Evening star., 1942-01-08
War Effort 10 brinq
IS Million More Into
Defense Industries
Estimates by Experts
See Unemployment
Largely EIiminoted
By OLIVER MCKEE.

When it reaches its peak, the
United States program OF total war
production will require the services
Of approximately 10000 900 persons
in industries directly related to the
war effort, or 100000 more than
are thus employed at present, ac-
cording to estimates of Government
experts.
Not only will the expansion in the
armed forces and the rise in the
production of war goods absorb most
of the unemployed in this country,
but they will necessitate the incorpo-
ration into the labor force of between
100000 and 10000 900 men and
women now listed as non-w workers,
such as housewives, students and re-
tired persons
A substantial part of the addi-
tlonal 10000 900 workers required to
meet the production goals set by the
President will be obtained through
the conversion of existing plants to
war uses. Workers will be con-
verted' with their factories.
100000 May Remain Jobless.
At the end of November, employ
ment in the United States. exclud-
Ing those in the armed forces. totaled
4940O,000, with 39O0000 listed as
unemployed. Of the unemployed. it
Is estimated that 100000 will find
Jobs in industry or enter the armed
forces. The remainder - approx
lmately 900 000-for physical or other
reasons, are considered as unem-
ployable.
or the population IA years of age
and older 45800,O00 are classified
as non-workers. Included in this
total are more than 10000 900 en-
gagged in home housework."
In view of the heavy demands of
the war production program. it is
expected that from 100000 to
7.00C,0 900 persons now classified as
non-workers will enter the Nations
labor force. In addition to house.
Wives-the largest of the labor re-
serve groups numerically-othe DO
tential sources of labor include stu
dents in high schools and colleges,
overage and retired workers and
subsistence farmers. This latter
group, it is pointed out, contrib
utes comparatively little to COM
mercial farm production and for
this reason could be shifted to in
dustrial employment without appre-
ciably affecting the output of agri-
cultural supplies.
Though it seems unlikely that the
United States will face a shortage
either of industrial or military man
power, the war program presents
two major labor supply problems.
officials point out. One is the prob
lem Of training new recruits to the
Nations labor force in the special
lied skills required by war indus
tries. The other is that of moving
workers to the localities where their
services are needed.
Registration to Give Inventory.
The registration of men from 18
to 81 will give a complete inventory
of the occupation and other skillS
of those in these age groups-an
inventory that should be of great
value in assuring the most effective
mobilization of the Nations indus
trisl man power.
With the exception of agriculture,
trade and possibly construction,
every major field of industrial &C
tivity is expected to need more
workers during the next year Many /.
Of those now employed. of course,
will be called to the colors and their |
places in the industrial army will
have to be filled either from the
unemployed or the non-worker
group.
On April l. 1910, according to the
Census Bureau there were 1l.149,-
900 emplsyed women in the United
States, exclusive Of those on w. p A.
and other public emergency rolls.
In the United States. as elsewhere,
total war will probably result in
substantial increase in the number
Of women listed in the labor force.