Evening star., 1942-12-13
Family Men Facing
War Industry Draft,
Manpower Chiefs Say
Essential Plants Urged
To Seek Classification
For Glass 3-B Employees

Need for workers in essential war
plants may become SO acute that
selective service will be required to
draft fathers in an unessential in
dustry before tapping workers in
essential industries who have only
wife as dependent, the War
Manpower Commission and authori-
tics in the armed forces said last
night
At the same time. employers in
essential industries we're urged to
make application at once for classi-
flcation OF employees with depend
ents in class 3-B lin essential in
dustry), rather than ga deferred
for dependency only.
The officials. answering questions
propounded by the ONCE of War
Information designed to clarity mis-
understandings existing over selec-
tive service operations. said that
under present instructions local
boards are not authorized to call
married men with children.
Question Put by OWL.
The question owl asked was,
Will a married man with a wife
only. classified 3-B because he is in
an essential industry or sc be-
cause he is in agriculture, be called
ahead of a 3-A grocery clerk mot
in one of the IS essential indus
tries who has five children?"
The need for workers in essential
industry may become so acute that
married men. even with children.
in non-essential industries may have
to be called ahead of those men
with wives only who are engaged in
essential industry. in which the gro
Gerry clerk would come first" was
the reply.
The officials warned that reclassifi-
cation OF essential workers is not
automatic and that steps should be
taken now, preferably by employ
ers. The commission. it was eX-
planned. has specified IS essential
industries. and within them. has
listed 5000 jobs or occupations
which are essential.
Latest Available Lists.
The lists, it was said. are the
latest available advice to the local
boards, but do not prohibit other
deferments which may be made
under the law by the local boards.
The agencies advise that the best
way to make a case for reclassifica-
tion on the basis of essential en-
ployes in essential industries is
through manning tables" and re-
placement schedules which now are
being put into effect by many war
industries.
In some plants. the case may be
made for temporary deferment
hrough the replacement table
alone. At present deferment as an
essential worker is granted only If
1t is shown affirmatively that a
training period of at least six
months is necessary before an un-
trained worker can obtain reason
able proficiency in the job: that the
job is essential in the industry. and
that the worker is currently ire
placeable.
Armed Force Estimates.
The owl said all ARRANGEMENTS
and ruling under selective service
are made for the purpose of obtain
ing the men the military forces need
with the least dislocation to vital
industry and agriculture. They are
therefore subject to the conditions
of war, Owl declared, and changes
may be expected from time to time"
ManpoWer Chairman Paul v. Nc
Mutt and Secretaries Stimson and
Knox conferred last week on the
size OF the armed forces. The owl
explained that offcial estimates now
stand that the total armed forces.
not including officers. will be in
creased from about 5,50o,0OO now to
100000 by the end of l943-7.5oO
600 Army, 100000 Navy, 100000
marines, and 100000 Coast Guards
indicating minimum need of a..
100000 during 1943.
They placed the average induc-
tions at about 350000 month. the
OWL said. without reference to re-
placements.
If Wife Takes Job.
Answering the question. If a wife
takes job, how does that affect
her husbands draft status?" the
agencies said:
III the husband has been found
by the local board to have an essen
tial job in industry or agriculture,
her husbands status will not be
affected by her taking Job. If
the Allowance and Allotment Act
was not enough to affect his status.
AnVED