Evening star., 1941-01-21
Britain 10 Draft
Workers for
War Plants
Bevin Announcement
Launches Debate
In Commons
Ry the Associated Press.


LONDON Jan. 21.-Labor Min
lister Ernest Bevin informed the
House OF Commons today that the
government has decided to register
Brltain's working men and women
for drafting into war factories.
Mr.. Bevin reported steadily in
creasing production, despite am
raids, but added that the country
had now reached a stage when it
will be necessary to take industrial
registration by age groups
He said the registration was to
make a list of those who should be
called upon to serve the state in the
national industry"
The government risked a political
storm from the Left Wing by its
decision TO draft labor. but observers
predicted there would be little for
NAL opposition.
Full-DreSS Debate.
Mr.. Bevin's announcement
launched a full-dress debate on
man power.
Conservative Earl Winterton i'm
mediately applauded the decision.
Laborite Emanuel ShinWell COM
planned that drafting of labor should
not be ordered until the government
had drafted wealth. property and
land IN the national effort"
Mr.. Winterton warned that the
British people had got into most
dangerous state of mind of thinking
that if We only waited long enough
the United States was going to give
us everything We wanted and We
only had to hang on a few weeks
or months"
The real situation. he said. Is that
mot until the very end of this year
should We get such an accretion OF
strength from the United States
that 1t would make an appreciable
difference to the war effort. Not
until the middle of next year or later
would it mean superiority
Power Granted Last Nav.
The power to draft men and wom-
en- from other occupations or from
unemployment into war industries
was granted by Parliament in the
drastic emergency powers act of last
May %.
The act also gave the government
the power to draft capital, but Mr..
Bevin made no mention of this in
his announcement to Parliament.
Capital already has been
called on for a 425 per cent
profits tax-the same rate as the
basic income tax-and a 100 per
cent excess profits tax based on
increases in profits during war
years over a standard pre-War
year)
In the coming months. the Labor
Minister said. there will be heavy
demands for man power and woman
power for services. for munitions
work and for civil defense"
He said he expected arrangements
soon for lowering the draft age for
the army from 20 years to 19 and
for raising it above the present top
limit of 36. He gave no new upper
figure.
Permanent Mobile Force.
Employers no longer will be al
lowed to discharge men except for
misconduct in vital industries. Mr..
Bevin announced, and employees
will be forbidden to leave vital work
without the governments permis-
sion.
The object of such a rule and for
the drafting of labor. he said. is to
create a permanent mobile labor
force"
Besides men, Mr.. Bevins said, the
nation will have to call into NUM-
tions and aircraft factories many
women who. in normal circum-
stances, would not take employ
ment."
"AS more men are called up for
the forces" he said industry will
have to absorb women far more
than it is doing.
The state will have to take much
greater responsibility for the care
of children where women are rem
dering national service"
Tells of Increased Output.
Mr.. Bevin gave, point by point, a
recital of increased British produc-
ton in the last few months, despite
German attempts to bomb factories,
furnaces and aircraft plants out of
existence. He reported:
l. An increase by more than one
third of merchant shipping con-
struction in the last half of 1910
over the first half.
2. An increased production of air.
(See BEVIN, Page A-6.)