The people's voice., 1959-08-14
Repr. Leroy Anderson
Reports To You From
The Nations Capitol

ICOullICIDlOVC III IIlG UdUIl6 between
!; union and anti-union groups has been
taking up much of the time of Con-
gress during the past ten days; this
week the House will vote on whether
: or not it will seek to enact labor legis-
lation, and, if so, whether it shall be
moderate or extreme in either direc-
ton.
There appears to be no middle
ground. Each side is violently op-
posed to the other. If a reasonable
bill is approved, odds are the Senate
will accept, and the President might
veto it. If it is anti-labor and puni-
tive. as unions charge the National
Association of Manufacturers -Eisen-
hover endorsed bill, the likelihood is
that the Senate will not accept the
House bill in conference, and as a
result. there will be no labor legis-
lation in this session of Congress.
That has been the publicised political
objective of Rep. Halleck, Republican
Minority Leader in the House, and the
goal is the same for Jimmy Hoffa of
the Teamsters Union.
Meanwhile, the barrage of propa-
ganda concerning labor legislation
mounts in intensity.
Personally, I believe that corrup-
tion in the abor-management field
must be eliminated; I believe. also,
that the democratic character of the
free trade union movement in this
nation must be preserved. | am for
legislation which will have for it's goal
the elimination of corruption in both
labor and management, which will
protect the rights of individuals, and
which will not have punitive, anti
labor provisions.
Powerful forces will attempt to
whip up a frenzied campaign, based |
in large part on bias and ulterior
motivation, to sway congressional de-
liberations. If ever a time for calm
ness and maturity of judgment ex-
listed. this is the time. Millions of |
American citizens will be affected,
and actions which involve them should
be rational and cautiously considered.
=
Interstate Highway Program Slows
Background of the present dilemma
is that, as of June 80, 1859, the Fed
eral Highway Program, financed by
federal and state governments, was
five percent ahead of schedule.
The critical Situation arose as
the result of the Administration
creating a shortage in the fund
initially by taking the position that,
notwithstanding the fact that high
way users pay hundreds of millions
of dollars more in excise and use
taxes which go into the general !
fund, only the gasoline tax should
be put into the Highway Trust ,
Fund.
Coupled with this was ex-Secretary t
of the Treasury Humphreys insist S
ence that obligations from the Trust I
Fund be limited by expected revenues. l
This was crippling amendment, and S
it has been the other major cause of b
5he present difficulty. S
The Administration wants " e
cent increase in the federal gas tax, a
yet the highway users pay SLY bill d
ion in taxes which go into the gen. +
eral fund. Meanwhile, the Admins b
ration has not controlled initiation c
md SO cost of the highway program II
las gone up. o
There is sufficient money in the
Highway Trust Fund to complete all d
existing contracts so work will not a
crind to an abrupt halt in Montana. p
The House Committee on Ways and 81
Ieans and the Senate Finance Com t;
nittee are conducting careful re- "
lew of the fiscal steps that should 81
re taken. 1t may be that the only !
lternative will be consideration of a
4 cent increase in gas taxes. The
iscal 1860 schedule for the, program
alls for $21a billion, but this will
e cut back to 5000 million in fiscal
961, or about one-fourth of the full
rogram. House Ways and Means
will consider borrowing a
illion dollars from established reve-
ue in excise taxes, with repayment
ate of 5000 million a year out of
rust funds. A II cent gas tax in
rease will retire these bonds within
five-year period. Action undoubted-
= will be taken before Congress ad-
ourns.