Evening star., 1949-05-29
1aft-Hart|ey Repeal,
Stymied in House, Up
In Senate This Week
ky the Assoe,osed Press

~ IHe tSSctl0fe0 Ffsts
Senate Democratic leaders are
about ready to open Round 2 OF
the Truman Administrations bat
tie to junk the Taft-Hartley law
Senate debate on the repeal
bill may get started within the
next few days, and foes Of the
measure are claiming enough
votes to block 1t. Some hackers
of the bill are talking Of a COM
promise.
The first round of the fight
was fought in the House a month
ago and wound up In something
of a stalemate.
The administration bill got no
place and a compromise version
was defeated. But the House
Democratic leadership finally
mustered enough votes to send
back to committee an opposition
bill which would have preserved
most of the Taft-Hartley law.
Home Rule Bill Comes First.
The House expects to have an
other 60 at it before adjourn
ment. but the Senate probably
will act first.
When the Senate goes back to
work Tuesday. it plans to continue
debate on a bill to give the Ma
tion's Capital "home rule" gov
ernment, and then take UP bas-
ing point price measure.
Action on the House-passed re-
ciprocal trade bill is scheduled
after that, but this measure will
be sidetracked temporarily if
Senator George, Democrat. Of
Georgia, floor manager of the
measure. has not recovered from
an illness.
II Senator George has not re-
turned. the labor bill will get
the right of way.
That measure would replace
the Taft-Hartley law with a
slightly modified version Of the
old Wagner Act.
Compromise Raises Threat.
The major rival to the admin
istration repeater is a substitute
sponsored by three Republican
Senators-Taft of Ohio, Donnell
of Missouri and Smith of New
Jersey. Senator Ellender, Demo-
crat, of Louisiana. has said he
and perhaps four or five other
Southern Democrats plan to join
In sponsoring the substitute.
1t would make more than a
score of changes in the Taft
Hartley law, but retain what Sen
ator Taft calls its basic -princi-
Piles.
Senator Taft is known to be
counting on from Is to 20 Demo-
cratic votes, and on the loss Of
only four or five Republicans.
Some Truman Democrats ac-
knowledge privately they believe
Senator Taft may be right If the
issue on a showdown is the sub
stitute versus the administration
bill as drafted.
Democrats Changing Stand.
For that reason, Democrats
who once publicly opposed any
revision of the administration
measure are now talking about
changing it.
For example, two Democrats on
the Senate Labor Committee
Senators Douglas of Illinois and
Humphrey Of Minnesota-Have
said they favor amendments.
Both have come out for giving
the President limited authority
to seize struck plants or indus
tries in national emergency situa-
tions.
Senator Humphrey also wants
other changes designed, as he
puts it, to make the bill more
palatable" to those now against
it, while at the same time doing
no harm to labor"
The major labor organizations
for a long time refused to con-
slider any alteration of the admin
istration bill. but the AFL's Ex-
ecutive Council is on record now
in favor Of four amendments.
And at least two Senators have
said privately that CIO unions
have talked to them about a
possible compromise.
Delay Fails to Disturb Leaders.
Meanwhile, with both Houses
adjourned over Memorial Day.
administration leaders showed
little concern over the fact that
Congress has rounded out almost
five months of its session with
most of President Truman's pro-
gram still on the shelf.
There still are several months
to go. House Speaker Rayburn
told newsmen-there is nothing in
the law to make Congress adjourn
at the end of July If 1t doesn't
want to.
House Democratic Leader Nc
Cormack of Massachusetts, pointed