AMERICAN LEGION SUPPORTS WHITE FLEET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220014-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2013
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: September 4, 1959
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP67-8-0r357R000100220014-2
w-imumempr
A7738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? APPENDIX
The idea of starting all over again to whit-
tle the items down to a point that Ike would
accept will be utterly repellent. -So they
will try for an override first. And it may
go over.
If it does, Ike will be happy because he
still will have made his point and stuck by
his non-inflationary guns. Congress will
be happy because their constituents will still
each get their little helpings of pork.
And several milion citizens will be happy
as they see their pet projects get just a little
closer to reality.
Could it be that this is what Ike had in
mind all along?
Settlement of Bethlehem Steel Co. Dispute
With Shipbuilding Workers Is Vital to
Our Country's Defense
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. DANIEL B. BREWSTER
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, September 4, 1959
Mr. BREWSTER. Mr. Speaker, my
esteemed colleague, the gentleman from
Massachusetts [Mr. Busxe] has done the
Members of the House of Representatives
and the public a signal service by force-
fully calling to our attention the present
stalemate in contract negotiations, be-
tween the Bethlehem Steel Co. and the
Industrial Union of Marine and Ship-
building Workers of America, AFL-CIO.
It has been pointed out that the Beth-
lehem Steel Co. operates 8 shipyards
along the Atlantic coast employing some
17,000 men who represent the core of
shipbuilding know-how in the eastern
United States. One of these yards is
located in my district at Sparrows Point,
Md., and I, personally, know many of
the men employed there who have de-
voted their entire lives to the shipbuild-
ing industry. The Industrial Union of
Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of
America, AFL-CIO, is one of the coun-
try's most highly respected unions. Its
members have proved time and again
that they are willing to place our coun-
try's strength and well-being above their
own economic interest.
The union's contract with Bethlehem
Steel expired on July 31, 1959. Prior to
that time the union's representatives
had begun efforts to negotiate a new
collective bargaining agreement with the
company. The company has presented
the union with demands that the union
simply could not accept. Principal
among these demands is the threatened
elimination of the seniority rights of
many highly skilled craftsmen.
I believe that the shipyard workers
have given strong evidence of their de-
sire to bargain in good faith. They
have proposed that the expired agree-
ment be extended for a brief period in
order that negotiations could continue.
This offer was refused_ by the company.
The union then offered to submit both
the company's demands and the union's
proposals to arbitration. This offer was
also rejected by the company. The
union members have further shown
their good faith by continuing on the job
despite the fact they do not have a con-
tract.
This is particularly significant be-
cause in many of its yards Bethlehem
shipbuilding is engaged in vitally im-
portant work for the U.S. Navy. At this
time Bethlehem shipyards are building
the nuclear missile carrier Long Beach
and the nuclear frigate Bainbridge. At
the same time one of its yards is con-
verting the missile firing cruiser Spring-
field. We simply cannot afford to lose
any more ground in our efforts to match
and surpass the growing Soviet military
.machine.
I call upon both labor and manage-
ment to join in full and open collective
bargaining in keeping with our estab-
lished tradition of fair play. It has been
suggested that the House Armed Serv-
ices Committee's subcommittee on de-
fense activities conduct an immediate
factfinding investigation. There is
ample precedent for this step because
the same subcommittee investigated a
similar situation in 1954. The previous
investigation produced favorable results
and should the present situation con-
tinue, I, as a member of the Armed
Services Committee, will support the re-
quest for committee action.
I am further concerned by this situa-
tion because recently two of our Atlantic
coast shipbuilding concerns lost sizable
contracts to California shipbuilders.
These contracts were lost because of an
unfair and artificial 6 percent advan-
tage given California firms by an archaic
section of the National Maritime Act. I
have introduced H.R. 8176, which will
repeal this unfair clause. If the east
coast firms are to compete successfully
with other areas, with or without this
unfair advantage presently enjoyed by
some, we must have fair and stable
labor-management relations.
We must also consider the absolute
necessity of maintaining our pool of
highly skilled and experienced shipyard
workers. The collective know-how of
these men is vital to our national security.
The dissipation and eventual loss of these
special skills could have a far-reaching
effect on our country's ability to produce
today's nuclear vessels.
Walter Lee
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. PAUL G. ROGERS
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, September 4, 1959
Mr. ROGERS of Florida. Mr. Speak-
er, it was with deep regret that we
learned of the upcoming retirement of
Walter Lee, of the Judiciary Committee
Staff, as we feel the Capitol will lose the
services of one of its most able and dedi-
cated aides.
By his friendly and sympathetic han-
dling of every request, Walter Lee has
established a guide of service for many
to follow. He has always been most
September 4
helpful to everyone who has found the
need for information and advice from
the Judiciary Committee.
I am sure that Walter will enjoy some
time for rest and leisure, well earned by
his many years of fine service here at
the House of Representatives, but we
will all miss his prompt and helpful
assistance which has often been taken
for granted because of his consistent ef-
forts to give his full attention to every
case and rpauest to him
American Legion Supports White Fleet
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. ED EDMONDSON
OF OKLAHOMA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, September 4, 1959
Mr. EDMONDSON. Mr. Speaker,
support continues to mount for the pro-
posal to establish a Great White Fleet of
mercy ships to carry American surplus
foods, medical aid, and supplies to dis-
aster and distress areas throughout the
world. This bold new concept for peace,
which is the idea of an Oklahoma naval
officer, Comdr. Frank A. Manson who is
now stationed in London, has received
overwhelming endorsement from thou-
sands of people and many and varied
organizations in the United States. I
also have received in my office letters
from persons in other countries com-
menting favorably on this Manson plan.
Another strong and powerful voice in
the United States which? recently has
endorsed this plan is the American
Legion, which at its national convention
assembled at Minneapolis, Minn., Au-
gust 24 to 27, 1959, adopted a resolu-
tion in support of the Great White Fleet
proposal. The Legion not only endorsed
the principle of enacting legislation for
this Great White Fleet in the Congress
of the United States, but it also recom-
mended public support of this proposal
by the people of this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I should like to insert in
the RECORD a copy of this resolution:
RESOLUTION 641
Resolution in support of the Great White
Fleet proposal
Whereas, a fundamental principle of the
American Legion, as set forth in the pre-
amble to the constitution is "to promote
peace and good will on earth"; and
Whereas a proposal recently made at the
War College by Comdr. Frank Manson,
U.S.N. to create and maintain a new Great
White Fleet; an unarmed mercy task
force under the American flag, manned by
Navy personnel, to pursue a definite intiner-
ary around the world; and
Whereas this Great White Fleet during its
stops of 2 or 3 weeks each at major
ports (particularly in underpriviledged
countries) would place its hospital, medical
and educational facilities at the disposal of
the people of that country; demonstrating
and training the doctors and nurses of that
nation in our most advanced medical tech-
niques; and
Whereas this Great White Fleet would be
available at all times for immediate diver-
sion to any major disaster area about the
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220014-2
1959
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? APPENDIX
world where its facilities might be helpful;
and
Whereas the estimated cost of $30 mil-
lion for the operation and maintenance of
this Great White Fleet would be far less than
has been demonstrably wasted in abortive
foreign aid projects; and
Whereas such a Great White Fleet would
be a living, daily symbol throughout the
world of the sincere desire of the people and
the Government of these United States of
American for peace, good will and mutual
understanding among all men: Therefore
belt
Resolved; That the national convention of
the American Legion assembled in Minne-
apolis, Minn., August 24-27, 1959, endorses
the principle of enabling legislation for this
Great White Fleet in the Congress of these
United States; and be it further
Resolved; That the American Legion rec-
ommends public support of this proposal by
the people of this Nation.
Sustaining the Veto
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. J. ARTHUR YOUNGER
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, September 4, 1959
Mr. YOUNGER. Mr. Speaker, in the
Washington Evening Star of September
3, 1959, there appeared an editorial and
an article by David Lawrence on the
Presidential veto of the public works ap-
propriation which are deserving of being
preserved in connection with this his-
toric vote wherein the veto was sus-
tained:
WINNING THE BIG ONE
The 1-vote margin by which the House has
upheld the President's veto of the public
works bill constitutes the closest of close
calls. Nonetheless, it was a big win for Mr.
Eisenhower in his touch-and-go battle to
curb inflation by clamping down on unneces-
sary Federal spending.
It was a big win because nothing is dearer
to a Congressman's heart than a public works
bill?sometimes known as a pork barrel bill.
There is something in it for the folks back
home in almost every Congressman's district,
and in this circumstance it is no easy thing
to vote to sustain a veto. But the essential
votes were there when the showdown came,
and the logical inference is that the Presi-
dent, having won this fight, will be able to
use his veto power successfully against any
other unwise spending bills which may come
before him. If this proves to be the case,
there will be renewed hope for the future
buying power of the dollar.
Mr. Eisenhower's objection to the bill cen-
tered on the fact that it carried 67 un-
budgeted projects?projects which the ad-
ministration had not recommended and for
which no provision had been made in the
budget. It is true that these projects would
have cost only $50 million, a relatively small
sum, in this fiscal year. But their ultimate
cost would have been more than $800 million.
It will be said, we suppose, that the Pres-
ident's attitude is shortsighted, that long-
range national development is being sacri-
ficed in the interests of a misguided short-
term economy. We do not believe that this
Is true. Without any of the unbudgeted
items, fiscal 1960 expenditures for. public
works will total $1.1 billion?an all-time
high. Furthermore, according to the Pres-
ident, Congress in the?pa,st 4 years has writ-
ten 200 unbudgeted projects into public
works bills, and these, in the end, will cost
nearly $3.8 billion. Why add 67 more when
they are not essential and when they would
boost the ultimate unbudgeted costs by an-
other $800 million?
As Mr. Eisenhower indicated in his veto
message, these 67 unbudgeted projects repre-
sent desirable, as distinguished from neces-
sary, undertakings. At the proper time pro-
vision can be made for them in the budget
and Congress can begin appropriating the
necessary funds. But these things should be
planned in a responsible and orderly way.
It is time to put a stop to the willy-nilly
approach, and we are glad the President has
been able to do it.
SUSTAINING THE VETO: .REPUBLICANS IN CON-
GRESS ARE SEEN DEVOTED TO PRESIDENT'S
LEADERSHIP
(By David Lawrence)
It's a good thing that, in the midst of
his fateful trip to European capitals, Presi-
dent Eisenhower has not been confronted
with unfavorable news from Congress. For,
had the President's veto of the $1 billion
public works bill been overridden, the people
of Europe, accustomed as they are to a par-
liamentary system of government, might
have construed the rollcall as a formal vote
of lack of confidence in Mr. Eisenhower.
This could have had a frustrating effect on
on the President's mission abroad, where
majority vote against the party in power
customarily means a change in executive'
leadership.
Little consideration, on the other hand,
was given here to this point by most mem-
bers of Congress in their voting on the
merits of the public works bill that the
President had vetoed. Since none of Mr.
Eisenhower's previous 143 vetoes have been
overridden by the necessary two-thirds vote
of both Houses, dramatic attention was cen-
tered on the final rollcall.
The margin of one vote by which the veto
was sustained may or may not reflect the
maneuvers that went on inside both par-
ties. For the issue really turned on what
the folks back home would say in those dis-
tricts where waterpower projects and other ,
Federal construction proposals had been
promoted.
Every Member of Congress who had urged
Federal appropriations that would bring
about the building of public works projects
in his own district naturally was on the
spot. If he voted against the bill, there was
the chance that political capital would be
made out of this in the next election by a
rival candidate. If the Member happened
to be a Republican, he had to consider the
effect on his constituency, especially on the
Republican voters, if he deserted the lead-
ership of the President.
Some Republicans, but only a handful,
did vote to override the veto. Only a small
group of Democrats deserted their party
leadership in siding with the President. The
issue was decided primarily by a straight
party vote of Republicans and Democrats,
respectively. The small number who crossed
party lines really wielded the balance of
power. Maybe if there had been any way
to determine in advance exactly how the
voting would go, the defenders of the bill
might have won out. The last-minute
changes indicated that nobody was quite
sure of the outcome.
As it was, there were all sorts of stories
being circulated among the Members to put
them in a quandary. Thus, the vetoed bill
contained appropriations for 67 new projects
Which the President said had not been pro-
vided for by the Budget Bureau or checked
on by the Army engineers, who have for the
most part the responsibility for their con-
struction. One rumor was that, if the meas-
ure became law, the administration might
A7739
have to cut down or delay some of the proj-
ects begun in previous years in order to hold
down the total sum spent. This touched
off a wave of apprehension among those
Members of Congress who have a deep-
seated interest in projects already author-
ized but not yet completed. It seemed to
many Members that it would be better to
have new legislation passed that would spe-
cifically take care of projects already under-
way without initiating additional projects.
This was the main point in the President's
policy in his veto.
Mr. Eisenhower has adhered to basic prin-
ciples in his relations with Congress, and he
is getting the support of the country be-
cause of the sound approach he has taken.
He is not opposed to necessary construction
of public works projects. But he feels that
due consideration must be given to overall
budget requirements. Usually local projects
are enthusiastically recommended by the
people in a given district, and a Congress-
man feels he has to go along with the com-
munity's wishes. But the President has to
look at things from a national viewpoint.
The fact that nearly two-thirds of the
membership of the House of Representatives
wanted to override the veto indicates how
intense is the pressure for what has often
been called the pork barrel legislation. As
the projects emerge from committee, a Con-
gressman often feels he has to support the
projects in another Member's district in
order to get support for his own.
It was surprising, indeed, to find the veto
sustained, but it was largely due to the de-
votion of the Republican Party in Congress
to the President's leadership. Had the Re-
publicans given way to selfish local interests,
the veto would easily have been overridden.
The final test, sustaining the President's
leadership, cannot but have a favorable ef-
fect on the Republican Party's position in
the country, enhancing its prestige as a re-
sponsible party which is anxious to keep the
budget in balance and to maintain the Na-
tion's finances on a sound basis, as against
extravagant spending and other inflationary
policies.
Opposes Display of Russian Flag During
Khrushchev Visit
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. DANIEL J. FLOOD
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Friday, September 4, 1959
Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, under
leave to extend my remarks in the REC-
ORD, I include the following lettenfrom
Mr. John Ayre, secretary, Llizerne
County (Pa.) Executive Association of
the Junior Order United American
Mechanics, which organization goes on
record as opposing the displaying, in any
form, the Russian communistic flag dur-
ing the upcoming visit to this country
of Nikita Khrushchev:
JUNIOR 0.TJ.A.M. EXECUTIVE
AssomAnoN,
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., September 2, 1959.
Congressman DANIEL J. FLOOD,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C. ?
HONORABLE Sin: The Junior Order United
Apierican Mechanics being opposed to com-
munism, in any form, in the United States;
the Luzerne County Executive Association
of the Junior Order United American Me-
chanics, strenuously oppose 'the displaying,
In any form, the Russian communistic flag
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