The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1942-05-25
DEFERMENT FROM
DRAFT APPROVED
FOR VITAL WORK

/ Ship construction and coastal
intercoastal and offshore W "a tie
transportation are vital to this
Nations war program, National
Seiective Service Headquarters adj
vised it's agencies and instructed
them to give careful consideration
to deferment from military service
of individual registrants engaged
in these activities.
Discussing ship construction, Ma
tional Headquarters, in a memoir
andum to Directors said;
THE construction of ships is an
activity vital to the prosecution OF
the war. Vessels employed in the
service of the United States for
the purpose of carrying food and
materials necessary to the war pro-
duction and essential to the sup
port of the war effort, as well as
transporting the machines and men
to carry on the war, represent the
! lifeline of our national effort. 1t is
imperative not only that this lifeline
be maintained but that it be greatly
increased. Without the ships serv-
ing the national effort, the effect
iveness in the prosecution of the
war will be seriously impaired, ii
not destroyed.
Need Workers
Accordingly, the United States
Maritime Commission and the Navy
Department have certified to the
Director of Selective Service that
the construction of vessels to be
used in the prosecution of the war
is an activity, the maintenance of
which is necessary to the war pro-
duction program.
Pointing out that in order to
maintain and to increase ship pro-
duction certain critical occupa-
tons" must be filled by properly
trained men, National Headquarters
enumerated 159 such occupations in
the ship construction industry,
ranging alphabetically from angle
smith" to 'woodworker, trainee."
Suggesting that men in these oc-
equations be considered for defer
ment from military service at the
present time, National Headquarters
said that on the basis of reliable
estimates it is indicated that the
need for additional workers will be-
come static in 1913, unless addition
al production requirements are nee
essary. Accordingly, The manpower
needs of the ship construction act
witty then will be reduced to
problem or replacement, rather
than the combined problem of ex-
pansion and replacement.
Transportation Vital ss
With regard to the coastal, in
tercoastal and offshore water trans
portadon, National Headquarters
said that the War Shipping Ad-
ministration, the United States
Coast Guard, and the Office of
Defense Transportation have )certi-
lied that the maintenance of coast
al and offshore water transporta-
tlon Is necessary to war production.
Also 1T is said that the available
shipping facilities operating In
coastal, intercoastal and offshore
shipping have been found made
quate but are being rapidly in
creased to meet the, requirements of
the United Nations for transporta-
lion of material necessary to the
war effort. IS,
because OF increased shipping ia
cllitles, there is a shortage of all
classes OF mariners according to re-
ports by the War Shipping Admin
lstration, the Personnel Division of
the Office of Defense Transporta-
ton, and the u S. Coast Guard
National Headquarters said. In its
to it's State agencies
National Headquarters, therefore
listed some SO critical occupations
in coastal, intercoastal, and off
shore transportation, ranging alpha
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