Evening star., 1950-11-18
The Political Mill
Toft-HortIey Act Repeal
Passes Into Outer Limbo
Convoss of House and Senote
Victors Speaks for Itself
By Gould Lincoln

Repeal of the Taft-Hartley labor law,
as result of the recent elections, has
passed into an outer limbo. A canvass
of the elections, in connection with the
votes taken on attempted repeal legisla-
tion in the present, 81st Congress, speaks
for itself
In the first session of the present Con-
gress, the labor act repeal bill introduced
by Senator Thomas of Utah, chairman of
the Senate Labor Committee, was so
amended that it left in effect all the
principal features of the Taft-Hartley
Act. In fact, it was new Taft bill. 1t
passed the Senate by vote of 81 to AZ,
ON June &c. 1949. The greatest strength
shown by opponents of the act was in
a vote on the Lucas amendment to strike
the injunction provisions from the law.
The amendment was defeated 46 to A.
Count of Senators.
OF the A Senators who supported the
Lucas amendment. II sought reelection;
four were defeated in the primaries,
Graham of North Carolina, Pepper of
Florida, Taylor of Idaho, and Thomas
OF Oklahoma; four were defeated in the
general election, Lucas of illinois, Myers
OF Pennsylvania, Thomas of Utah. and
AJNAAAoo va G1oA JAdAlA IIlICc ulu IlOU run
for reelection, Downey of California
McGrath Of Rhode Island, and Withers
OF Kentucky; one died, Miller of Idaho;
nine were reelected, Aiken of Vermont,
Hayden of Arizona. Hill of Alabama,
Johnston OF South Carolina. Long of
Louisiana, McCarran of Nevada, Mag
nuson of Washington. and Morse of Ore
gon, and % are holdovers.
nf tho AZ Cay,a tore ,,l,o ,,a4s-I
the Lucas amendment, II sought re-
election and nine were reelected: Cape
hart OF Indiana, Fulbright of Arkansas.
George OF Georgia, Hickenlooper of Iowa,
Hoey of North Carolina Millikin of
Colorado. Taft of Ohio. Wiley of Wis
consin, and Young of North Dakota; one
was defeated in the primary, Gurney of
South Dakota; one was defeated in the
general election. Donnell of Missouri; one
resigned, Baldwin of Connecticut; one
dled, Reed OF Kansas, and SO are hold
overs
The net result, of these changes is to
leave. the Taft-Hartley Act supporters
stronger by at least eight Senator's Gra-
nam and Pepper, Democrats, have been
succeeded by Smith and Smathers,
Democrats opposed to repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act, and Taylor of Idaho. by
Welker, Republican Lucas. Myers.
Ihomas OF Utah and Tydings. Democrats,
have all been succeeded by Republicans:
DoWney, Democrat, will be replaced by
Nixon. Republican,; Miller, Democrat. has
been succeeded by Dworshak, Republican.
IhlS represents total gain of nine Sen
ators for the Taft-Hartley Act. and the
sole loss is the Senate seat occupied bv
Senator Donnell of Missouri, Republican.
who lost to Hennings, Democrat.
In the House, during the same session
d949), a crucial vote came on the Wood
substitute for the administrations Les
lnski repeal bill. The substitute was
adopted by vote of PIG to 2O5. Later
the bill was recommitted by a narrow
margin, after the administration forces
had worked hard over a number of
House members to get them in line. The
Wood substitute was regarded by some
labor leaders as worse than the Taft
Hartley Act itself
Analysis of the Vote.
An analysis of the vote on the Wood
substitute indicates that the supporters
OF the Taft-Hartley Act have increased
in the new House by at least Is, For
example, of the 1876 members supporting
the Wood amendment who sought re-
election. 1872 were reelected two were
defeated in the primaries and two in the
general election. Eighteen either retired
or died in Office, three ran for the Senate.
and two ran for Governor.
OF the l9l opponents of the Wood
substitute who sought reelection, 27
were defeated in the general election, six
retired or died in Office, five ran for the
Senate, and three ran for Governor.
Evidently support of the Taft-Hartley
Act was no kiss of political death. In
deed, anything but, when it is recalled
that Senator Taft was reelected in Ohio
by 100000 votes over his Democratic op-
ponent, and Senator Thomas, arch foe
OF the act was defeated by Wallace F.
Bennett, Republican and former presi-
dent OF the National Association of
Manufacturers, by some 10000 votes.
The Taft Hartley Act needs amending
in some particulars and if and when it
is amended, it will be by friends of the
act, not by its enemies.