ustxtxb_obs_1955_10_26_50_00005-00000_000.pdf

AFL, CIO Merge Vote Studies Eight Texas Legislators Given ‘Perfect’ Records, Only One Scores Zero in Labor’s New Evaluation AUSTIN Texas AFL and CIO have “merged” their evaluations of Tekas legislators for the first -time. The result. is a listing of vofing records in a simplified `good vote, bad vote” table which packs a political wallop labor has never before had in Texas. Together., the two .union groups have 400,000 members, who in turn have mates and relatives: As the tables are circulated through the state, union members. will be checking their local boys’ records, and the political result will be appreciable. Committee work preparatdry to the merger of the two unions has been proceeding in Texas, and this is the first tangible result. The, only differ . ence in the separate AFL and CIO publications of the evaluations are the ” covers. The issues, the votes, and their interpretations are identical. . . The issues chosen a r e heavily weighted toward the last session’s la boor legislation. Of 30 HouSe votes in .cluded,17 were on labor legislation; 10 of 22 votes tabulated for the Sen ate were likewise on labor bills. The other issues chosenlobbyist registra tion, school .construction, water, taxes, spending, and ‘teacher and state em ployee retirement=are ones which in volve political philosophy more point edly than do some of the issues that were excluded, such as insurance re form, the scandal investigations, and a difficult-to-interpret loan shark law._ In the tables. “good” is defined as “for the people’s interest,” “bad” as “against the people’s’ interest.” Organized labor credits eight legislators with perfect “good” voting records-7Reps. D. B. Hardeman, Denison; Charles -Hughes, Sherman ; Rohert fackson, Jr., Corsicana ; Maury Maverick, ‘ Jr., San Antonio ; Bob Mullen, Alice ; Bob Wheeler, Tilden; and Herman Yezak, Bremond,’ and Sen. William T. Moore, Bryan. Good AUSTIN Joint AFL-CIO evaluations of 30 key. House and 22 key Senate issues in the 54th Texas Legislature resulted last week in numerical”good vote vs. bad vote” judgments by Texas organ Iized labor on the 181 members of the Texas Legislature. The tabulations counted some votes “for the people’s intel -est” and some “against the people’s interest.” The Iissues and the positions labor regarded as “good” are described in a. related story. ‘ Legislators sometimes did not vote on some issues. The tabulations, with _ the “good” votes first and the “bad” votes second : House of RePresentatives, Members and home towns: Allen, Laredo, 7-18 ; Allison. Mineral Wells. 9-19 : Anderson, Midland, 11-14; Andis, Amarillo, 33-26 ; Armor, Sweetwater, 9-919: Atwell, Dallas, 5-19 ; Baker, Houston 18-14 ; Banks, San Antonio, 10-18 ; Bates, HOuston, 4-25 ; Bell, San Antonio, 5-24 ; Benton, Wylie, 19-6; Bergman, Dallas, 5-26 : Berlin, Port. Neches, 28-2 ; Berry, Lubbock, 15-3 ; Bishop, Winters, 1416 ; Blaine, El Paso, , 10-19 ; Bradshaw, Weatherford, 7-20.; Brasbear, Cisco, 17-8 ; Briscoe Uvalde, Bryan, Buffalo, 15-9 ; Burkett, Kerrville; 2-27 ; Carmichall, Hillsboro, 27-3 Carpenter, Sour Lake, 9-20 ; Carr, Lubbock, 7-1/ ; Chambers, May, 21-5; Chapman, . Sulphur Sprisfigs, 12-6; Cheatham, Cuero, 10-20 ; Clements, Crockett, 27-3 ; Cloud, Rule, 11-19 ; Cobb, Seminole. 10-19 ;. Gok, Houston 19-7 ; Cooper, Corpus ‘ Christi, 10-16 ; Cory, Victoria, 13-15 ; Cowen, Fort Worth, 9-13 ; Cox, Conroe, 15-9 ; Cox, Temple, 14-15 ; Crim, Henderson, 4-20 ; Crosthwait. Dallas, 4-18; de la Garza, Mission, 8-17 ; Dewey, Bryan, 24-5; Duff, Ferris, 16-7 ; Dugas, Orange, 22-7; Elliott, Pasadena 22-7 ; Ellis, Weslaco, 8-18; Fenoglio, Nocona, 18-4 ; Ferrell, Tyler, .. 16-12: Ford, Corpus Christi, 28-1 ; Ford. Bogota, 9-19; Garrett, Raymondville, 10-17 Gillham. Brown. field, 10-20 ; Glass, Jacksonville, 26-3 ,i Glusing, Kingsville, 12-16 ; Hale, Corpus Christi, 14-10 ; Hardeman, Dentson, 30-0 : Hazlett, Borger, 22-3 ; Heatly, Paducah, 4-24 ; Heideke, Seguin, 4-25 ; Heitman, Nacogdoches, 4-23 ; Hogue. Athens, 25-2 ; 11bl- stein Pandora, 17-12 ; Hosey, Galveston 19-11; Houston, Horace B., Dallas, 6-22 : liuffiran, Marshall, 19-8 ; Hughes, Sherman, 30-0 ; }Vint, Center, 17-11; The tabulations record only one senator as voting against all the programs labor regards as goodSen. David W. Ratliff, Stamford. One senator, Carlos Ashley, Llano, and one representative,. James Yancy, Houston, had only one plus . vote in labor’s checklist.’ The total number of legislators credited with five or fewer “good” votes was 30, but the total given only . five or fewer “bad” votes was 43. The inclusion of three House issues -on which . very large majorities voted the way approved ofabolition of. crossfiling, shorter work hours , for fire= fighters, and Vetter teacher retirement reduced the ,number of legislators who Would otherwise have been shown leSs favorably. For example, two of the three legislators who were credited with only two plus votesReps. Scott Sayers, Fort Worth,j and Leroy Saul, Kressgot them .6n two of these three . issues. OF GENERAL interest is fabor’s evaluation of some persons now being considered for higher. office. Senator Jimmy ‘Phillips, an trna.n’ flounced candidate for governor, receives an evaluation of six good and 14 bad votes. Rep. Barefoot Sanders, Dallas; now considered a candidate for Speaker in 1959, had a record ,of 18 plus and 10 minus votes. Among possibilities in .the Senate for the lieutenant governorship, the records were A. M. Aikin, Jr., Paris, 11-11; Searcy, Btracewell,’Houston,. 5-16 ; Dorsey B. Hardeman, San Angelo, 7-13 ; Crawford Martin, Hillsboro, 8-12. Legislators charged with only one “bad” vote were : Reps. Curtis Ford, Corpus Christi ; Charles .Kirkham, Jr., Cleburne; . Otis Lee, Port: Arthur; Henry Lehman, Giddings; Charles Lieck, San Antonio ; and Gilbert Spring, Apple Springs. Only two “bad” votes : Edgar Bei Hutchins, Greenville,13-15 ; Isaacks, El Paso, 17-10 ; Jackson, Atlanta, 16-7 ; Jackson, Corsicana, 25-0 ; Jamison, Sanger, 12-16 ; Johnson, Austin. 5-22 ; Jones, Austin, 27-3 ; Joseph, Waco, 11-19 ; Kelly, Afton, 17-12 ; Kennard, Fort Worth, 24-4 ; Kennedy, Marble Falls, 17-8; King, Dallas, 5-24 ; Kirkham, Cleburne, 26-1; Kirklin, Odessa. 3-26 ; Koliba, ‘Columbus, 25-3; Lane, Wharton, 24-2 ;Latimer, Abilene, 9-21; Lee, Groves, 27-1 ; Lehman, Giddings, 27-1; Lieck, San Antonio, 29-1 ; McDaniel Waco, 16-13 ; McDonald, Fort Worth, 7-23; McGregor, Waco, 21-3 ; McGregor, El Paso, 1214 ; Mellhany, Wheeler, 24-6 : McNeil, Edna, 26-2 ; Martin. Paris, 16-7 ; Maverick, San Antonio, 30-0 ; Moore, Houston, 18-7 ; Moore, Arlington, 6-17 ; Morgan, Kaufman, 21-3 ; Mullen, Alice, 29-0; Murphy, Houston, 3-21 ; Murray, Harlingen, 13-14; Niemann, Yoakum, 8-19: Osborn, Muleshoe, 4-23 ; Parish, Taft, 20-4’ ‘ Patten, Jasper, 20-2 ; Patterson. Snyder, 16-13 : Pipkin, Brownsville, 20 9 ; Pool, -Dallas, 12-14 ; Puckett, Quitman, 10-17; Pyle, Fort Worth, 11-13; Reeves. Matador, 4-244 Ross, Beaumont, 7-20 ; Sadler. Percilla. 25-4; Sandahl, Austin, 11-17 ; Sanders, Dallas, 18-10; Saul, Kress, 2-24 ; Sayers, Fort Worth, 2-21; Schram Taylor, 14-15 ; Schwartz, Galveston, 24-6; Schwartz, Brenham, 18-11 ; Seeligson, San Antonio, 6-15 ; Shannon. Stephenville, 26-3 ; Sheridan, San Antonio, 19-8 ; Slack, Pecos, 6-19; Smith, San Marcos. 3 .,-25, Smith, Fort Worth, 18-5 ; Smith, Beaumont, 27-2 ; Spilman, McAllen, 4-25 : Spring, Apple Springs, .29-1 ; Stewart, Wichita Falls, 24-2 ; Stilwell, Texarkana, 10-14; Stone Freeport, 8-22 ; SUffey, Longview; 11-15 r. Strickland, San Antonio, 8-19 ; Stroman, San Angelo, 19-11 ; Talasek, Temple, 21-9 ; Thurmond, -Del Rio, 8-18; Turman, Gober, 19-9 ; Walling, Wichita Falls 18 6 Ward, Rosenberg, 5-20 ; Welch, Marlin 1-23 ; Wheeler, Tilden, 30-0 ; White, El Paso, 20-8; Wilson. Amarillo, 4-25 ; Winfree. Houston, 26-4; Wohlford, Stratford, 17-9 ; Wood, Tyler, 11-13; Yancy, Houston, 1-29 ; Yezak, Bremond, 30-0; Zbranek, Daisetta, 28-2. The Senate, members and home towns : Aikin Paris, 11-11 ; Ashley, Llano, 148; Bracewell, Houston, 5-16 ; Colson, Navasota, 8-12; Corbin, Lubbock, 17-4 ; Fly, Victoria, 3-19 ; Fuller, Port Arthur 7-11 ; Hardeman, San Angelo, 7-13; Hazlewood, Amarillo, 6-10 ; Kazen, Laredo, .7-12 ; Kelley, Edinburg, 6-15 ; Lane, Center, 9-4 ; Latimer, San Antonio, 6-16; Lock, Lufkin, 2-19 ; Martin. Hillsboro, 8-12: ‘McDonald, -Tyler, 18-4 : Moffett, Chillicothe, 841; Moore, Bryan, 16-0; Owen, El PASO, 8-14 ; Parkhouse, Dallas. 5-17 ; Phillips, Angleton, 8 ,-14; Ratliff, Stamford, 0-19 ; Roberts, McKinney, 10-11 ; The Texas Observer Page 5 October 26, 1955 lin, Port Neches ; Grady Hogue, Athens ; T. W. Buckshot Lane, Wharton; W. T. McNeil, Edna ; Robert Patten, Jasper ; Will Smith, Beaumont ; and Zeke Zbranek, Daisetta. Only three “bad” votes : the late Sen. Wayne Wagonseller, Bowie; Reps. George Berry, Lubbock ; Jim Carmichall, Hillsboro ; Jamie Clements, Crockett ; W. W. Glass, Jacksonville; Obie Jones, Austin; Homer Ko: liba, Sr., Columbus; . Frank Mc gregor, Waco ; Jack Morgan. Kaufman ;. and J. W. Shannon, Stephenville. Only one “good” vote : Rep. James Yancy, Houston; Senator Carlos Ashley, Llano. Only two “good” votes : Reps. Joe Burkett, Kerrville ; Scott Sayers, Fort Worth, and Leroy Saul, Kress; and Senators Ottis Lock, Lufkin, and R., A. Weinert, Seguin: Only three “good” votes :.Reps. Bill Andis, Amarillo ; Cotton Kirklin, Odessa ; Charles Murphy, Houston; and Max Smith, San. Marcos ; and Senator Bill Fly, Victoria. \(A summary of the evaluations is POSITIONS on which the Texas unions based their favorable evaluations of members of the House of Representatives : _ Opposition to the Ford’ Bill, designed to deny unemployment compensation to men out of work because of a strike in a parent or feeder plant Senator George Parkhouse’s S. B. 45, requiring that a majority of all workers want a union .before an establishposition to H. B. 4, which, as originally written, would have reduced Workmen’s compensation benefits for working hours for fire fighters \(one for increased local taxing authority for school building, an elective \(inmission, increased appropriation per patient from 58 to.62 cents a ‘day for state mental patients, teacher retirement, and repeal . ,. of cross-filing of tion to the Governor’s plan to double vote each, for favoring freezing the natural gas production tax at eight percent and removing the tax on cor.poration stock transfers, and for opposing passage of “the sales tax bill” providing for higher cigarette, gasoline, and beer taxes at the retail level. Positions on Senate issues selected for the favorable votes : opposition to permitting employers in labor disputes to use any ‘of many alternative courts of unemployment rights to workers because they are thrown out of work by a strike at a . related plant \(three conditions and hours. for firemen cal taxing authority for building of of the Senate practice of ignoring the calendar. in favor of a two thirds vote to bring up bills out of their orfavoring a natural gas pipeline tax and a natural gas token tax and for opposing the “pure sales tax bill”; one vote for favoring higher appropriations for John . Sealy charity hospital, and another for favoring that appropriation linked to more money for the adult probation and parole setup and the commission on alcoholism ; favoring state employees’ retirement ‘improveof grants to needy . disabled persons and favoring an elective instead of an appointive state water -commission You are cordially invited by the Tarrant County Democrats and the Rayburn Library Foundation to attend a Texas Testimonial Dinner honoring SAM RAYBURN Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, October 27, 1955, at 7 p.m. .EXHIBIT BUILDING WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER Crestline Road FORT WORTH, TEXAS Contribution and Dinner $5.00 For reservations, make check pay able to THE SAM RAYBURN DINNER, and mail to 209 Insur ance Building, ,. Fort Worth 2, Texas. FOrtune 6928. FAnnin 9936 Votes vs. Bad Votes Rogers, Childress, 12-10; Rogers, Austin, 10-10; Secrest, Temple, 9-12 ; Shireman, Corpus Christi, 11-9 ; Strauss, Hallettsville, 7-15 ; Wagonseller, Bowie, 16-3 ; Weinert, Seguin, 2-11 ; Willis, Fort Worth, 16-6, El Paso’s Way EL PASO Far West Texas Democrats have taken a step to exert’ “home rule” in-. dependence of the State Democratic Executive Committee. Organizing on a judicial district basis in a meeting here, Democratic chairmen from ten counties formed a supreme judicialdistrict organization. Under this setup, says the new district chairman, Judge Thomas J. PittS of Odessa, “we can fill vacancies on the Democratic ticket that occtir after primary elections … for representatives, senators, or other positions.” Woodrow Bean, El Paso’s Democratic chairman, said this is -a move to “take advantage of the Texas law that permits political parties to :exercise `home rule’.” Privately, this was interpreted as meaning the West Texas Democrats want independence from the Shiversdominated state committee. Texas Taxes To Be Studied AUSTIN A seminar on “Texas’ and Taxes” will be held Nov. 12 by the Texas Social’ and Legislative Conference in cooperation with the University of :Houston at 2 p.m. at the University there.