Evening star., 1939-10-01

Government and labor have joined IN
one Of the greatest man hunts since the
draft Of the World Wharf.-The mobiliza-
ton Of skilled labor to be used In ship
construction and in production of ma
terials necessary in time of war to sup
port the armies and navies at the front.
This combination of government and
labor for a common objective is q part
Of the movement to forestall repetition
Of manufacturing difficulties that de-
veloped In 1917 and 1918. 1t is q move
to find skilled men in suficient numbers
to carry out the great shipbuilding pro-
gram, both for combatant naval vessels
and for ships Of the merchant fleet
necessary to expand the fleet in time
of national emergency.
The scarcity Of skilled shipyard work.
ers which the Government and the ship
builders found to exist when the time
came recently to launch the great naval
and merchant marine shipbuilding pro-
gram was born largely OF the economic
let-down subsequent to the World War.
The decline Of ship construction coupled
with the ravages of time on the life and
health of erstwhile ship artisans, has
had its part in clearing the work lists
OF men who were skilled in shipbuilding.
New Generation Unframed.
While these men have been growing
older there has been no training Of 9TH
ers to take their places against just such
time as this, when the country urgently
needs mechanics trained for shipbuild-
ing.
When activities in shipbuilding were
renewed in connection with the Govern
ment's naval and merchant marine
programs, difficulty was experienced in
mobilizing workmen, particularly in
those areas for removed from the ordi-
nary centers Of industrial activity. So
serious did the matter of obtaining per-
sonnel become that proposals were made
that men be given training in certain
branches of the shipbuilding trades.
without seeking to qualify them as all
around mechanics. The labor unions
contended that such plan is fraught
with danger to the American apprentice
ship system, in that it would create a
vast number Of semi skilled men COM
petent only to perform part of the work
coming within the jurisdiction OF the
mechanical trades
Faced with this problem, and, with
the more serious one of men being en-
ticed to certain areas by wages above
the regular scales, the labor leaders
offered to aid the Government in finding
enough mechanics to meet the Govern
ments special needs. They contended
that among the younger men there are
still many able to perform the duties of
shipbuilders. It is this job of finding
them that they have undertaken on
behalf Of labor and the Government.
Unions Inspire Canvass.
The union officials have begun circu-
larizing the local unions with an appeal
that they make canvass not only of
active members but Of former members
who perhaps have dropped their union
cards because of economic reasons. The
trade journals are telling of the apparent
shortage and urging all skilled mechanics
who can qualify to contact the union
offices at once to the end that proper
distribution of the men may be made
to the areas throughout the country
where shipbuilding activities are being
revived.
The Metal Trades Department of the
American Federation of Labor, sensing
some of the difficulties which face gov
ernmental and private shipbuilding ac-
tivities in the matter of mobilization Of
SUFFICIENT personnel, has pointed out
that before unskilled workers are en-
ployed, a careful tabulation should be
compiled Of the available trained en-
ployes who are as yet unemployed or
working on projects other than ship
building and its allied industries. 1t will
there were more shipyards in operation
than at the present time and that all
of these yards were sufficiently manned
to handle constructed program unpar-
alleled in the history Of the Nation.
While many thousands of those men
will no longer be available for active
employment, there may be other thou
sands who would be willing to return
to the shipbuilding industry under
acceptable wage and employment con-
ditions.
The unionists point out that the Navy
Department, in anticipation of q labor
shortage, has authorized q substantial
increase In the number Of apprentices
Of the various trades necessary for the
successful operation Of a ship construc-