Evening star., 1942-11-01
heNuH Is Expected
To Push Fight for
Draft System Control
Believed Planning to
Press Demands for
Labor Mobilization
By JESSE O. IRWIN.

BY JESSE o. IRWIN.
Faced with a labor shortage
that is expected to reach critical
proportions between December
and February Paul v. McNutt,
manpower chieftain, is preparing
to seek complete control over the
selective service system and will
continue to press for prompt
adoption of national service leg
islation despite current opposi-
ton, informed sources said yes
terday.
They cited these two reasons for
the seeking Of full draft machinery
control and for Mr.. McNutt's de-
termination to stand Arm on his
declaration that legislative action
is imperative" to meet the COM
ing crisis: !
l. Permit the United States En-
ployment Service to be used as the
exclusive manpower intake" for
war production
2. Permit Inauguration of a
manning table" or table OF or
ganization" program to be set up
in war plants to provide an orderly
outflow" through the selective
service system, of men into the
armed forces.
Seeks Wider Authority.
Through the executive order set
ting up the War Manpower Com
mission. Mr. McNutt now exercises
nominal authority over the selec-
tive service system. He is reported
to be seeking, through another ex-
ecutive order, complete authority in
order to regulate the flow of men
from industry into the armed forces.
1t was forecast three weeks ago
that Mr.. McNutt and Maj. Gen.
Lewis B. Hershey, selective service
director. had recommend to the
White House the cessation of vol
untary enlistments.
Congressional sources have re-
ceived informal advices from the
Attorney Generals Office that under
the First War Powers Act, and un-
der the Executive Order setting up
the VINO, Mr.. McNutt is empowered
to write into war contracts almost
any provision considered necessary
to effectuate his policies. 1t also
was pointed out that the President
would have the aothority to trans
fer the Selective Service System to
the commission under the War
Powers Act.
Mr.. McNutt, however, desires COM
pulsory legislation in order to be alb
solutely certain that all employers
would cut of hirings at the gate,
informed sources explained. This
would enable the employment serv-
ice to be the key to the successful
operations Of the manning table"
system.
Table Of Organization.
The system would require every
plant to set up. first, q table OF Or
ganization. in which each Job Is ac-
curately rated rs to required skill,
and, second, table of Withdrawals
Of men from the plants for military
service in the inverse order of their
need in industry.
Mr.. McNutt in a report to Con-
gress contends that determination
of actual labor requirements is es-
sential not only for efficient dis
tribution Of manpower but for ef-
fective operation of the selective
service system. As the pool of
available manpower shrinks, and as
the demand of the armed services
increases, the report explained, the
selectlve service system needs clear
er guidance as to. which men are
really indispensable in industry.
The report stated that most es-
sentlal industries can no longer
count on retaining men of military
age. 1t Is obvious, the report added
that decisions are required which
cannot be left to the employers dis
cretion and which require the judg-
ment Of experts skilled in occupa-
tlonal analysis and labor utilization.
The manning table" would en-
able the Government to see whether
a particular plant is out of line in
its demand for skilled labor, the
report stated.
The table system was reported to
have been originated by the Carne-
gie-Illinois Steel Co. to meet its
peacetime requirements and adapted
for the Nations war needs by Brig.
Gen. Frank j. McSherry, operation
chief Of the War Manpower Com
mission, and Col Lewis Sanders,
chief Of the selective service sys-
TENS unemployment division.
Under the supervision of Brig.
Gen. William c. Rose, chief of the
manpower commissions military
division, the table program is now
being carried out on an expert
mental basis in the Briggs Manu-
featuring Co.. Detroit; the Eastman
Kodak Co.; Rochester, N. Y: the
General Electric Co., Schenectady,
N. Y. and the Long Island plant of
the Square D Switch Co.. =
Through the program Of con-
trolled hirings by the United States
Employment Service and manning
table" operations. needless migra-
ton of labor would be halted, 1t was
claimed. 1t would wipe out labor
pirating, labor boarding, discrimina-
ton against women and minority
groups. 1t would also require en-