OCR Text |
Show ffi wnt III WASHINGTON The path of labor legislation through Congress usually is strewn with hazardous hur-j dies and the rate of progress is subject to many uncertain factors. Consider, for example, the present status of legislation passed unanimously (88 to 0) by the Senate for disclosure to the Secretary of Labor of the details of all pension andi welfare funds. Backed by such an overwhelming vote?, one would normally expect the bill strongly opposed by industry would zoom through the House and onto the statute books. But what happened? Some Influential House members mem-bers were convinced that the measure should be given careful scrutiny and so that Is to be done. There are widespread predictions pre-dictions that this action means the death of the legislation for this session of Congress but, at the present time, that cannot safely be assumed. What happened, specifically, was this: The Labor Committee voted 15 to 14, for the appointment appoint-ment of a sub-committee to consult con-sult with (but not hold hearings) insurance groups, business groups, labor groups and other interested parties, and, as soon as possible, to make a report that will be the basis of hearings hear-ings by the full Labor Committee. Commit-tee. This action was taken on a motion by Rep. Teller (D-NY), who is reported to be opposed to the measure. The subcommittee Is to be appointed ap-pointed by Rep. Barden (D-NW), chairman ol the full committee. In the past he has been a strong advocate of states' rights and antagonistic to Increasing the power of the federal goverment. Obviously, the outcome will be determined In large measure, meas-ure, at least by the length of time required to select the subcommittee, sub-committee, to organize for more study, to make the study, for the full committee to hold hearings and agree on recommendations, for the Rules Committee to permit per-mit floor debate (It frequently views such proposals with distaste) dis-taste) for House action, for consideration con-sideration by the Senate-House Conference Committee (if the house should change the Senate bill) and, finally, for final approval ap-proval of the conference agreement agree-ment by the Senate and House. All of this could take a very long time and, In that event, the date of Congressional adjournment ad-journment (whether early or late) could be decisive. This Is an election year and Senators and Representatives naturally want to go back home as early as possible to campaign. GENERAL LABOR LEGISLA-TION LEGISLA-TION General Labor legislation legisla-tion !a In somewhat similar situation but consensus In Washington still is that Congress is unlikely to pass any effective measure at this session. Hearings have started before a Senate Labor Subcommittee headed by Senator Kennedy (D-Mass.), (D-Mass.), who has promised to report re-port a bill to the Senate by June 10. Howere, he wants action limited lim-ited to remedying the evils exposed ex-posed by the McClellan Committee Commit-tee Investigation. Thus, if he has his way, there would be no recommendations for such basic alon as placing unions under the antitrust laws, protecting the right of workers not to Join a union if he dues not wish to do so, and prohibiting political activity by unions. The voting record of the Senate Sen-ate Labor Committee in recent years would indicate that there Is little, if any, likelihood that It will approve legislation going to the heart of the problem of union un-ion monopoly power. In the House, the Labor Committee Com-mittee voted (by a show of 18 hands) for a subcommittee headed head-ed by Rep Perkins (D.-Ky.), t. begin hearings on general labor legislation as soon as practicable. Here again the rate of progress pro-gress could be decisive. |