Evening star., 1942-11-24

these data the amount of time re-
quired for his replacement would
be estimated.
Government experts who have
analyzed the selective service plan
held that as the average State
selective service director does not
have a technical staff, such as is
now being set up by the commission
to analyze essential jobs for de-
ferment, he would be in no position
to do anything but accept the en-
ployer's word as to the individuals
essentially.
The selective service proposal was
seing studied rs Mr.. McNutt classi-
ned one out of every nine jobs in
American industry and agriculture
as vital to war production. He made
public at the same time 6 compre-
hensive listing Of essential war ac-
tivities and occupat ations.
5000 Occupation Included.
About 5000 occupations were in
cluded in the list, which was prepar-
ed especially to guide local draft
boards in determing occupational
deferment and to aid the United
States Employment Service in de-
termining which activities have a
prior claim on workers available for
replacement.
These occupations are included,
Mr.. McNutt explained, under the
general head Of IS industries, all of
which were classified as essential
last July when the list was made
known, with the exception of tech
nical scientific and management
The latter was added more
Senator Pepper, in commenting
on the .selective service proposal,
said Friends of the military are
indicating that it is their idea that
the whole civilian war effort should
be like that of the armed forces.
under military heads"
Pointing out that the Constitu-
ton invests the President with the
dual function of head of the civilian
state and also Commander in Chief
of the Army and Navy. Senator
Pepper said that I'VE wish to see
this distinction preserved in the
whole setup: that is, the miliatry
effort must be under the military
authority and the civilian effort un-
der civihans-and by civilians an
sWerahle only to the civil authority.
not civilian or military people an
swerable to military authority"
Pepper Sees Pattern Formins.
He said the proposed organization
which the military desires is now
beginning to be apparent enough
to take on a pattern, and he added:
1T is not just a coincidence that
the former head OF the Army and
Navy Munitions Board should be-
come the vice chairman Of the WPB
and the selective service proposes
to take up all the occupational de-
ferment to the exclusion of that
function being handled bya truly
civilian agency.
THE significance of the two things
is that production and manpower
would be substantially under mill
tary control. We believe production
and the ALLEGATION of manpower
should be under the direction and
control Of civilian authorities,
The Army should have unoues.
toned authority to lay down mill.
tary requirements and specifications,
but the procurement Of materials,
distribution of contracts and con-
version Of facilities must, with equal
invioability be in civilian hands for
they are the ones accustomed to
do this kind Of job.
Puts Burden on Employer.
"This plan presupposes that all
essential information will be SUD-
piled by the employer without any
system for checking the accuracy
of the. information being provided.
Moreover, the plan contemplates
apparently that the employer viii
be the one to devise the replace
ment program. Here again the en-
ployer, without being given any
guidance by Selective Service, is
expected to initiate and recommend
the replacement program, which is
not only, in his opinion, suf1lcient