Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-24
Nv CARTER BROOKE JONES.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
The National Youth Administra-
ton plans to ask the new Congress
for changes in law allowing it to in
crease several fold its training pro-
cram for war industries, at little
more expense to the Government,
Administrator Aubrey Williams told
The Star today.
While the late Congress cut the
NYA appropriation approximately
so per cent from its allotments dur
ing recent years, Mr.. Williams said
he had worked out way Of adding
a big number of trainees overnight
to help meet the increasing man.
power shortage in industries. To
achieve this, he will not have to ask
much above the current appropri-
alton of SOL 900, 900, he added.
The-plan is to amend the law to
permit private employers to pay the
boys and girls while they are train
ing In NYA shops scattered over the
country. After their preliminary
training, which averages six weeks,
employers who have put these
youngsters on their payrolls will
give them jobs in their plants. This
arrangement is impossible under the
present act. 1t provides that NYA
may train only those out Of work
and with no source of income.
Letters From Executives.
Mr.. williams has letters from ex-
ecutives of some big industries urg-
ing this plan. These officials point
out that there are many simple ma
chine operations which boys or girls
can learn, at least to an appreciate
extent, in q few weeks, SO that they
may 20 into the factories knowing
enough not to slow up production,
as they would if they were hired
cold" Thus the NYA can make a
distinct contribution for which the
companies are willing to pay, these
men write.
The NYA administrator also ex-
poets to ask the new Congress to
authorize higher pay for trainees;
to remove the means" test, making
the training available for any one
who wants it, regardless of whether
he has job already, and to elimi-
nate the present age limits of 16
to "a.
At present NYA has about $4,000
young persons in training-50 per
cent OF them girls. This discloses
. curtailment in numbers from more
than 10000 In December, 194l, when
NYA was running under a fiscal
year appropriation of $12l 200, 900.
Congress slashed the appropriation
last June.
1000 in Personnel to Go.
The retrenchment will require
NYA to drop a considerable number
of supervisors and other employees,
perhaps 1000, in the next few weeks.
This would make the total personnel
around 10000.
There is no lack of young persons
who want training, Mr.. Williams
said. Even with the present ap-
preparation, he estimated he could
increase the number by 100 to 125
per cent If Congress allowed en-
ployers to put students on appren-
tice payrolls.
NYA now has $4,000 work stations
machine shops-scattered over the
country, concentrated more heavily
In sections having the most indus
tries, so that trainees will be &C
cessible to jobs. The stations are
equipped with lathes or welders or
sheet metal outfits or radio benches,
with all necessary tools.
There is a student turnover OF
about 10000 a month, and approx
mately 1000 a day are assigned to
shops. More than 300 day go into
war industries, according to NYA
figures.
100000 Placed.
NYA reports that it placed around
700 900 in all industries during the
last fiscal year. How many Of these
went into actual war work could not
be ascertained, since the agency has
no way Of following up all youths
when they leave training schools.
The number going into industries
will be about 100000 under the
present appropriation.
During a recent sample month a
martial check of graduates from the
preliminary training courses showed
e,440 known to have taken war
essential Jobs.
OF the NYA training program,
which has drawn frequent fire from
critics in Congress and elsewhere,
Mr. Williams said:
We'll stand or fall by what pr1-
vate industry says Of our program.
If the war industries say we're doing
them no good, I'll ask Congress to
drop the whole thing"
Among the letters in the admin
istrator's files was one from Con-.
solidated Aircraft Corp, expressing
gratitude for the NYA training pro-
gram and entire satisfaction with
the young people who had gone to
work in its plants. Consolidated
also expressed willingness to pay
these trainees wages while they were
learning in NYA shops. Consolidated
and North American Aviation. to-
pether. asked recently for 10000
NYA graduates as soon as they could
be supplied.
Asked for Workers.
Mr.. williams said during a trip
ne made to a shipbuilding plant OF
Henry ]. Kaiser on the West Coast
he was asked to round up 300 sheet
metal workers by 9 o'clock the next
morning.
1--WE combed several States he
related, land managed to find that
many. And he got them there by
plane or whatever way we could
and they were on the Job at 9 am"
Mr.. williams pointed out that,
while 1t was hard to say exactly how
many new employees war industries
would need next year, the best esti-
mates obtainable indicated they
would require something like H.
600 900. Of these, the training OF
from 5000 900 to 100000 will pre-
sent a problem, he figured.
The question is how we're to train
these young people" he commented.
There are three ways of doing this
training, he explained-inside the
plants, at scohols and at NYA facili-