective bargain
ing is a better policy for the Unite
States than individual bargaining
That policy, he emphasized. was Ell
dorsed in the November election
but since the election the defeate
forces have used every trick The
can conceive 10 confuse Congres
and the people on the Tait-Hartlt
Acl" He urged trade union men
bers TO write their Senators askir
them to vote for the Thomas bi
without amendments
Mr.. Carey said that the 1913 ele'
tons demonstrated the America
public wanted the Taft-Hartley A
wiped off the law books" and Il
Thomas bill enacted to re-estal
lish Sound, peaceful, co~nstructi'
relations between workers al
their. employers !.
Under the Wagner Act, the n;
tional Labor Relations Board hal
died more than 100000 cases. az
settled them he continued. "O'
unions grew; they won better cond
tons for their members; they help
strengthen our American democr
cy. during peacetime and war"
O. H