Michigan Muddle

Passed by the Michigan Legislature last June was a broad new labor statute, inaccurately referred to as a "Little Wagner Act." Among the provisions of the law was a ban on: 1) mass picketing which obstructed "or otherwise interfered" with entrance to a striking plant; 2) picketing which obstructed public highways or 3) picketing by people not directly involved in the strike. This was not precisely what Labor-loving Governor Murphy wanted but he pronounced the measure a long step toward industrial peace.

Nevertheless the Governor did not sign the bill. While it lay on his desk he listened to bitter protests from labor leaders who saw in the "otherwise" clause an open invitation to a reactionary court to forbid picketing altogether. Limiting picketing to those on strike precluded even demonstrations by strikers' wives & daughters. Last week one hour before the law would have become effective Governor Murphy vetoed it.

Summoning his Legislature for a special session to meet immediately after the regular session closed, Governor Murphy asked for a modified version of his model labor law. The House acquiesced but the Senate not only refused to pass the new bill but re-passed the old one, the Governor's support having been weakened by the fact that one Democratic Senator was unavoidably detained in jail. Defection of other Democrats led to heavy fisticuffing on the floor, after which the Senate abruptly adjourned, leaving the House still sitting. Over the weekend one lone Senator carried on as a sort of one-man rump, while seven House members met in what no one was quite sure was rump or regular session. Meantime Governor Murphy got away from it all, cruising on the Potomac with Franklin D. Roosevelt, announcing before boarding a plane for Washington: "I haven't felt better in a long time."

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