Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-21
M'Nu+t's Test
Of Popularity
Due This Year
Labor Shortage in Fall
to Make or Break Him
BY PAUL MALLON


job of fighting his way up to-
ward the presidential elections
of 1944-an event of which he is
clearly not unmindful.
His big drawback as a candi-
date has been labor opposition,
based on his old Indiana guber-
Material record. But a few days
back a news photo of him was
distributed, taken at Pittsburgh,
standing between AFL's William
Green and CLOS Philip Murray
with an arm around each, which
shows how he has been getting
around lately.
Mr.. McNutt's new job, how
ever, involves as many of the
hazards of political popularity
as the civilian defense post
which set Mayor LaGuardia
back. The drafting of men for
industry may give him chance
to meet millions of new people,
but not necessarily favorable.
TT INVOLVES a delicate proc
L ess of dealing with labor
shortages, taking men from one
job and putting them into an
other. helping one industry and
hurting another, and ii is en-
tirely new idea to which the
country has not been accustomed
as it has to military drafts.
Mr.. Roosevelt has apparently
delegated the whole touchy
problem of policy formation 1.-THE
all important question of how
deep Mr.. McNutt shall dig IND
to this rising late arrival in the
New Deal, and his board. with a
little private advice from the
White House on the side, no
doubt.
Obviously Mr.. McNutt could
work himself into a backseat
without very much trouble.
The crisis for McNutt will
come before the end of the year.
when a general labor shortage is
expected. Shortages have de-
veloped in some lines of skilled
work and in some localities al
ready.
In cities where there are large
plane plants, Baltimore, for in
stance: on the West Coast;
Bridgeport, Conn: Norfolk (ship-
building); Wichita, shortages al
ready are being reported.
Needed most are tool design
ers, I o o I'm kers, machinists,
welders.
TRAINING programs are 60
l. ing on, but there is also a
certain amount of labor pirating.
Cases have been discovered of a
manufacturer going to another
city and running blind want
ad for certain types Of workers.
In September and October,
when the crops are coming in,
and the conversion Of industry
10 full war-gait will have been
fairly we'll completed, the pinch
will begin.
THE grief OF Sidney Hillman
l. (once alter-ego of William
Knudsen in war production) at
having his ego tossed around in
the reorganization which left
Donald Nelson on top, has now
been assuaged. Hillmans resig-
nation, placed quietly on Mr..
Nelson's desk some weeks ago
and never officially reported,
has been rejected.
He is to be the Harry Hopkins
OF labor for the President, a
special adviser.
The President could not give
him the man power mobilization
post he wanted because of OBJ
position from labor in both
ALL and Go camps.
A SPAT has developed among
"A the Presidents advisers over
the freezing Of wages. His War
Labor Board is still granting in
creases in some specific in
stances.
But new group Is rising in
side to advocate that any neces-
sary wage readjustments be paid
in the form of govern ent
bonds, redeemable after the war.
This would circumvent the infla-
ton argum en- t. and please
MesSrs. Green and Murray who
are work ng against any
freezing.
All factions know something
must be done. but the question
is distinctly disagreeable here
politically.
IT LOOKS like the Japs got all
L tangled up in their radio
morale planning just before our
first bombs hit them. Last Tues
day they denied as IAN infamous
lie" statement attributed to
Reuters, British news service,
stating they had been bombed.
They said Reuters had faxed the
statement to bolster British
morale.
That made II doubly embar-
RAISING for them five days later
when the infamous lie came
true.
Funny part Of IL is. Reuters
never carried any such state
ment.