Evening star., 1942-08-25
Forum Speaker Says
Industry Will Need
100000 Women
Three Federal officiuIs
Outline Feminine Role
In War Effort

Five million more women will have
to take jobs before the end OF next
year to keep our stores, our farms
and our factories operating ut full
blast, Miss Thelma McKelvey, won1-
ems labor supply officer Of the War
Manpower Commission, said last
night.
Miss McKelvey was one Of three
Government oficials concerned with
the problems Of American women in
the Nations war effort who partici-
pated In q discussion of Women
and the War" in the National Radio
Forum, broadcast over WMAL and
the Blue Network and arranged by
The Star.
Charles P. Taft, assistant director
Of the Office Of Defense Health and
Welfare Services. told OF efforts to
assure proper working conditions for
women, and Miss Wilma Shields. of
the Once Of Civilian Defense, de-
scribed important, volunteer work
being done by women.
13,ooo, 900 Now Employed.
Declaring that "as never before In
history we are going to need women
to win this war" Miss McKelvey
said some l3,O00, 900 women now are.
employed In all kinds OF work, al
most 2,000, 900 OF them in war plants.
The need for 100000 more
women to be working for victory"
by the end of next year, she said,
means that one out of every three
or four housewives between the ages
OF 18 and A will have to get job.
Miss McKelvey said a survey in
July OF l60 war production areas
showed that IS were fast running
short of men," and shortages of men
were expected in 81 additional areas.
Plenty" OF feminine workers will be
needed In these areas, she pointed
out.
Need Is Uneven.
Emphasizing that the need will
lIlot8be spread evenly throughout the
qtry, she said that In many
3 NJ already suffering from acute
transportation and housing problems
ectically every womaifR who csn
work will be needed She estimated
chat &c. 900 additional women workers
will be needed in Detroit alone in
the near future.
Mr.. Taft, pointing out that special
medical attention, recreation facil-
tiles and other services are needed
to keep women factory workers
healthy, happy and on the job"
said six Federal agencies now are
working as unit in a program of
providing day care for children Of
war employed mothers.
The children of women war
workers must be well taken care Of"
he said Their mothers must have
no worries while they work. These
children will be the American
citizens Of tomorrow and it is our Job
to see to it that they grow up like
normal human beings"
OCD Work Urged.
Calling on the millions of women
who will remain in homes despite
the increasing feminine employ
ment In war industries to volunteer
for some part-time defense work.
Miss Shields said 1850, 900 women
now are enrolled in the Citizens
Service Corps and another 1853 900
In the Citizens Defense Corps.
Nearly 100000 Of the latter are air
raid wardens.
All of the IS 900 900 women in the
country, she added, can contribute
to the war effort through better
management of their homes, max
ing them what the OCD calls ~
Homes" These are homes, she ex-
planned. that follow the instruc-
tions Of the air raid wardens; con-
serve food, clothing, transporta-
tion and health; salvage essential
materials; refuse to spread rumors.
and buy War savings stamps and
bonds regularly"