Evening star., 1942-12-15
WPB P ersonne| Heads
Defend Dismissal Of !,
.CoIored Clerks {
Declare Discharges
Were Bosed Wholly
On Inromnefenre
On incompetence

War Production Board personnel
officers today were standing pat on
their action In dismissing 10l err1-
ployes-an said to be colored-on
the ground that the workers had
made serious clerical mistakes in
filing out important Government
forms.
An investigation into the dismis-
sal Of the employees was under way
following protests by the United
Federal Workers Of America (CIOO.
WPB spokesmen said the method
used in firing the employees might
have been clumsy" but insisted
the dismissals were justified. -
The employees were part of
group of between $50 and 800 hired
in the last few weeks to handle
work in the routing and issuance
section Of the WPB. Their job was
to fill out production requirements
plan authorization certificates.
Must Copy Figures.
These certificates are sent to
manufacturers by the WPB telling
them the amount of materials they
are to be allowed to purchase. The
clerks in the Routing and Issuance
Section copy the figures off another
form on the authorization certih-
Gates. A mistake In copying, a WPB
spokesman said, would result in a
manufacturer purchasing more or
less than he was entitled to. -rr
The spokesman said check was
made on the work of the new en-
ployes in this section in recent weeks.
OF the first Is certificates filled out,
he added, % were wrong. As a
result of continuing check on the
work of the new workers, l0l were
found to be "hopelessly incomp-
etent" for the work, he said.
The WPB spokesman said most Of
those employed had no previous
office experience. They had been
given some training" before being
intrusted with the work. They were
hired from Civil Service Commission
junior clerk rolls and most of those
hired were colored he said
Some of the new employees proved
satictactory and were kept. he said.
An effort is being made to find some
other type Of work of less eXacting
clerical nature for those who were
dismissed.
Claims Trial Too Short.
Jack Volkman, chairman of the
hronrh nf N ITTyUA
that those dismissed had not been
given an adequate chance to prove
themselves. He said that many Of
them had been working only a week,
and pointed out that the WPB policy
as set forth in its manual is to give
new employees months trial Mr..
Volkman said that early Sunday
morning, while most OF those dis
missed were working on a night
shift, they were told to get their hats
and coats on and step outside the
building. He declared that a guard
required them to surrender thcir
identification bsdras and that cnce
outside, they were handed notices Of
dismissal.
MI. workman protested TO WPB
personnel chiefs against the dts
missals and as result an investica-
ton was ordered. Those who rod
been dismissed were put on annual
leave until the investigation could
be completed. A report was ex.
pected late today.
Mr.. Volkman said the union did
not claim that the dismissals grew
entirely out Of any prejudice
against the colored workers. but
said that the chief of the section
had "hieh-handed' way OF deal
ing with the employees. Mr.. Volk-
man contended that, with the cry
ing need for clerical workers in the
Government, the dismissed en-
ployes should be given longer
period of training and trial.