Evening star., 1953-09-12
The Political Min
Labor Seen Big Issue
In 1854 Compuign
Durkin Resignation Sets
Stuee for Political Row
By Gould Lincoln

The resignation of President Eisen-
'.ower's first Secretary of Labor, Mar
tin Durkin, is expected to throw the
Taft-Hartley labor law issue into the
1854 congressional campaign in a big
way. The effect it will have on Repub-
lican chances is anybody'S guess. In the
congressional campaign of 1850, organ
!zed labor leaders made a desperate
effort to defeat the late Senator Taft.
father of the labor law. Taft was re-
elected by tremendous vote-a 430,-
000-vote lead over his Democratic op-
ponent. Also, in that same election
The Republicans gained materially in
Goth House and Senate seats.
In that 1850 election, the Republi-
;anS campaigned on the theory that the
Taft-Hartley law was a good law (al-
though admitting it might be amended
in some reSpectS) and the Democrats
on the ground that the law was slave
labor law" In 1852, the Republicans
campaigned with promise to revise
the Taft-Hartley law, and to improve
it. Mr.. Durkin resigned because he
could not get the Eisenhower admins,
tration to accept all 19 amendments
he upported-amendmen which ran
for the most part along lines advocated
by President Meany of the American
Federation of Labor. He claimed that
White House representatives had agreed
to go along with him, but in the end
the agreement was repudiated. The
whole story has yet to be told. There
is no doubt, however, that Mr.. Durkin
oelleved he had been given assurances.
Congress Failed to Act.
Labor laws are made by Congress,
not by the President. For seven months
Congress made no progress about
amending the Taft-Hartley Act, other
than holding hearings. No bill was pre-
pared and introduced by either the
Senate or the House Committee on
Labor However, conference after con-
ference was held by representatives of
the two committees, of the White
House, the Department of Labor and
the Department of Commerce-with
Senator Taft taking a leading part.
The effort was to get an agreement on
amendments which would be satisfac-
tory. The illness and death of Senator
Taft, who had been a driving force,
came most unfortunately for the whole
proceeding. Senator Smith of New
Jersey, chairman of the Senate Labor
Committee. was hopeful, up to the close
of the session of Congress, that bill
would be prepared and introduced.
which would have the support of the
administration and which would be
regarded as an earnest of future per-
formance. The matter, however, was
not sufficiently pressed.
So the administration is left, tempo
rarily at least, in an awkward position.
And so is the Republican controlled
Congress, in the light of promises that
amendments to the Taft-Hartley Act
would be made. Mr.. Durkin's resigna-
tion and blast at the White House has
been hailed with delight by leading
Democrats. who insist it has now been
shown the Republican Party is no
friend of labor.
Senator Morse of Oregon-who left
the G. o. P. to fight Eisenhower-was
quick to charge the Republican Party
lis basically anti-labor," that it has
scuttled the revision program for Taft
Hartley, and that the only remedy is
the election of Democratic Congress
next year. The Eisenhower admins
tration would definitely be in better
position had it come up with program
of revision months ago-even if Mr..
Durkin would not stand for it and had
resigned at the time.
Labor Gamble Lost.
Much was hoped from the appoint
ment of labor leader as Secretary Of
Labor, even though he was Stevenson
Democrat. The appointment was in
terpreted as clear indication that the
Eisenhower administration and the Re-
publicanS were friendly to organized
labor-no matter what the Democrats
said. 1t has not worked out that way.
The Democrats are again slapping an
anti-labor label on the G. O.P.
Speculation has begun Immediately
over the appointment of a new Secre-
tary Of Labor. Neither the late Presi-
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt nor former
President Truman had leader of labor
as Secretary of Labor-their choices for
the job were Miss Perkins, a social
worker; the late Senator Schwellenbach|
OF Washington, and the late Maurice
Tobin, who had been Governor of Mas
SachusettS. Whether the President will
seek another leader of organized labor
to replace Mr.. Durkin or choose some
one outside of labor organizations re-
mains to be seen. One suggestion has
been Gov. Warren of California, who
has announced he would not run again
next year. The California Governor
however. has been strongly mentioned
for Chief Justice. He might decline
appointment as Secretary of Labor.