Courier-herald. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1949-1950, 1949-12-24

Prospects Appear Dim
For Toft-Hortley Repeal
Although few are likely to be think
ing about politics at this time of the year,
it is but a few days until congress will
again reconvene. s--
And, when the senators and represen-
tatives reassemble' Jan. 8 they undoubtedly
will find that the No. 1 objective of Presi-
dent Truman will be the repeal of the Taft
Hartley act. #.
But, the chances of change in the
act appear slim at the moment.
In fact, Mr. Truman's lieutenants at
the capitol have indicated clearly they
be futile to try again for repeal during the
1850 session. )"
Thus repeal appears almost certain
to be one of the stormy issues of next
years congressional election campaigns,
just as it was in the presidential and other
contests in 1948.
The Truman Democrats aren't un-
happy about that. On the contrary, many
of them feel the party's chances for sue
cess at the polls will be enhanced if the
Taft-Hartley argument can be put to the
voters again.
Repeal advocates have contended all
along that Mr.. Truman's election and the
overturn last year of Republican control
of congress constituted a mandate from
the people for the scuttling of the Taft
Hartley measure. They are working for a
big enough margin in the senate and house
in 1851 to achieve it. .
The administration lost it's fight for
repeal at the last session because big
bloc of Southern Democrats lined up with
the Republican opposition, while only
few Republicans voted with the Truman
Democrats.
The COP foes of repeal, led by Senator
Taft of Ohio, have argued that the major
ity of the voters want the essentials of the
Taft-Hartley law kept.
Taft himself, whose campaign for re-
election next year already is in high gear,
says he has found that many rank-and-
file Ohio workers are against erasing the
present labor law. He says many of those
who do want it repealed shave prejudice
against it, growing out Of labor newspaper
propaganda"
The dim prospects for repeal this year
don't mean Mr.. Truman will not ask for
1t in the state of the union message he is
preparing for congress. Both sides expect
renewed demand, and there may even be
stir toward carrying it out-one to which
the Democrats can point in the congress
slonal campaigns.
But at this time no serious effort is
shaping up in the house, which would have
to make the next move.
The move is there because the senate
at the last session passed labor bill and
sent it to the house. The measure is long
way from being what Mr.. Truman wants.
1t retains all the basic features of the Taft
Hartley law, including the labof-hated in
junction against national emergency
strikes. 80
The senate bill, drafted mainly by
Taft, went to the house after that branch
had rejected the administrations Taft
Hartley repeater and came within a few
votes of passing another bill which would
change the Taft-Hartley law only slightly
House Democratic leaders finally Sue
ceeded in getting that latter bill sent back
to the labor committee. There it has been
ever since. All efforts to get an agreement
on compromise have deadlocked so far.
Undoubtedly there will be other labor
matters on the agenda of the congressman
at the 1850 session.
" But, with the calendar crowded as
It is with legislation other than that deal
ing with labor, there does not appear to
be much chance for action OH the Taft
Hartley repeal in 1850.
And, too, it must be remembered that
some of those in congress must get out
and muster votes for the fall election.
which could mean there will be an inclin-
alton to slelve some matters so that only
. brief session will be held.