Evening star., 1954-05-04
The Political Min
Labor Law Revision
Faces Tough Shedding
Discrimination Amendment
Muy Delay Vote in Senute
BY Gould Lincoln

The Senate has finally come to grips
with one of the most controversial
measures in the whole Eisenhower pro-
gram: Amendment of the Taft Hartley
labor law. The Presidents purpose in
placing labor bill in his program is to
improve the Taft-Hartley Act.
The Senate Labor Committee. headed
by Senator Smith of New jersey. has
reported and the Senate has begun con-
slderation of a bill carrying all the
Presidents proposed amendments. ex-
cept that calling for secret balloting
before strike is called under GER
tain conditions. Such an amendment,
however, will be pressed by Senator
Purtell, Republican, of Connecticut.
Senator Knowland Of California, Re-
publican leader Of the Senate, is con-
fident that the bill will pass the Senate
substantially as it was reported by the
committee. Politics and more politics,
however, are involved. Many of the
leaders OF organized labor and many of
the New Deal Democrats want no legis-
lat1on. They want repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act and a return to the old
one-sided Wagner Act. Further. they
want the issue to go into the coming
congressional campaign.
Delay Tactics Possible.
To improve the Taft-Hartley Act does
not fit into their plans at all. Senator
knowland hopes to dispose of the legis-
latlon within 10 days or two weeks. It
remains to be seen, however. whether
its opponents adopt delaying tactics.
amounting practically to a filibuster.
One thing is in the favor of Senator
Smith, Senator Knowland and others
who wish something done The Senate
and also the House passed the original
Taft-Hartley Act by large majorities
and by more than a two-thirds vote
over the veto of the then President Tru-
man.
Admittedly, the course of the new
labor bill Is difficult. The racial issue
has been injected Senator Ives. Repub-
lcan, Of New York has offered an
amendment providing that discrimina-
ton in employment because of race or
color shall be an unfair labor practice
either on the part of the unions or
management. Senator Lehman. Demo-
crat, of New York has an amendment.
too, with the same end in view. If either
OF these amendments is adopted-and
1T seems likely that one of them would
command majority vote-the battle
on hnal passage may be greatly delayed,
should Southern Democratic Senators
organize to prevent vote.
A number of the Senators would like
to get the Federal Government out Of
the position of control over labor
management relations and disputes az
far as possible, consistent with consid-
erations Of public welfare and the pro-
lection Of the individual worker.
Smiths Position.
This issue is not greatly involved in
the pending bill, but it is very much in
the mind Of Senator Smith, who said in
his opening speech in the debate, 1T
is my feeling that we should tly
by degrees to pull the Government out
Of these controversial situations and
challenge the two real principalS--em-
ployers and employeS-to get together
and agree on what should be the rules
governing their relationships and COW
ering sound principles of collective bar
gaining. am convinced that If either
side feels that it can fall back on the
Government to support its cause, there
will not be developed the spirit in COL
lective bargaining that there should
be, and politics will inevitably creep in"
The Federal Government, however,
has become deeply involved in the ham
ding of labor disputes and the de-
termination Of what constitutes fair
and unfair labor practices on the part
of both labor and management. It
moved strongly to the support of the
unions in the Wagner Act, and in the
Taft-Hartley Act swung the pendulum
back to a more even position. The con-
test has become political in q big way,
and 1t would be miracle, now. II the
course could be changed.
Senator Goldwater, Republican, OF
Arizona Is tackling the problem of get
Ting the Federal Government out Of han.
ding all or nearly all labor disputes.
He has offered an amendment which
would restore to the States, through
legislation and administration, the
right and power to deal with many Of
these disputes. His amendment is called
the States rights" amendment. He Is
interested In the so-called right to
work" laws which now exist In l0
States. and in State laws which ban
secondary boycotts and certain types
of picketing.
The administration will be lucky II
1t can get through the committee bill.
limited to the Presidents recommended
tions.