Evening star., 1942-11-10
Text Of Report to Monpower Commission

EIcAt VI NepC
| The tert OF the interim report
to the chairman OF the War
MdnpoUer Commission submitted
by the Management Labor Policy
Committee and transmitted yes
terday to the President by Chair
man Paul V. McNutt toLlo1Ds::
Pursuant to the request of the
chairman of the War Manpower
Commission, the Management-Labo
Policy Committee has been giving
careful study to fundamental ques-
tions of policy that are involved in
the consideration of national war
service legislation. During this
study, the committee has conducted
comprehensive review of the ma
tional manpower and womanpower
problems that have come before the
committee since it was established
by order of the chairman on May
Is, 1912. Salient points Of this re-
view, together with certain con-
clusions and recommendations, are
set forth herein.
Part 1.
Review of Progress to Date.
The committee, composed of equal
numbers representing management
and organized labor, has worked dill
igently since it's first meeting on
June 9, 1912. Regular meetings
have been held each week. At these
meetings all major matters of War
Manpower Commission policy have
been carefully considered by the rep
resentatives of labor and manage
ment. The committee members are
gratified at the opportunity they
have had and now have to partici-
pate in the development of policies
and procedures involved in the man
power problem, matters that are
vital to the war effort and to the
lives Of all people in the Nation.
Numerous major items of man
power policy have been acted upon
by the committee. 1t is tribute
to the democratic processes that
the Nation is defending to note
that, after full discussion and par
ticipation by the representatives of
management and labor under the
guidance of Government, all pol
icies acted upon to date have been
approved by unanimous agreement
of the participants.
The chairman has seen fit to i'm
plement the policies approved by
the committee and has not approved
any policy until it has been sub
mitted to and approved by the COM
mittee. OF the policies thus far
developed, the war manpoWer en-
ployment stabilization and migration
control policy is the most significant.
This policy, together with other
related policies and procedures, is
established to permit maximum
utilization of the forces of cooper
atlve action by Government, man.
agement and labor at the national,
regional and local industrial area
levels.
The policy provides for the estab-
lishment of regional and local in
dustrlal area war manpower direc-
tors under direct line administration
Of the War Manpower Commissions
chairman, and for the aid and as
sistance by regional and local in
dustrial area War Manpower Com
mittees composed of the representa-
tives OF labor and management.
1t seeks to bring about, at the
source and by voluntary action OF
those involved, the solutions to all
manpower problems that can be
handled in this manner. The policy
includes appropriate safeguards for
action by Government where volun-
tary solutions are not Forthcoming
or where the problems do not lend
themselves to local treatment. It
can be applied to a local area, to
region comprising a number OF
States Or even to the Nation on the
basis of occupations or industries.
That much has been accomplished
by these policies is apparent to the
committee. Numerous complicated
and difficult problems in manpower
have been dealt with Others are
under active consideration by rep
resentatives of Government, labor
and management in such critical
manpoWer areas as Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Baltimore, Chicago,
Cleveland, New York, Detroit, etc.
Millions of workers have transferred
voluntarily to more essential indus
tries during the past two years.
While most of this movement has
been independent OF direct Govern
ment guidance, the United States
Employment Service, now a part OF
the War ManpoWer Commission, is
currently guiding workers into jobs
at the rate of about 100000 per
year.
However, it is the considered opin-
ion of the committee that major
weaknesses exist in the present ap-
proach to the overall manpower situ-
alton, weaknesses that require i'm
mediate attention and correction,
and which. if not corrected, will seri-
ously impede the war effort.
PART III.
Outline of Immediate Requirements.
1t is the committees understand
ing that the present manpower pro-
gram will require the services of at
least 62.500,00O people, including the
armed forces, by the end of 1943
The unemployed reserve, which has
been decreasing since June, 1910,
cannot be reduced much further.
Increasing reliance must be placed
on transference to more essential
activities of workers now employed
in the less essential activities. Even
if the utmost in this regard is done.