Evening star., 1942-02-12
Roosevelt Reported
Selecting Man-PoweI
Mobilization Board
McNutt Believed Slated
As Heed Of Agency to
Muster War Workers
~ the Associated Pfsss.

~ tue ASboclateQ FrokB.
A man power mobilization board
authorized to muster all workers
necessary for maximum war factory
output was reported being formed
today, with Paul v. McNutt as the
probable head.
The Federal Security Administra> .
tor, former Governor Of Indiana and
one-time high commissioner to the
Philippines, was said to have been
selected by President Roosevelt over
Sidney Hillman, head Of the War
Production Boards Labor Division,
and Secretary of Labor Perkins, who
have been mentioned for the post.
1t was learned that an executive
order creating the board was SUBJ
mttted to President Roosevelt q few
days ago. but that the President had
asked for q new draft to eliminate
certain points to which he objected.
Government sources said the order
would be issued soon, but union
labor ofiicials said they thought Mr..
Roosevelt would wait until he had
consulted again with the six-man
c. I. GA. F. L. committee with
which he met last Friday. A second
meeting Is scheduled for February 20.
Believed Conference Subject.
Labor supply was one of the ques-
tions said to have been discussed by
Mr.. Roosevelt and the union repre-
sentatives, who were reported to be
drafting recommendation for sub
mission at the conferences.
A memorandum on the mobiliza-
ton proposal, prepared under Mr..
McNutt's supervision, has been criti-
cized in some labor quarters as a
labor conscription plan. The memo
randum asserted that six Federal
agencies are now engaged in re-
cruiting man power and said that If
these were not to work at cross
purposes a mutual agreement as to
basic policy must be worked out.
Although the memorandum made
no recommendation for combining
the duties Of the military selective
service system, directed by Brig,
Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, with recruit
Ing OF factory workers. it pointed out
that In Great Britain the Ministry
Of Labor and National Service is
responsible both for military and
industrial registration.
Six Recruiting Agencies.
The six man power recruiting
agencies were listed as the Army,
Navy. Selective Service. Civil Service
Commission. ONCE of Civilian De-
fense and United States Employ
ment Service. The memorandum
proposed that the Mobilization
Board be composed OF Secretary of
War Stimson, Secretary Of the Navy
Knox, Secretary Of Labor Perkins,
Mr.. McNutt, Mr.. Hillman, a men,
Der Of the Civil Service Commission,
and the director of the Once of
Civilian Defense.
Mr.. McNutt was questioned at
length about his views on federaliza-
ton of the State unemployment in
surance program when he appeared
before the House Ways and Means
Committee yesterday TO discuss legis-
letion which would provide $500 ,000,-
900 for 'cushioning the shock" OF
unemployment resulting from con-
version OF plants to wartime pro-
duction and for training workers
needed in defense industries.
Representative Buck, Democrat, OF
California drew from the admins
traitor q statement Of belief that
State programs should be fed
eralized.
do you think this bill is a pre-
liminary step toward liberalization
Mr.. Buck asked.
Bill Would Not Federalize.
"I do not" Mr. McNutt replied.
You state that there ought to
be liberalization of all State unem-
ployment compensation programs?"
That's right" the administrator
said. II look upon unemployment as
a national problem and therefore it
and relief for 1t must be handled on
a national basis Those things that
REQUIRE national action should re-
ceive national action"
The legislation being studied by
the committee would authorize an
appropriation of $500 900 900 so dis
tributed that displaced workers
would receive 120 per cent Of their
weekly State unemployment COM
pensation allowance for a maximum
Of 26. weeks. The Federal Govern
ment would contribute 20 per cent
and the States 100 per cent as long
as the State laws permitted. and
then the Government would make
the full payments.
Both Mr.. McNutt and Mr.. Hill
man. who also was a witness, told
the committee that time was Of the
essence, that the Federal Govern
ment must step in quickly to sup
plement Safe unemployment bene-
fits they asserted were inadequate.