Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-31
Voluntary Manpower
Control in Big Cities
Seen Within 90 Days
owl Outlines Action
To Meet Labor Shortages
In Industrial Areas
BY JESSE O. IRWIN.

Voluntary manpOWer control
plans to enable each war plant
to make the fullest use of its
labor will be in effect in every
major industrial community in
the United States within three
months, the Office of War In
formation said today.
There are 270 such communities
from coast to coast. Labor short
ages have developed in 102 of these
and are anticipated in IT more.
The Owl said only 81 communities
have enough labor to meet the
current war production schedules,
and future war contracts will be
channeled to labor surplus areas
in larger numbers now under new
War Production Board policies"
While the War Manpower Com
mission has been in operation for
eight and one-half months, only
two types of voluntary controls have
been developed They are now in
operation in Baltimore, Minneapo-
lis, st. Paul, Poughkeepsie, Detroit,
Louisville, Nyack, N. Y; Mobile and
the shipbuilding industries along
the East and West Coasts.
Purpose of Controls.
Two compulsory controls are In
effect which virtually freeze" non-
ferrous metal miners, lumber and
skilled farm workers to their jobs.
The non-ferrous metal and lumber
order Is in effect in II Western
States, and the farm order is Nation
wide.
The Owl says the purpose of
voluntary manpower controls are:
l. To protect war production from
the disruption caused by employers
piratlng skilled workers from each
other or by workers leaving one job
to seek the higher wages offered
by another, while at the same time
providing means by which workers
can change jobs If the change will
help the war effort
2. To enable each war plant to
make the best use of the workers
available, and to enable workers to
use their highest skills.
3. To stop needless infuxes of
workers to areas where transporta-
ton, housing and health facilities
are already taxed to the breaking
point
4, To provide adequate recruiting,
training and upgrading programs
for workers in every area.
Overall Policy Weighed.
The Owl released this statement
while the Management-Labor Policy
Committee of the VINO was con-
sidering an overall policy which
would be. it was explained, the basis
for control programs to be adopted
by the commission. The committee
recessed late yesterday without ar
irving at decision. Another meet
ing is planned after the holidays.
A member of this committee said
only voluntary control measures
would be recommended to ManpoWer
Chairman Paul V. McNutt, and he
indicated that when the nom
ferrous metal and lumber directive
comes up for review in January it
would be supplanted by less drastic
measure with all semblance of a
freeze" eliminated.
Because there is going to be
change in policy with respect to
manpower control, the commission,
it was stated, did not join with the
Owl in the issuance of the state
ment. Mr.. McNutt has refused to
discuss future plans until he has
received recommendations from the
committee.
Danger Sign Seen.
There is one sentence in the ex-
ecutive order under which the COM
is now operating that could
change the lives of thousands of
working men and women and could
drive out of business many firms not
engaged in war work, the committee
member pointed out. He added that
the policy now being drafted would
prevent such action.
The sentence follows:
Insofar as the effective prose-
cution of the war requires it, the
chairman shall take all the lawful
and appropriate steps to assure that
no employer shall retain in his en-
ploy any worker whose services are
more urgently needed In any estab-
lishment, plant, facility. occupation
or area designated as more essential
by the chairman pursuant to this
section
The committee member said if Mr..
McNutt had the power to enforce
this language it would mean that
henceforth no employer whose bust
ness is considered non-e essential
would be free to employ whom he
pleased and that no person qualified
to work in war plant would be
free to choose his own job if the
Government wanted him to work
elsewhere.
Funds Up to Congress.
Mr.. McNutt has said the power
to operate is contingent on whether
Congress would appropriate funds
to transfer workers. He said he
planned to request such an appro-
prlatlon. The chairman has init
mated that compliance could be OBJ
tanned by invoking indirect sane
tons and that I'VE must not stop
Snort of compulsion when those who
will not cooperate are blocking war
productions"
However, pressed by newspaper
men this week Mr.. McNutt went on
record against compulsion and pre-
dlcted a sharp public reaction
against use of indirect sanctions.
This led observers to believe that
Mr.. McNutt is going to follow the
recommendations of his Policy
Committee that ompul 81 on be
shelved until all voluntary methods
of labor control had been given
trial.
The Owl said "the demands of
our war production, added to the
demands of our armed forces, have
made 1t necessary to harness the
abilities of the American men and
i,, 1aE