Evening star., 1942-10-21
Compulsion Necessary to Speed
Production, McNutt estifies;
Workers Draft Bill Ready Soon
Measure Will Be
Given to President
In Two Weeks
By JESSE O. IRWIN.

Paul v. McNutt, chairman of
the War Manpower Commission,
told the Senate Military Affairs
Committee today that public
opinion and sound public policy
both dictaee that we must not
stop short of compulsion of labor
and management when those
who will not cooperate are
blocking war production.
He announced he would present a
national service bill to President
Roosevelt within two weeks.
The committee requested Mr.
McNutt to submit to it draft of
Manpower Commissions bill, which
he said would be ready for submis-
sion to the President within a
period of not to exceed two weeks
The manpoWer chairman said he
would have to have White House
permission, but promised the COM
mittee to take the matter up with
the President at once.
Meanwhile, the Army indicated
disapproval of proposals revealed by
the President to release older men
to take jobs in industry as a means
OF easing the labor shortage
Miners to Be Released.
Undersecretary of War Robert P
Patterson issued statement saying
the Army would release 1000 miners
in an attempt to relieve a shortage
of copper lead, zinc. molybdenum,
tungsten and other critical materials
which was holding back war produc-
ton. but saw no need at this time
for furloughing other troops"
Yesterday Mr. Roosevelt said a
number of soldiers IS and older
probably would be released by the
Army to take jobs in munitions fac
tories, but Undersecretary Patterson
said
The release of these men (the
miners is designed to relieve a
shortage of metals that endangers
our war program. The Army sees
no need at this time for turloughing
other troops in similar manner
The committee began hearings on
manpower control legislation de-
signed to apportion available labor
among agriculture, industry and the
armed forces.
Mr.. McNutt testified that without
legislation, the War ManpoWer
Commission must obtain co-opera-
ton by regulation and orders di-
rected from procurement agencies
to Government contractors, which
makes militsry duty. through the
selective service system. punish
ment for those who fail to take
orders.
Indirect Sanctions" Method.
He called this method indirect
sanctions and explained. I'VE have
no other means of bringing the
homeopathic minority into
line"
so long as we operate under
such system, l foresee grave diff
ficulties," he continued, adding:
when indirect sanctions are re-
lied upon, any statement of the obli-
cations of workers and employers
cannot be concise and authoritative
because it is merely a declaration
of administrative intent rather than
an expression of the will of the
Nation through Congress.
1T must be realized that indirect
sanctions will be unevenly. and in
some cases ineouitably, applied. We
must depend upon other agencies
for the enforcement Of our policies
and directives. Moreover, the type
and severity of sanctions available
may in some cases be out of reason
able proportions to the offense.
1T would be unreasonable to COM
mandeer a plant because an en-
ployer might be boarding few
workers. Since the threat to apply
extreme sanctions will be in many
cases transparent bluff. employers
may be expected to ignore such
threats.
Care in Redistribution Urged.
He said he has asked the Selec-
tive Service System to exercise ex-
treme care to reclassify as 'non-es-
sential men deferred because of the
essential nature OF their jobs.
Since this power to induct men
into the Army is the primary sane
ton applicable to individuals and
since local selective service boards
retain a large degree of autonomy
reliance upon indirect sanctions will
in effect place determinations OF
large segments of manpower policy
in the hands of $500 local Selective
service boards" he said.
This method, he added, forces us
to rely on the agency whose au-
thority happens to afford the most
effective sanctions r
Mr.. McNutt explained that the
commission had encountered sew
eral situations in which purely vol
untarv measures have been ineffec-
tive. He pointed out that, at pres
ent, the commission has no power
to require action by workers or en-
ployers, but we have not hesitated
to ask other agencies to apply sane
tions where voluntary action has
proved Ineffective
Three Essential Powers.
He warned that the compulsory
aspects of national service legisla-
ton can be grossly exaggerated.
The power Of compulsion, he ex-
planned. is in essence protection
to the great majority vino act volun-
tarily. He said they must be made
to feel that when they act voluntar-
ilv the Government approves the
actien and is prepared to require
1See MANPOWER, Page AID