The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-05-12

that they do fight with. Conse-
quently, without enough machine
tools, arms can't be delivered TO
soldiery land to the other democra-
cies' soldieries) at swift enough
rate. Well, machine tool shortage
does actually exist. Hence an arms
shortage. Our machine tool insult
fciency constitutes one Of the
worst bottlenecks we hear so much
about.
Acting Chief A. Ford Hinrichs
of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
explains. According to his account,
rs per cent Of our machine tool fac
tories work only one eight-hour
daily shift, six days. per week.
Twenty per cent work two shifts
daily. A skinny S per cent work
three shifts. The rs and 20 per
centers may work a little overtime,
but it doesn't amount to much.
There's a limit to the number Of
daily hours that a machine tool
maker can stand, even with extra
pay.
The presidents proposition is
that 100 per cent Of those factories
ought to run on a three-shift basis,
seven days per week. It's agreed
that a worker needs a weekly day
off, but there should be a sufficient
number of extras to permit that
without interfering with the three
shift, seven-day schedule. There
should be no break except for serv-
icing the machinery, which needn't
involve any considerable delay.
Skilled Labor Needed
Most Of the plants arrangements
are said to be amenable. Just give
'em the necessary skilled labor,
they say dts got to be reasonably
skilled or it can't make machine
tools; it's quite a technical job).
and they don't care how many,
daily shifts or days per week their
factories operate.
But skilled labor? All, there's
the rub.
A one-shift, six-day plant Is
available to operate seven days
weekly, all day and all night, all
the time; the plant doesn't get
tired; all 1t requires Is a few min
utes occasionally to be swept out
and have its bearings oiled. And
why should its management kick
on keeping 1t going, so long as the
government pays it under its con-
tract, plus moderate profit PITS
assumed that 1t isn't an emergency
profiteering concern.
But its skilled hands? Trebling
its shifts will call for multiplying
the boys number by three-and
then some, for there'n be the sew
enth day to reckon with.
And the arrangements story "a
misunderstanding one) is that
every unattached skilled tool ma
chinist in the country already is on
the job.
This, they relate, includes old
sters. AS for kids, taken in as ap-
prentices - they won't be very
useful for quite awhile. In fact, the
arrangements contend, they'll be
nuisance to the skilled craftsmen,
while the latter are educating EN-.
Commenting on the situation at
one Of his press conferences, Presi=
dent Roosevelt gave it as his opin-
ion that some skilled chaps young
ish ones) Of the right sort aren't
yet at the bench.
How Many In Camp:
Possibly that's true, answer the
arrangements, but, II so, Selective
Service has scooped EN- in; they're
in the army now.
That's where the scheme OF
drafting EN- OUT OF the army
comes in-drafting 'em out of 1t to
put 'em onto machine tool Jobs.
The war departments making a
check-oYer Of the selectees at pres
ent, 10 determine how many ma
chine toolers have inadvertently
been assimilated into their ranks.
Such as are found will be unloaded
in hot haste, to be grabbed by Bill
Knudsen to go TO machine tooling.
How these selectees win like 70
remains to be seen. Machine tool
ing will pay EN- better than being
militarily trained. Nevertheless.