Evening star., 1941-01-08
Million Workers
Needed for u. ).
Plane Program
Labor Supply Virtually
Exhausted, With Only
Fraction at Work

A million men turning out air.
planes!
That is a picture of the country's
need as the new year sees the de-
fense program geared higher and
higher.
The "hoW and when" of meeting
the need loom as twin problems of
huge proportions.
Available figures indicate the
supply of workmen for aircraft pro-
duction virtually has been exhausted
by the demands already made on
the industry-and only fraction
of the force that eventually will be
required has been mobilized.
A recent study by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics of the Labor De-
partment shows what the Govern
ment is up against if plane produce
ton is to be pushed according to
schedule.
On the job are 203,600 men-an
all-time high-including those en-
ployed by subcontractors.
BY August, when peak production
is due to be reached, this figure
would be raised at least to ASS 500,
with the likelihood that 100000 more
would be required.
But that preSumptive total OF
555, 500 is only part of the story.
Many More Needed.
An order for $4,000 bombers for
the United States and Britain was
in prospect when the survey was
made, and on the basis of two
year program, carried out on the
40-hour work week, it was estimated
that approximately 425,000 men
would be employed to handle this
job. This particular situation, how
ever. would be eased, it was believed,
by the likelihood that automobile
craftsmen would be used for much
of the work being turned out in
automobile plants.
The very conservative" estimate,
as the bureau puts it, OF AS. 5000 men
needed by August would include
350,600 for airframes. $1,000 for en-
gines and 1900 on propellers. The
respective employment totals in
these three branches as of mid
December were 136400, $500 and
10,700 The airframe industry en-
ploys Alb per cent skilled labor. ass
semi-skilled, TT unSkilled and AS for
others, including clerical In the
engine industry the respective per-
centages are 374. 46.6, 90 and 81.
Few Still Unemployed.
Now as to supply.
unemployment in the aircraft in
dustry virtually is non-eXistent, ac-
coTding 10 statistics compiled by the
United States Employment Service.
A count of $500 State-cperated off,
ces at the end CT September showed
that 218000 persons-moStly unem-
ployed-were available for about 500
occupa tions essential to defense pro-
duction. but the report emphasized
that "comparatively few iob-seekers,
however, had skills which could be
utilized in shiDbuilding, aircraft
manufacturing munitions or ord
nance work
Actually only 833 aircraft me-
chanicS were registered in these en-
ployment offices, and Bureau of
Labor Statistics experts believe it
reasonable to assume that this figure
represented perhaps so per cent of
the aircraft industry jobless. At the
end of December, without giving
breakdown, the employment service
said that the supply of available
workers in number of skilled de-
fense occupations is almost ex-
hausted in some localities.
Unekilled Workers Used.
This is borne out by the experience
of the Civil Service Commission.
which for Weei.S has been conducting
an active recruiting C"mpaiGn to get
metal traGoSn7"n 9rd other skilled
craftsmen for Government establish
ments without being able to meet all
calls for help.
To compensate as far as possible
for the shortage of skilled labor, re-
course is being had to two devices
one, the so-called "upgrading," and
the others sretraining.
In upgrading-to cite one example
where skilled fuselage, tank and
wing assemblers are needed. they
are recruited from semi-skilled as
semblers. The retaining program is
designed to fit for active duty once
more those whose skills have grown
rusty" through unemployment.
In time, this arrangement would