Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-07
Chances Of Revising
Taft-Hart|eYLdw
Becoming Simmer
By jones Y. Newton


The chances are becoming
simmer of Congress revising
the Taft-Hartley Act at this
session. although major legisla-
tive surgery on the labor man.
agement relations law was near
the top of the administrations
agenda.
In tact. developments Of the
past week cast doubt as to
whether the House Labor Com
mittee will be able to write and
report out a bill. Committee
leaders freely admit the pros
pect for action has dimmed con-
Siderably.
The reasons for this are the
cloSeness of the votes the COM
mittee has taken so far on
several proposals to change the
law and the injection of a con-
troversial issue administration
leaders did not expect.
The surprise issue was action
of the committee in voting for
virtual abolition Of the National
Labor Relations Board and the
transfer of the boards judicial
functions to the Federal District
Courts.
Confused BaIlOting.
That action was taken by the
committee on 14-to-13 vote.
But now that it is in the COM
mittee draft of a new bill it may
be impossible to get it out. The
group later, on a 14-to-14 vote,
refused to remove it.
The way the controversial pro- i
vision got in was most unusual.
In the IA to Is vote, Representa-
tive Bowler, Democrat, of Illi-
nois, was quoted by several of
his colleagues. as saying later
he had become confused and
voted for the motion when he
had intended to oppose it. Later,
Mr.. Bowler proposed reconsider
alton, but it lost on the tie vote
when the member who was alb
sent the first time cast his vote
against reconsideration.
Committee voting has crisis
crossed party lines in rather
weird fashion. For example. the
balloting on the NLRB question
found several of the liberal, pro-
labor Democrats voting to trans
fer board functions to the courts
along with the most conserva-
tive Republican elements.
Labor 100 Per Cent Opposed.
Actually, organized labor is
about 100 per cent opposed to
moving Taft-Hartley jurisdic- |
ton from the NLRB to the |
courts. So are a number Of the |
Democrats who voted to do just |
that. AS one pro-labor member. |
who refused use Of his name, |
explained. the objective is to
make the House bill so unpala-
table that the drive to revise
Taft-Hartley this time will be
abandoned. n
These Democrats are con-
cerned that any bill this particu-
lar Congress would approve
would be more restrictive of labor |
than is Taft-Hartley. They are
counting on a liberal Democratic !
victory in this falls congress |
sional elections.
CThe Star, in recording the
14-to-14 tie vote Thursday,
said Representative Kelley. |
Democrat, switched and voted,
in effect to strip the NLRB.
This was an error. Mr.. Kelley
did not change his position
against the move. There were.
however, other switches be-
side Mr.. Bowler, in both di-
rections.)
There are on the committee a
substantial group of conservative
Republicans and Southern Demo-
Gratis who would vote against any |
bill unless 1t included the NLRB |
change
Chairman Has Hopes.
On the other hand, admins
tration spokesman have let 1t be
known they would prefer no bill
to the transfer Of Taft-Hartley
cases to the courts.
Committee Chairman McCon-
nell Of Pennsylvania still thinks
there is a chance his group can
clear all the hurdles and come
up with an acceptable program
for revising the law. But he is
not so sure as he was before the |
past week.
Tomorrow the committee will |
consider a proposal to outlaw
the. union shop, which is per- |
mitted by the present law. Mr..
Mcconnell believes that move
will be defeated.
On the other side of the Capt. |
toll, the Senate Labor Committee !
this week will begin writing its |
version of a Taft-Hartley re-
vision bill. The committee is
expected to follow President Eli
senhower's 14-point program ex-
cept in one respect. It is un-
likely to approve of the White
House suggestion for Govern
ment-sponsored strike vote.