Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-31
IEIbeIt Thomas SAYS
He May Back Seizure
Power in Labor Bill

ay NE ksse<iassd Press
Chairman Ebert Thomas of the
Senate Labor Committee limited
today that he might vote for CIV
ing the President authority to
seize struck plants or industrie.
In national emergencies.
Senator Thomas Is the Senate
sponsor of the administration
labor BILL which now includes no
seizure authority.
The bill might come UP for Sen
ate debate this week. II would
repeal the Taft-Hartiey lava
Truman campaign pledge-and
re-enact the old Wagner Act with
. few changes.
| Three Republican foes Of the
administration measure have Of
Ifered Q substitute bill which they
predict will win support Of q ma
jority of the Senate. The substi-
tute, sponsored by Republican
Senators Taft of Ohio. Donnell
of Missouri and Smith of New
Jersey. would make % changes in
the Taft-Hartley law, but retain
what Senator Taft calls its basic
provisions.
Compromise Is Considered.
A bill designed to keep even
more of the Taft-Hartley law
came within three votes Of passing
In the House q month ago, after
the administration bill had been
shelved.
Those developments touched Of
q furry Of compromise talk among
some Senate Democrats who once
publicly opposed making any
changes in the administration
measure. ..F.
So far, three Democrats on the
Senate Labor Committee have
come out for amending the bill.
They and the other i've Demo-
cratic members voted two months
ago for the bill as drafted. and
refused to consider amendments
the i've Republicans on the COM
mittee wanted to offer.
ALI three committee Democrats
who have spoken out for admend-
manifestations Douglas Of ILL.,
nois, Humphrey Of Minnesota and
Withers of Kentucky-have in
dorsed the idea Of giving the Presi-
dent limited power to seize struck
plants or industries In national
emergency situations.
Thomas to Forego Amendments
The Taft-Hartley law has nc
seizure provisions. but permits So
day court injunctions designed to
halt national emergency strikes
The Republican-written substitute
for the administration bill provides
for both seizure and injunctions
The Administrators bill. as
drafted, provides for neither.
Senator Thomas has steadfastly
insisted that he will offer nc
amendments to the administers
tons bill, which bears his name
but he has indicated that he may
support some compromise sugses'
ton.
The Utah Senator told . re.
porter today that . seizure pro-
vision might be part OF the
procedure for geting rid OF The
Injunction authorized BY thu
Taft-Hartiey law and opposed
vigorously by union leaders.
Wants Careful Study First
Senator Thomas recalled n
voted for emergency seixtzS
powers when he headed the Sen
ate's old Military Affairs Com
mittee. He acknowledged, too
that the Democrats on the Labor
Committee have discussed the
feasibility Of adding q seizure
section to the administration q
labor measure.
II am not saying I have made
up. my mind to change the bill
In any way" Senator Thomas de-
clared. II would want to see the
seizure provision FIRST and to study
1t very carefully"
AS chairman of the committee
and Senate sponsor Of the bill
Senator Thomas is known to fee
that 1t would be strategically un-
sound for him to take the initia-
tive with respect to amendments
designed to win votes. But he has
made 1t clear that he may VOTE
for some changes sponsored by
others.