The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-12
'MC ENTEE SEES 3Q-YEAR WORK
 ASCCC'S GOAL
Defense Program Likely to Modify System of
 Training
B. H. O. KNIGHT
United Press Staff Correspondent

UMlte0 EEcSS St&u OOttesNOuueuS
 washington, Aug 12.-(UP)-Di- rector James J. McEntee of the Civ ilian Conservation Corps believes the COG should be made permanent be- cause the needs of reforestation, wildiife restoration and park im- provements are at least 8 30-years' job.
 McEntee declared the eco faces a challenge in meeting those needs outside of demands which will be made by the defense program.
 Although defense needs may mod- ify the work program, McEntee said eco work in the future should con- centrate on reforestation, forest inc provement, forest protection, soil erosion prevention, flood control, wildlife restoration, public range de- velopment and outdoor recreation (parks).
 My desk" he said, "is piled high with requests from communities for location of camps. The works pro- iects proposed in our fields, forests, wildlife refuges and parks would keep the Corps of the present size occupied for from 90 to 50 years. From another angle, each year sees another crop of youths reaching young manhood and a large per- centage of them unable to find jobs, either because of employment lag or because of their own inexpen- erce. Until such times as these youths can be absorbed in private industry, business and agriculture, IT believe there is justification for continuance of the CCC. believe 1t should be made permanent"
 Enters 8th Year McEntee said the eco faces a new objective defense-as t marches forward in its eight year" despite the needs 1t must fill on the purely domestic front
 "As fast as the needs of industry and the national defense depart Iments are made known, the corps wild modify its present program to comply to the limit of its ability" he said. 'If industry wants men with special mechanical training in either the automotive or aviation fields, the corps is prepared to train them.
 "If the national defense depart ment wants specialists in such fieldS
 as communications and operation, maintenance and repair of mechan- ized or automotive equipment, the corps will train men in these fields. In short. it will be huge reservoir of trained man-power upon which industry and the national defense
 services can draw"
 As far ss can be foreseen now, he added, addition of national de- fense tasks V '' not materially inter- Here with u advancement of the
 corps conservation program.
 | Training Diversity Stressed
 ''There are many fields in which
 fer seven years it has been con-
 tributlng to national defense" he
 continued. 'It teaches men to build
 roads. stone and wooden structures, to operate surveying instruments, to
 build bridges and dams, and to do host of other things of the type
 done by enginer troops in time of
 war.
 "The goal of every youth who erl-
 ters the CCC is a job." McEntee
 continued. "Our program is cen-
 tered around the idea of making
 each youth capable of getting em-
 ployn.ent. The entire pattern Of
 camp life is directed toward the end of helping the boy find useful
 place in society where he can earn his own living. It can and should take advantage of its unusual op- portunities to teach these youths how to work, with hand and brain. how to use tools and equipment available in the camps. It should {. teach them a sense of responsibility : for doing good work, permanent, lasti..g work-and above all, 1t should teach them to do an honest
 days work.
 7 ''In this critical period" he em- } phasized T feel the corps should l emphasize its training especially l with regard to mechanized units Of l all types"
 . Start From Scratch "In preparing work programs,
 McEntee said, "it must be remem. bered that the new men who enter l the corps each year are largely
 young, raw, untrained youths-un- | skilled, but malleable in the hands of competent camp officials, educa- ? tional advisers, project superinten-
 dents, and foremen.
 i "The corps is constantly teach- , ing new men how to work, for it's , best men are always leaving to take , jobs for which their corps work has qualified them. The corps Is on of the few institutions in the country
 which is constantly trying to get rid of its best men. The camps themselves are highly mobile. Built
 of portable units, they can be movs , ed quickly from location to ioca- {. ton. Being virtually self-contained units. they can be set up practically
 anywhere, subject. of course, 10
 health restrictions. .. T do not think the corps should
 undertake work projects entailing heavy annual maintenance costs ex- 5 cept where ironclad agreements are ,. made to make certain that the area . developed will be maintained with g non- Federal funds. No eco pro- 9 feet should be undertaken on state of private lands unless the agencies concerned agree to maintain -
 project after it is completed by tho s corps. The corps should not enea6e } in too much maintenance work even
 on Federal lands. Other things be- ing equal, preference should normal. ]. iy be given to projects which re a Guire little or no annual mainter- a ance."