Evening star., 1942-10-30
they are needed and where they are
needed,

needed.
ut is sheer nonsense to debate a
draft of labor to fill the labor needs
OF plant A if plant B next door has
too many of the necessary workers,
but has failed or refused to organ
ize its productive processes in a
manner which will permit the re-
lease of the excess.
1t is sheer nonsense in short to
fight about how we are going to get
the right man to the right places at
the right time until we have estab-
hshed basic overall planning which
can enable us to know who are the
right men and what is the right
place and what is the right time.
Il do not say these things by way
OF criticism of any person or agency.
refuse to become involved in any
conflict over the merits of volun-
tary or compulsory methods. Amer
lcan workers can be relied upon to
join in any move for the speeding
OF the production of munitions of
war"
Instructed by AFL.
Mr.. Green said his organization
holds that manpower administration
should be in the hands of civilian
Government officials" He said the
instructions given him at the AFL
convention at Toronto were to op-
pose employment control until the
need Is obvious" He said all rights
under the Social Security Act should
be preserved.
Gould we not" asked Senator
Thomas, Democrat, of Utah, pro
ceed to find five or six fundamental
principles of social rights which
could be agreed on by employers,
employees and Government so that
the employees rights and contribu-
tions in the social security system
be preserved when he is shifted
from one State to another?"
Mr.. Green said it would be neces-
sary to get workers to move volun-
tarily. He explained that low un-
employment compensation rates in
some States is a barrier and a mat
ter to be solved before any compul-
sorry legislation is considered. He
said his organization favored the
liberalization of the State unem-
ployment compensation system and
a central agency to control, wages,
manpower and production.
Julius Lahrsen, secretary of the
Railway Labor Executives Associa-
ton. termed proposals for national
service as almost ludicrous."
He said Government, manage
ment and labor have not sat down
around the table and agreed upon a
policy to be followed in specific local
labor markets"
ut is pretty clear that if some
such method had been employed
prior to now or even now, on a large
scale, nine-tenths of all the man
power difficulties, rumored or actual,
would not be with us" he added.
Sees Draft No Cure-Au..
Mr.. Lahrsen charged there are
some persons who believe that COM
pulsion is the cure-all for everything,
adding, 1T will not cure anything. !"
Meantime, John L. Lewis broke
his silence on the labor draft and in
his United Mine Workers journal
launched a personal attack on
Mr.. McNutt, who, Mr.. Lewis said,
Is known in Indiana "as a SOL
dier who never fired a gun," and the
lawyer who never tried a lawsuit" !"
Continuing, Mr.. Lewis said:
American labor is united against
the regimentation of labor. Amer
ican labor cannot be duped into be-
lleving that Paul v. McNutt pos
sesses the ability and background to
supervise management, production
or labor affairs, no matter who the
forces. behind the McNutt pust,
might be-"
Asks Clear-Cut Policy.
Mr.. McNutt appeared undisturbed
over the storm breaking around his
office He was reported as standing
firm in his opinion that compulsory
legislation is imperative" and that
his legislative craftsmen would con-
tlnue their work of shaping a ma
tional service bill.