The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-08-19

of ''the dangers of generalization" (Seaatol
Kennedy is not to be confused with his broth
er, Robert F. Kennedy, who served as chief
counsel of the Mcclellan Committee)
Kennedys Senate voting record, as record
ed by THE MACHINIST over the years.
showed him voting Fright" ON 33 of 80 key
votes listed, wrong on two and absent on
four
These are some highlights of Kennedy's
Senate record in the field of labor and well
fare legislation
Unemployment ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in
troduced and led the fight for increased un-
employment compensation benefits in each of
the past four Congresses. The KennedyMc-
earthly Unemployment Compensation Stand
ards Bill, currently pending, would require
most states to raise benefits coverage and
duration of payments.
Social Security-Kennedy has been con-
sistent supporter of efforts to improve Social
Security.
key vote came ON July II, 1856, when
he supported an amendment to provide dis
ability benefits at age So The amendment
barely passed by 47-45 vote.
Minimum Wage-In 1857, Kennedy intro
duced and held hearings on legislation to
broaden coverage of the minimum wage law
The Kennedy-Morse Bill, currently pending,
would increase the minimum wage to S1.25
and extend coverage to eight million addi-
tional workers.
Rail Pensions-Kennedy co-sponsored and
actively supported legislation to increase rail
road retirement and unemployment benefits
in 1868 and 1859.
Jxy bo1 +1o
fight for distressed area legislation which
passed the Senate in 1856 but failed to be-
come law Kennedy also supported the pend
ing redevelopment bill which passed the
Senate in 1859 and is now pending in the
House.
Labor Control-Kennedy played the key
role in last years big Congressional battle
which ended in adoption of the Kennedy
Landrum-Griffin Labor Control Act.
AS Senate floor manager of his own Ken
nedy-Ervin Bill, he helped fight off dozen
amendments designed to make the bill Strong
err but failed to dissaude the Senate from
lacking on more than 20 other "stiffening''
amendments. The worst of these, misnamed
''bill of-rights" amendment sponsored by Sen.
John Mcclellan of Arkansas, was strongly
denounced by organized labor. Kennedy op-
posed this amendment but lost.
The House version of the Labor Control
Bill (Landrum- Griffin) was even worse than
the amended Senate BILL AS chairman of the
conference committee that
wrote the final Labor Control Bill, Kennedy
helped to eliminate some, but not all of
Landrum- Griffin's worst features.
On final passage, only few staunch
members of Congress (two in the Senate
and So in the House) voted against the
Kennedy Landrum-G Griffin Bill. Kennedy
was not among them, even though he
acknowledged that the bill contains many
unfair, unsound and one-sided provisions"
Not all union members are agreed about
Kennedy's performance on the Labor Control
Act of 1852 Some, including AFL-CIO Presi-
dent George Meany have praised Kennedy
for working ''tirelessly to get rid of some of
The more obvious injustices of the Landau
Griffin Bill" Others say that Kennedy sue
,umbed to the hysteria for labor control at
Ill COSTS
Kennedy himself has said he is not
tireIy satisfied with the new law it stands,
but calls it "a strong, responsible BILL"
ssNo Democrat" he adds, fever need be
ashamed of his vote for it-and no RepubH-
IAN campaign orator can again accuse
,ur party of being the tool of corrupt labor
,osses.'