Evening star., 1949-05-26
Yhe Political Nil
Political Intrigue Rising
Over loft Hartley Act
Leaders ln..t Rsr<sl J.. . '>ia,s'
But \oshins |, Done AAcu, II
Ey GsmI8 irwfei.

TIE ncaftscs - tA~ TAR. aayFlrv tAArw
Ari rvr~A ieg sssatacr h~e0xnws rsass ara
rso<e intriguing Ire sszsass4yatae- -Frvs-
aderi Truman haEns~at ara Pa A~aa~va ca
csrsta HI sne4selns s<nstcr t2sea. ~ ia.s.
Gcss rrs stcrfsy leaeeE cf sss ugv.~< ncawe-gn-
sss tsAi Tire r~r~al e6al = "mas A~xs.2asAss
.cs ih4s s~xssoa Q. Cragrxsa aag na ea.
6o~s arrthtnx about aFlrsEns Il IN tAs e~~.
ate tees. alitscaxh Il raaee1 90 ahs
Senate e.aFncA. rsorgas aKa
Senator Taft oa TIE eAhes han<. - reessa
anxious teki the lascr measure e~ tAksn Nn,
He would t~ perfectly willing SC 90 anvsh8.G
In his poser, as Chairman o. tas ReSasgs-
eAn Policy Committee 10 sxFs~slts - eson-
sade-alon Cae rwascn fer h4s WILLINGNESS
probably yests n h4s eoaSdsrer that xtsvu-
ever ths measure Is taken ag ,Se Substitutes
'og THE repeal bah prepared ~ aan.<Is ana
ether minority mrraaers 6! thr iAaat Cexn.
niitire. IN ecasJanetAoza with ethes S~natesA
stll ee accepted ey ths SENATE whsshss re
Taft version al TIE proposed lAeas irs lsss.
uon Is 10 be Offered a. . ccsnnless sasstt-
iuie for The administration o. TfsugnAs ea1
or VII ee eSrFwS as series Of seug cs ass
Amendments to the Thomas ball remains 10
be decided
weuad ns slap 81 Truman
The probabilities are that sensses Tan
vii lose not mort than four es Ave Rspah-
l1can Senators In this nght~-a NAV moi 10
that many-and that he will have ire sup-
port Of from Is TO 20 Democratic s~n.,oss.
This mish, easily meaa q defeat fuE ire
administration BY Q Snse al - 10 as-wfth
all members Of the Senate counted That
would Be = derAstAtins defeat In q Senate
which boasts 81 Democrats TO a. Rspuhsi-
cans
Once the bin has been pa&sea nv ,hs Ser.
ate-in the expected forfn-~it viii so 10 The
HOUSE and there are good chances Of ia
success there In that event Nj Truman
would have 10 approve or veto the hsil or
permit TO become q law withoa, his sasna-
tarr. The suess on Capitol Hi u that Mr..
Truman--who has shouted again and again
his Intention Of setting repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act--wil veto the measure ara
take his chance OF having The veto sas-
nined- This would leave the Taft Hartley
Act stu In full eIect-and an issue in tho
1880 congressional elections ~ was in
1919 with the labor union. cunning for all
the Senators and Representatives Who failed
TO line up with Mr. Truman on thls Issue.
This might BE- good poiitics On the other
hand. II would be . fiat admission Of defeat
for the President In congress-~a CansrrA,
that Is In fun control OF Democratic ma.
toriiies-and such . defeat would be a slap
at the Chief Executive
Senator Taft probably would have been
delighted IL the House had passed the lRbog
bill sponsored by Representative Weed.
Democrat OF Georgia. and the senate had
gone TO work on that measure II would
have taken the Taft name on the national
labor Law. II the Wood bill had been paAsed
by the Senate and finally become law or
course. the President might have vetoed that
one. too.
Some Provisions 10 STAY.
n hmE
houses OF Congress will contain vital parts
OF the Taft-Hartley law parts 10 which or
CANNED labor objects veheuently. The new
bill may become known ~ the Taft bill ;Do
although 1t Ia the result Of eompromiss with
other Senators. both Republican and Demo.
cratic. Senator Taft has listed "a impor.
tant provisions Of the Taft Hartley Act
which the new bill retains. he considers
the most important OF thess the provisions
prohibiting secondary boyootts. Insisting
that labor unions a. wril a. manasem~n.
shail be responsible In their contracts en-.
tered into through collective bargaining, and
prohibiting the closed shop. The last pro-
vision has been modified 10 that an en-.
pioyer may notify a labor organization Of
any vacancy and give II a reasonable" op-
poftunity 10 refer qualified applicants for
employment. Seventy two hours is considered
q reasonable time The employer il not
compelled 70 take the recommends OF ths
union. but the probabilities are he would
DO no. unleks there was sone good reason
not 10.
Mr.. Taft insists that the nsw hill hs SUP
ports. like the Taft-HartIsy Act. seess 10
restore equality between the union and sm-
ployer. which had bern stricken down in
the Wagner Labor Relations Act The Was.
ner Act left the unions responsible 10 no i,
one and gave them tremendous advantage
over management He a frank In saying
that he has agreed to changes demanded
oy other Senators and by iabor~--oompro.
mises Tor the most part II IL interesting,
also. that Mr.. Taft IL more interested In ths
general provisions Of the bili~~partleulariy
those already mentionod-than he IA in
the so-ealled national emergency strikes pro-
vision. He Ia inclined 10 believe that any
strike that threatens TO create o national
emergency viii always be dealt wtth, either
BY the Congress or by the President. that IL
Ia not practical 10 force men 10 pork by Law,
and that the right 10 strike "a inherent In
free rat&ar