Men at Work

The difference between a party platform and a legislative program is the difference between cup and lip. Last week Administration officials were ready to talk about the 81st Congress' legislative program. Faithful Alben Barkley, who will ride herd on the Senate, was prepared to translate at least some, of the Democratic platform promises into law.

End of Taft-Hartley. High on the list was repeal of the Taft-Hartley law.* If Barkley had his way a new act would be written, much more to labor's liking. Some of the Taft-Hartley law which labor did not like: measures which outlawed the closed shop, required unions to file financial reports, required labor to hold elections to win union shop contracts, forbade union contributions to political campaigns, required officers to sign non-Communist affidavits, outlawed jurisdictional strikes and secondary boycotts. The business of new labor legislation was under the wing of Secretary of Labor Maurice Tobin, one of the few men in the Truman

Administration who had labored faithfully for the boss's reelection. The new law, he said, would definitely restore the closed shop.

Other early legislation would call for more social security. Already before Congress is a recommendation to extend social security to 20 million U.S. citizens not covered by it now, and to double fhe benefits now paid.

Would the President's controversial civil liberties program come up? Said Kentucky's Alben Barkley: "It hasn't been discussed by the President with me. I presume it will be in his message to Congress."

Against Inflation. On the economic front, Congress would be asked to take steps to control inflation. In his message to the "Turnip Day" session last July, the President had asked for stand-by powers to control prices, ration scarce commodities and allocate materials in short supply. There was every indication that once again he would demand that power, to be used when necessary.

Other legislation which the President had asked for in July and which presumably he would ask for again: extension of rent control (due to expire March 31) and a housing bill--if not the Taft-Ellender-Wagner bill for building 500,000 housing units for low-income families, then something very much like it.

* The 81st Congress will have 54 Senators and 224 Representatives (a majority in both houses) who voted for Taft-Hartley. Administration officials, however, expect some changes of heart. A total of 121 Senators and Congressmen who voted for Taft-Hartley were either beaten in the primaries, retired, died or were eliminated on Election Day.

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