Evening star., 1942-08-17
Labor Hoardinq
Maybe Halted
By New Agency
Inspectors Sought
For Cost-PIus Plants
To Prevent Padding
Bv the Associated Press.


control over the Nations man
power, it was reported in an in
formed quarter today as a high
Government official said the War
Manpower Commission would
ask the War and Navy Depart
ments and Maritime Commission
to place inspectors in cost
plus war production plants to
break up what he called a grow
ing practice of labor boarding."
Establishment by law of a COM
mission to direct the flow of workers
into essential war tasks was re-
ported under consideration as an
attempted solution of the skilled
help shortage. The present COM
mission, headed by Paul v. McNutt,
was created by presidential order.
1t has no authority to enforce
any of its suggestions or rulings, de-
pending on cooperation and public
opinion to get results. The proposed
new Manpower Authority would
have statutory creation and statu-
tory authority to enforce orders and
rules.
In disclosing the plan to break
up labor boarding" the Official who
declined the use of his name, said
he had received an informal re-
port, not yet checked by detailed
study, that $4,000 workmen could be
taken out of West Coast airplane
and shipbuilding plants without af-
fecting the volume and quality Of
production.
Plants Reported Padded.
"Cost-plus" plants were reported
to be putting on their pay rolls
thousands of workmen for whom
they have no immediate essential
jobs, he said. He explained the
plants were doing this to make
certain they would have adequate
workmen in the event an increase
in their operations created addi-
tional labor needs.
This 'hoarding" was described as
a serious interference to the rhythm
of war production, with valuable
workers held in virtual unpro-
ductivity in some plants while others
were handicapped by actual short
ages.
The "cost-plus plants turning out
war materials are able to corral
workers they do not need immedi-
ately, the official explained, because
the wages could be figured into the
overall costs, with the contractors
receiving fees from the Government
over and above their operating ex-
penses.
Hoarding could be stopped, the
spokesman said, by putting inspec-
tors in the plants to determine the
number of unneeded workmen,
whereupon the War and Navy De-
partments and the Maritime Com
mission could refuse to certify the
wages for such persons as accept
able charges in plant operations.
Contracts Now Checked.
The war materials contracting
agencies now maintain checks on
contract conformance.
The Manpower Commission is con-
sidering placing inspectors only in
plants where there is reason to be-
lieve all the labor on hand is not
being used efficiently.
Congress will be concerned pri-
marlly in September with Senate
changes in the tax bill, which
passed the House in July, but there
have been indications it might be
asked at the same time to consider
the man power proposal.
There has been much discussion
both in and out of Congress OF the
necessity Of Government direction
over rhe work done by civilians as
we'll as those in the armed forces,
but Senate Majority Leader Barkley
said he had received no word as to
whether legislation would be re-
questeu.
Other problems generally regarded
as likely to be unsolved when Con-
gress gets down to work again in
clude proposals for greater control
over wages and prices, expansion OF
synthetic rubber production, possible
Nationwide rationing of gasoline
and fuel oils and reorientation OF
war production to bring about the
of equipment such as
cargo-carrying planes.
May Send Message.
President Roosevelt said some
time ago that he might have some
thing to say to Congress on the
question of stabilizing wages and
prices, and studies of this question
were reported to be going ahead.
Expressing the opinion that in
fationary controls had proved fairly
effective thus far, Mr.. Barkley told
reporters he saw no present reason
for seeking legislation along this
line He emphasized however. that
he was not foreclosing the possibil-
ity of future action.
Declaring that prices were being
controlled much better than In the
last war. with more effectiveness
than was generally supposed, Sena-
tor Barkley expressed the opinion
that present machinery was op-
Grating to hold wages in line.
Strikes still occurring in war in
dustries, Senator Barkley called iso-
ated incidents which did not reflect
the true temper of the great ma
iority of workers 1t was better. he
said, to deal with these incidents
separately than to attempt to put
10 000,00 workers in a wage strait
Jacket"
The gasoline rationing question
vas brought into the open Saturday
oy demand from Senator Byrd,
Democrat, of Virginia for a Nation
vide curb, on the ground that it
vas unfair to II rationed States to
let 81 others have unlimited sup
plies.
The rubber problem Is being
studied by board headed by Ber-
hard NJ Baruch, and Senators in
crested In production from grain
ire keeping silent until that boards
eport Is made.