Evening star., 1949-02-16
Taft Act Injunction
Weapon Denounced
By Morse at Hearing
By ]. A. O'LeorY

0y -. ~ ~ 1S1ty
The injunction weapon in the
Taft-Hartley labor law was de-
nounced today by Senator Morse,
Republican, of Oregon, as the
Senate Labor Committee con-
tinued to question William Green,
president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
Senator Morse contended the
law as it stands does clothe the
courts with power to enjoin in
dividual workers if they strike by
concerted action. Pounding the
committee table, the Oregon Sem
ator added:
You can't build enough jails
to hold all the workers you will
have to put in Jail. if organized
labor ever takes the position they
will make martyrs of themselves
rather than obey this law"
Green Opposes Subsidy Idea.
Earlier in today's session. Mr..
Green went on record fatty
against any plan by which Or
ganized labor would help meet
the expenses of State legislators
because they are underpaid. and
expressed confidence the AFL will
never do so.
Senator Morse's outburst in
heated language against the in
junction remedy prompted Sen
ator Withers, Democrat, of Ken
lucky to suggest with smile that
I'VE welcome you over on this
side"
"On this particular question.
was on that side before you came
to the Senate. Senator Morse re-
piled to the member who recently
succeeded Vice President ~Barkley.
Senator Pepper, Democrat, OF
Florida brought the repartee to a
close by suggesting. The question
is, will he stay on this side
Affidavits Assailed
Senator Morse also made it clear
he favorS rewriting the anti-Com-
munist oath provision and the
guarantee of free speech for en-
pIoyers. He said it was an insult
to loyal labor leaders to write in
to the present law a one-Slded
affidavit recruitment. without call
ing on employers to swear they
ale anti-Fascist. He thought a
better approach would be to draft
a general pledge of loyalty to the
American form of constitutional
government, to be taken by both
sides.
Senator Morse said he wants to
preserve the right of employers
to present arguments to their
workers on labor relations prob
lens, but complained that at
present such conversation cannot
be used as evidence by an en-
ploye who later may be dropped
ostensibly for other reasons after
joining union.
Senator Donnell, Republican of
Missouri, asked Mr.. Green for his
opinion of published reports that
Labor's League for Political Edu-
cation, the AFL's political arm,
was considering providing financial
help to labor minded State legis-
lators. .-r'--..
mo, don't think that would
be a wise thing to do," Mr.. Green
replied.
."Corporations do it. but I don't
think labor should" Mr.. Green
added Earlier, while Senator DON
nell was quizzing Mr.. Green close
ly about how such a report got
into last Sundays newspapers
Senator Murray, Democrat. OF
Montana broke in to inquire:
Isn't it common practice for
large corporations to finance can
didates for election to Congress
and State Legislatures? Hasn't
that been a practice for years?"
Mr.. Green said he understood
that to be the case.
Didn't Know of Plan.
The AFL president told Senator
Donnell he knew practically moth
ing about the suggestion until HI
read it in the papers, because il
was never brought to the Execu.
tive Council-the one body in th'
AFL with authority to act between
conventions.
Mr.. Green said he understood
by hearsay that the suggestion
that labor help meet the expense
of State lawmakers because thu
low pay prevents men sympatheti'
to workers from serving-origi
mated as statement prepared b,
one of the employees of thu
League for Political Education.
He said he doubted that thu
Administrative Committee of thu
league ever acted on it, and wa
positive the Executive Council ha
not.
.Mr. Green also refused today tt
be shaken from the stand he anc
a: number of labor publication
have taken in calling the Taft
Hartley Act "a slave labor law.
.Mr. Green said the editors o
these papers decided the policy o
using that slogan, but he added
y don't disapprove it because i
IS essentially true"