The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-10-20
Non-Red Oaths
Attacked Before
Supreme Court

Washington (LPA) - The Taft
Hartley act was in for some bruis.
ing assaults as the Supreme Court
sat down for its 1949-1950 term.
Hardly were the Justices assem-
bled than attorneys for the United
Steelworkers and the American
Communications Assn began their
attack on the non-Communist oath
required of union officers under
the Taft Hartley act before g
union can use the Natl Labor Re
lations Board.
The Steelworkers and the Com
munications Assn were appealing
from lower federal court decisions
upholding the oaths. Justice Sher-
man Minton, newest appointee to
the court, participated in one of
the decisions, holding with the
majority.
The Steelworkers' appeal is in a
case arising from a dispute with
the Inland Steel Co. against which
the union now is on strike. In the
spring of 1948, the NLRB ordered
the company to bargain with the
union as soon as the latter's Off
GERS signed affdavits. President
Philip Murray and other officers
complied but with reluctance, after
challenging the constitutionality OF
the requirement.
The Communications Assn ques-
toned the constitutionality of the
oaths when the NLRB refused the
union place on the ballot in an
election among press wireless en-
ployes last year because union of
ficers had not signed the affidavits.
Before the Supreme Court, attor-
neys said that the non-Communist
oath provision was "a major in
vasion of the constitutional rights
of labor to freedom of thought,
speech and assembly, and of poll
tical activity"
Arguing the government case,
the solicitor general of the Dept
of Justice declared the oaths were
constitutional, adding that Con-
gress enacted the requirement be-
cause Communist labor leaders
were abusing their power and call
ing political strikes.
Steelworkers attorney Thomas
E. Harris answered that such a
law would be justified only in the
event of an immediate threat to
the national safety. He said no
such threat existed at this time.
Harris also declared that If
wished to outlaw political
strikes it should pass law speci-
fically doing so.
Counsel for both sides agreed
that Communist influence in trade
unions was highly undesirable.
The Supreme Court will also
nave to consider the Taft-Hartley
acts ban on the closed shop, the
protest of John l.. Lewis and the
United Mine Workers over the
ines levied against them for con-
,empt in 194S and a host of civil
liberty cases.
Among the latter are the petit
ion for review of the cases of two
If the Hollywood writers who re-
used to tell a Congressional COM
nittee whether they were Com
nunists. They were convicted OF
ontempt of Congress.
Other civil liberty cases concern
Negro student who wants to
nter the University of Texas law
chool and Negro student at the
of Oklahoma who has
cen forced to hear lectures in a
DOM adjoining that in which his
yhite classmates sit.
The court already has acted in
number of important cases, the
ollowing among them:
1t refused to review a decision
i which an Arbitrator held Teams
er Local S07 of New York liable I
1r a company's losses during a
ildcat walkout. t
1t refused to review the convic- {
on of former Congressman An :