Evening star., 1942-10-15
nanpower Program
Needed immediately,
5enator Hill Says
U. S. Cont Afford to
Temporize,' AIobomon
Says in Forum Address

Immediate enactment OF a ma
'tional manpower program to ''ra-
stion" labor for the war effort was
declared mandatory by Senator Hill,
Democrat, Of Alabama, speaking last
might on the National Radio Forum
arranged by The Star and broadcast
over the Blue Network.
Declaring Congress cannot afford
ITO "temporize" with the demands for
war production, Senator Hill said:
"A national manpower program
must be written into the law now.
l1f We postpone action required to
solve our manpower problems until
I'VE are in the midst Of them We will
once more be too late. Why fail to do
now the obvious and the necessary
|thing?"
Rationing Plan Favored.
! The highest authorities in the
IGovernment, he said, believe that
I'VE must ration labor just as we
have had to ration materials" But,
he added, how can labor be rationed
|unless the Government, through
Legislative enactment, is given the
power to do SOP
THE War Manpower Commission
estimates that by December, 1943,
we must have 62,500,000 people
either working in industry or serv-
ing in the armed forces" Senator
Hill declared I'VE may well gauge
the magnitude Of our manpower
problem by the fact that during
the next IS months we shall have
to place 13,500,0 900 men and women
in new jobs. We must provide
training for 11,000, 900 people, $780,
600 Of whom have never had indus
trial training. Five million Of our
workers will have to come from
women not now employed, from
young people still in school, from
older workers who can delay their
retirement or return to work from
retirement"
Would Halt Enlistments.
At the conclusion of his prepared
presentation, Senator Hill was
asked for his Interpretation of the
position taken by President Roose-
welt on the manpower problem in
his fireside chat Tuesday. The Sen
ator said that under the circum-
stances Mr.. Roosevelt went as far
as he could 60 without coming di-
rectly out for full Endorsement of
compulsory legislation. He added
y ko1in1nI fIo Apoariroro
pie would be in favor of such legis-
lation, as they realize it would bring
to an immediate end the existing
confusion
After declaring he was in favor of
halting voluntary enlistments in
the Army and Navy, to permit the
Selective Service System to work
more efficiently. Senator Hill. in
reply to question as to what effect
manpower legislation would have on
closed union shops, asserted that
union rights in these shops should
be maintained, but that unioniza-
tion should not be forced on non
union workers who would be directed
to work in the shops by Government
edict. ..
In answer to another question. he
said he did not believe compulsory
legislation would lead to any mass
movement of workers from one sec
ton of the country to another, and
that it would mean the solution of
the farm labor problem, which, with
out necessary control, would become
critical in 1943. Senator Hill said
the problem was now acute because
r-"'-v farmers were considering crop
4v.-.,..on for the coming planting
season in view of the prevailing labor
shortage.
Uniform Policy Urged.
Senator Hill. author of a pend
ing bill which would give the Gov
ernment broad control over labor
and management, declared the first
aim must be a determination of
the relative size of the armed forces
and the civilian forces. There
must be a determination of uni
form policy as to which individuals
shall enter the armed forces and
which individuals shall remain in
civilian work"
Declaring the people need counsel
from their Government, rather than
compulsion," Senator Hill said en-
actment of universal service legisla-
ton would not mean "the wholesale
movement of people from one job
TO another, without regard to their
circumstances, or that people will be
forced into jobs or out Of jobs in a
manner that will waste their train
ing or cause forfeit OF workers
rights"
He added: with intelligent and
reasonable direction of our man.
power we can direct men into spots
where they are needed and the
United States can perform miracles
in war production and build the
greatest and most powerful armed
forces in the world"
Assails Aimless Migration.
He said aimless migration has
reached a large proportion. The
turnover in employment in most
plants, he continued, exceeds 10 per
cent a month and in some plants
has reached that figure per week.
Senator Hill cited the many areas
where there are serious labor short
ages, and pointed out the case of
Henry J. Kaiser, builder of ships and
cargo airplanes, who went as far as
New York City to recruit some Of
the $4,000 workmen for his Pacific
Coast plants.
Senator Hill continued.
1--WE must give to the Government
the power to make the selections, so
that every person will be doing the
Job in which that person will be
making the greatest contribution to
the war effort.
TT is difficult for us in the United
States to realize that all we hold
dear hangs in the balance. Far
from the scenes of battle and con-
flict, with none of Our cities as yet
bombed, not having heard the awful
shrieks and terrifying explosions,
not having as yet faced the ruins,
the devastation and the horrors
wrought by the bombing of cities