Evening star., 1942-10-27

Share Of kanpower
Demanded for Farms,
War Plants and Army
Three-Sided Controversy
Grows; Stimson Says
Services Foce Shortage

Grows; Stimson Says
Services Foce Shortage
BY JESSE O. IRWIN.
A thfee-cornered controversy
over the Nations manpower sup
ply was gaining momentum to-
day as the armed forces, agri-
culture and war factories de-
manded their share of available
men and women. Organized labor
also entered the argument with
a request that full information
regarding this reservoir. be as
sembled at once "for public con-
sideration and public USE"
Congress was in receipt of a letter
from Secretary of War Stimson stat
ing that the Army was short Of men.
The Secretary assailed "the current
tendency, and, in my belief, a dan
gerous tendency. of returning phys
ically fit capable soldiers to civil
life while our struggle for existence
is yet in its formative stage"
Paul v. McNutt, Manpower Com
mission chairman, said his agency
planned to issue a public statement
concerning a farm decision tomor-
row.
The Selective Service Administra-
tion's manpower chief, Col. Lewis
Sanders, asserted that the labor
power drain on war factories from
the induction of men into the Army
Is approaching a crisis" He pre-
dicted that 1t would be reached be-
tween December and February.
Sanders Offers Secret Data.
In this connection Col. Sanders
intimated to the Senate Military
Affairs Committee that uneconomi-
cally small dairy herds were marked
for discard. He said a program
which will "revolutionize American
farming" has been made "inevi.
table" by the manpower crisis, ane
he offered to supply the committee
with secret data which would bea,
out his contention that I'VE have
got to produce more in agriculture
with less people"
Col. Sanders noted that "21 pei
cent OF our military manpower" i,
employed In agricultural pursuit.
under normal conditions" and only
80 per cent in manufacturing.
He advocated compulsory change.
In the dairy industrys two-price sys.
tenn and cotton raising in the South
and predicted that the Nation i!
going to have to spread crop sea
sons" Present cultivation and har.
vesting methods are too wasteful IL
terms Of manpower to be supported
In the manpower crisis that war con
ditions will create, he declared.
Green Opposes Freezing"
While Mr.. McNutt was tellins
newspaper men that the administra,
tion's draft bill for universal serv.
ice would be available whenever tn,
President requested it, William
Green, president of the AFL, sal,
his organization was opposed to tn,
enactment of LOB freezing" legisla,
tion at this time.
Senator La Toilette, Progressive, O
Wisconsin, said problems dealing
with manpower, small business en-
terprises and ALLEGATION of critica
materials must be solved before tn,
country can achieve maximum pro
duction on the implements of war
Discussing the manpower situa
ton, the Senator said:
The manpower muddle is what
call it. It seems incredible, but a
this late date there has been in.
volved no overall or master plan fol
distribution and control of man.
power. The result is that essentia
workers are being drained from az.
riculture and industry to a poin'
where I believe production in both i.
declining"
He said Federal officials mieht
well study system of Categorical
deferments now in practice in Eng.
land by which men with necessar,
skills are kept at their trades. Mr.
McNutt informed newsmen that oc.
cupational deferments was beins
studied by his commission. Mr.
Green said that an occupational de.
ferment commission should be an.
pointed for the purpose Of deferrins
skilled manpower.
Meantime, the Agriculture De.
partment said farm wage rates or
October l, were the second highest
on record, and the farm labor SIN.
ply was the. smallest on record. The
1arm wage rate represents an 18.
point rise since the last quarterly re.
port on July l. The department,
said usually there is no change from
July to October. The wage indie,
Is now 81 points above October /
ls4l. which represents "the great.
est increase ever recorded within q
years time" it was stated.
Mr.. McNutt refused to discuss tn,
details of the farm decision. How
ever, as it was forecast q week AGO
the decision is reported to call fo
the issuance Of a directive to selec
tive service for deferment of trained
workers on dairy. poultry and live.
STOCK farms having a minimum O,
IL cows or chickens. which woulc
require work equivalent to keepins
II cows. Farms having eight COW!
would be allowed time to increase
their herds to IL.
1nforced sources said the directive
would not constitute a Job freeze.
Workers will be permitted to leave
essential farms, but If they 20 tt
unessential farms or to work ir
essential or pon-essential factorie.
they will first have to clear witt
their draft boards and their defer
ments will be revoked. Maj. Gen
Lewis B. Hershey said yesterday tina
high wage scales in war industry
have been the major factor in de
pleting the farms Of trained men.