Evening star., 1950-10-10
Vote on Taft Likely
To Affect Election
Events for Years
Defect of Ohio Senator
Could Put Labor Unions
In Control of Parties
By Das,id laurence

In Control OF Parties
By David Laurence
The people Of the State of Ohio
have before them a decision this
autumn which may well affect
the course Of events in the United
States for many generations to
come.
For il the people Of Ohio decide
that the labor unions shall choose
the Senators from Ohio hereafter,
members Of Congress from other
States may feel that this is the
way to get elected. Out Of it could
come a Government controlled
primarily by labor unions.
The Democratic Party in Ohio
Is in the position Of accepting the
labor-union thesis. It means that.
in due time, the party machinery
will be taken over by the labor
unions and nominations hereafter
will be dictated by the union
bosses.
The amount of money and Or
ganization pressure being put into
the State Of Ohio by the labor
union chiefs in order to punish
Senator Robert Taft for his au-
thorship of the Taft-Hartley Act
is unprecedented in any senatorial
election in history. For If the
Republicans make some gains in
both the Senate and House in No
vember, this will be less impressive
than the defeat of Senator Taft.
Tried to Hold Scales.
Mr.. Taft's principal crime evi-
dently is that he tried to hold the
scales even between management
and labor. His own bill passed by
the Senate was far more palatable
to labor than the one which was
sponsored by Representative Hart
ley but which had to be taken into
consideration by the joint confer
ence committee In writing the
final law. The labor unions never
theless have concentrated their
attack on Senator Taft just the
same.
Throughout the entire session
Of Congress which recently ended.
the labor union leaders were so
completely in control Of the COM
mittees on labor matters that not
a single vote on amendments to
the Taft-Hartley Act was per-
mitted in either house. The plain
purpose was to make an issue OF
the law as it was passed, even
though the need for some amend
ments was conceded and a major
ity stood ready to adopt such
improvements.
The substitute which the labor
unions want, of course. is the old
Wagner Act. which was a one
sided affair that caused plenty
Of labor-management friction.
The attack on Senator Taft is
not being confined by the labor
union leaders merely to the labor
law. Instead, he is being attacked
as aiding the cause of Moscow and
Communism. Though these labor
leaders are quick to excoriate
Senator Mccarthy of Wisconsin
they do not hesitate to use his
methods Of denunciation in, a po-
litical campaign.
The same labor leaders who are
trying to make out that the Taft
votes on international questions
would have been of assistance to
Russia If a majority had voted
with him on certain issues do not
mention the manner in which
Communists for years inf1ltrated
American labor unions.
No Word About Pressman.
Thus one hears not a word in
Ohio from the labor speakers
about Lee Pressman. who served
as counsel for the CIO in the
days when it was pushing its radi-
cal programs in Congress. Mr.
Pressman confessed recently tc
the House Committee on un-
American activities that he hac
been a member of the Communist
Party in the 1930s and for some
time thereafter.
What part did Mr.. Pressman's
advice along the Communist lint
of political and economic philo.
sophy play in the policies Of ths
CIO? When the CIO, in recent
years, under its present leadership
expelled the Communists from 1t.
ranks whenever 1t was able tx
detect them, what did 1t learr
of Communist influence in labor
union policies? Instead Of telling
the whole story of Communism ir
labor's ranks, the labor chiefs have
decided to try to fasten on Sena.
tor Taft the accusation that hi
plays Russia's game.
This unjust and malicious kinc
Of attack apparently captured the
mind of Averell Hartman, the
Presidents assistant on foreign
policy. Did the labor leaders mo-
tivate the writing of that speech
1t was not just coincidence that
the Hartman address was de-
nvered at a convention of the
AFL.
The strategy of the labor lead.
ers has been clear ever since last
summer when they found thai
many independent voters woulc
not be swayed on labor -unior
issues alone so they have triee
instead to pin the label of aid-to.
Russia on one of the most pa.
triotic and conscientious public
servants in America.
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