Evening star., 1941-07-19
Defense Output Gives
Rural Poor Little Aid,
F. 5. A. Chief Says
Activity Loes in Areas
Where Need Is Greatest,
Baldwin Tells Legislators
D, the Associated Press.

., the Associated Press.
c. B. Baldwin, Farm Security ad-
ministrator, told q congressional
committee today that the national
defense program, with its re-em-
ployment of millions. has not yet
made any substantial inroads into
rural poverty.
Greatest effects of defense acti-
witty" he said, have been in areas
where the most defense work is con-
centrated. Unfortunately, there has
been least defense activity in those
very regions where there has been
most need for Farm Security admin
istration assistance"
Mr.. Baldwin said that while about
"A per cent of all r. S. A. borrowers
were concentrated in the South, only
about 10 per cent of all defense con-
tracts have been placed there. On
the other hand, As per cent of such
contracts were said to have been
placed in Northeastern States where
less than per cent of the F. S. A.
needy rural families are located.
The F. S. A. chief gave the COM
mittee general report on the ef-
fects of the national emergency on
work on the F. S. A. and on the
farm labor supply
Labor Shortage in Few Areas.
He said that impoverished farm
ers living near defense projects
were experiencing difIiculty in get
ting Jobs because on an average
they were older than the industrial
workers and were inadeouately
trained for factory work.
Contrary to some declarations
that the Nation faces an acute
shortage of farm laborers, Mr.. Bald
win said that actual shortages were
mostly local in character and con-
fined to relatively few areas.
Mr.. Baldwin said an F. S. A. survey
of the farm labor supply situation
in So principal agricultural States
showed that in only five-New Jer-
sey, Maryland. Connecticut, Virginia
and North Carolina-were there
shortages Of some magnitude. In
all five, unfavorable wages were said
to have been important factors.
Charges of racial discrimination
by private employers and by the
Nations armed services were put
before Congressional committees
yesterday by separate sources
Specific Legislation Asked.
John T. Jones, legislative repre-
sentative of the C. I. o. and director
of labor's Non-Partisan League,
filed with a House Judiciary SUBJ
committee a statement urging en-
actment of specific legislation to
forbid racial discrimination in en-
ployment.
He conSended that handful of
rich and powerful corporations"
were discriminating against Negro
workers.
Noel Sargent. secretary of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers,
testifying before House committee
vi uClCIISC WOI n
ers, discussed the charges of dis
crimina ton and said that the Gov
eminent has sought to concentrate
the heat engendered in this issue on
industry"
The fact is" he told the COM
mittee, that both the Government
as we'll as organized labor might we'll
put their own houses in order.
"Is 1t not fair to ask the Govern
ment If consideration is being given
to the existence of Official discrimi-
nation in the Army policy that Ne
groes shall be enrolled and trained
in segregated units; or that Negroes
have consistently been denied op-
portunity for Army aviation train
ing. and that the first modification
of this latter policy was announce
ment OF segregated training field
to be established at Tuskegee In
stitute?"
Mr.. Sargent testified that his as
sociation had advised members that
there should be no arbitrary pref
udices in employment" and con-
tended that prejudices in an "over-
whelming proportion" of cases arose
with fellow workers rather than
management.