Evening star., 1942-10-11

and Mr.. McNutt had been cancelled.
The labor leaders and Mr.. McNutt
were scheduled to appear in Seattle
october 81, San Francisco October
% and Los Angeles october "a,
where they were to have attended
rallies of management-labor groups.
The Army also had developed
plans for staging demonstration
meetings in the logging section of
the Northwest, at which the leaders
had been requested to attend. Log
ging labor in this section was recent
ly frozen" by a directive issued by
the War Manpower Commission. 1t
was reported that this directive
needed Interpretation in logging
camps, but the Army is said to have
received q report that the attitude
of the workmen was now more IA
vorable after they had been assured
that their work was just as essential
as shipbuilding. Many of the log
gers had been leaving the camps for
work in the Pacific Coast shipyardS.
Must Watch Labor Shortages.
Meantime, Donald Nelson, War
Production Board chairman, di-
rected government agencies which
place war procurement contracts to
avoid, wherever possible, contracting
for the production of war materials
IN areas where acute labor shortages
are known to exist. This order was
forecast fortnight ago.
The WPB said the Manpower
Commission will certify to the war
procurement agencies communities
and areas in which acute labor
shortages exist, together with areas
in which surplus labor is available
Mr.. Nelson's directive also ex-
plicitly authorized war procurement
agencies to pay higher prices, if
necessary, and it continued in effect
the policy of awarding war con-
tracts by negotiation.
At the same time, the Associated
Press reported that 100000 men
by the end of 1914 is the estimated
limit of the American armed forces
in the views of Senators looking to-
ward the solution of the most effec-
tive use Of the country's manpower
Not every Senator, by any means,
would hazard guess as to how big
the Army, Navy and other arms of
the service would grow, but several
questioned because of their concern
with military affairs named 10,000,-
900 as the probable maximum.
Division Of Manpower Problem.
Some believed that fewer men
would meet the combat demands of
the United States for some time
to come, even If major front called
them somewhere.
The problem about which the Sem
ators are introducing bills is how to
divide available manpower among
the armed forces, agriculture and
industry, all linked IN equally vital
work for the war effort. The abil-
ity to equip, clothe and feed a great
army was given as the principal lin
itation on its size.
Mr.. Nelson told reporters last week
that he believed there was a limit,
but he declined to say what it was.
He did say that the country could
equip and supply 10000, 900 men II
enough time is provided.
Nelson didn't say how soon that
would be-" Senator Lodge, Repub-
lican, OF Massachusetts pointed out.
Wheeler Sees Only Confusion.
With approximately $500, 900 men
in the Army now, both Senators
Hill, Democrat, of Alabama, and
Taft, Republican, of Ohio, estimat-
ed the figure would be raised to T.
100000 by the end OF 1913. The
Navy, Marine and Coast Guard per-
sonnel, they said, would account
for the remainder Of the 10000, 600.
To Senator Wheeler, Democrat,
of Montana, the riddle of the CELL
ing on the military roster was q