Evening star., 1942-12-03
k'NuttReported
Keeping Control
Of Manpower
SeIective SerE
Transfer to WMC
Also Held Likely
By GOULD LINCOLN.

Paul V. McNutt, head OF the
Federal Security Ag ency and OF
the War Manpower Commission,
is to be retained by President
Roosevelt in charge of manpower
with increased pow ers, accord
ing to plans as they stand, IT
was reported in info rmed circles
today.
The President is expected soon to
sign an executive ordfr which will
not only put Mr. McNbtt in much
stronger position, but will place
selective service undeH him.
Unless the Chief Executive should
change his mind in regard to this
set-up, the much discussed Cabinet
shake-up, transferring Secretary
Ickes from the interior Department
to the Labor Departnt tent. Mr.. Nc
Mutt to the Interior Department and
Miss Perkins to the Federal Security
Agency, will be abandoned.
No denial was made that the
transfer of Mr.. Ickes to the man.
power post has been under definite
| consideration. The information
available, however. was to the effect
that the plan had been shelved, GER
tainly for the present.
Apparently, too, it has been de-
| termined to place selective service
under the manpoWer stt-up Unless
this is done, it has been argued, a
| proper distribution Sf 1lanpoWer
during the war is not possible. War
plants and farms have Eeen more
or less denuded of NECESSARY man.
power, both through the operation
of seleCtive service and, more par
ticularly, through voluntary enlist
ments in the Army and Navy 1t
is expected that something will be
done to halt enlistmelbtS.
1t is believed that the warpowers
already given the President are
sufficient to deal effectively with the
manpoWer Situationl particularly
with the pirating of labor and with
the freezing of labor in necessary
war work. The administration and
Congress both are reluctant to turn
to a compulsory labor draft. Indeed,
it is expected that every effort will
be made to meet the manpower
situation without compulsory legisla-
ton If it is found impossible to
deal effectively with it, however. the
leaders IN Congress are prepared to
go ahead with legislation.
VINO Already Has Data.
1t was learned thatEcomplete data
has been obtained Through the War
Manpower Commission and the
agencies with which it has been
working, covering the supply of
labor, the demand fot labor by oc-
cupations, employmenlt trends, wage
rates, hiring practices and hous-
ing. Further data has been
amassed dealing with transporta-
ton, expected hiring of labor as
compared with the la Dor supply, by
occupations, up to and including
February, 1913.
In other words, THE present or
ganization is prepared to 60 ahead
with the necessary work as soon as
the required authority is given.
The need of placing all manpoUer
needs in the same "popl," both mill
tary and civilian needs, in order to
get an effective distribution, has
impressed itself more and more
strongly on officials OF the Govern
ment and members of Congress, il
was said. There is no intention to
subordinate military needs. They
will be placed first. At the same
time attention will be given to the
needs of the war production plants
and more attention IAN in the past
to needs of agriculture.
Already the use of womanpower
to supplant manpower in the war
plants, including airplane factories.
has increased very greatly. 1t is ex-
pected that it will be possible, as
time goes on, to release more and
more men for military service by
this means without slackening war
production.