The Nome nugget., 1942-05-22
Individuals in Ship Con- struction, Transportation Considered for Deferment

JUNEAU, May l3 - Ship con- Struction and coastal. intercoast- al and offshore water transport atlon are vital to this Nations S war program, National Selective Service Headquarters today ad- Vised its agencies and instruct ed them to give careful consid- eration to deferment from mili tary service of individual regis trants engaged in these activities.
 Discussing ship construction, National Headquarters, in a mem orandum to State Directors, said:
 The construction of ships is an activity vital to the prescott tion of the war. Vessels employ ed in the service of the United States for the purpose of carry ing food and materials necessary to the war production and essen tlal to the support of the war effort, as well as transporting the machines and men to carry on the war, represent the lifeline of our national effort. It is impera- tive not only that this lifeline be maintained, but that it be greatly increased. Without the ships serving the national effort the effectiveness in the prosecu- tion of the war will be serious ly impaired, if not destroyed.
 Accordingly, the United Stat es Maritime Commission and the Navy Dept. have certified 10 the Director of Selective Service that the construction of vessels to be used in the prosecution of the war is an activity. the main tenance of which is necessary to the war production program"
 Pointing out that in order to maintain and to increase ship production certain critical occu- pations" must be filled by pro pcrly trained men, National Headquarters enumerated 159 such occupations in the ship con struction industry, ranging al- alphabetically from "anglesmith" 10 ''woodWorker, trainee."
 Need Mere Workers Until 1943
 Suggesting that men in these occupations be considered for d. ferment from military service al the present time, National Head quarters said that on the basie of reliable estimates it is indie ated that the need for additional workers will become static ir 1943. unless additional produc- ton requirements are necessary. Accordingly, [ e manpoWer needs of the ship construction activity then will be reduced to a problem of replacement, rather than the combined problem of ex pansion and replacement.
 With regard to the coastal, in- tercoastal and offshore water transportation, National Head quarters said that the War Ship ping Administration, the United States Coast Guard, and the Of flee of Defense Transportation have certified that the mainten- ance of coastal, intercoastal and offshOre water transportation is necessary to war production. AL so lt said that the available ship ping facilities operating in coast al, intercoaStal and offshore ship ping have been found inadequate but are being rapidly increased to meet the requirements of the United States for transportation of material necessary to the war effort.
 Because of increased shipping facilities. there is shortage of all classes of mariners according to reports by the War Shipping Administration, the Personnel Division of the Office of Defense Transportation, and the U. s. Coast Guard, National Headquar-I ters said. In it's memorandum to