Evening star., 1942-10-30
Us. May LIST
Women, 1855,
For War Jobs
President Declares
Monpower. Droft
Is Still Undecided

No decision has bean reached
on the issue of national service
legislation, President Roosevelt
told his press conference today.
He also disclosed that compul-
sorry registration of women from
18 to IS was under consideration.
Flatly denying reports that he had
decided that national service act
was unnecessary at this time, Mr..
Roosevelt said the whole problem is
in the study stage and that he does
not yet know what may be done
about it.
The Chief Executive said a regis
tration of women would not mean
they would be ordered by the Gov
ernment to go here, there or the
other place to work, but would be
aimed at trying to find out where
the available supply of women work.
ers exists and something of their
fitness for war industry jobs.
Urge Central Control.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill the
American Federation of Labor
joined the C1O in urging centrali-
zation of war production and man.
power matters under a civilian CO.
ordinating board.
I'VE need definite grants of au-
thority to top board which should
be our strategy board, with a clear,
straight line of authority extending
to the agencies co-ordinated," Will
liam Green, AFL president, testi-
fed.
Earlier CIO President Philip Muir
ray had recommended unification
of Federal functions under a "con-
ference committee of the Nation"
Such group, Mr.. Murray told a
Senate Labor subcommittee, should
include members of Congress and
representatives of the Government,
business, labor and agriculture.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he believes the
country Is all right so far as man
power is concerned at the present
moment, with few factories shut
down because of the lack of labor,
but that this does not mean the
situation would be all right a few
months from now If something is
not done.
Registration of Women.
In discussing possible registration
OF women, Mr. Roosevelt stressed
that there was no intention to COM
pei women to take jobs in war
plants, but that the registration it.
self might be compulsory in order
to find out just how many woman
workers are available.
He said legislation would be neces-
sary for the registration, but that
he had not yet decided whether it
would be done.
The possibility of such action was
discussed during a conference he
had yesterday with Mr.. Murray and
Mr.. Green, Mr.. Roosevelt said. He
told reporters, however, that he
would not put 1t quite that way
when asked about statements by
Messrs. Murray and Green that he
had agreed for further exploration
OF the extent of man and woman
power available before taking action
toward compulsory mobilization of
workers.
No proposals for national service
act have been abandoned because
nothing has been decided on, Mr..
Roosevelt added.
He said he talked with Mr.. Green
and Mr.. Murray about the general
reservoir Of available labor. The
feeling is, the President said, that
the reservoir of male workers, con-
sidering that close to 100000 men
are In uniform and so many al
ready have gone to work in war
plants, does not leave very many
men to fill the expected needs of
1000 900 or 100000 additional
workers next year.
Need Facts on Women.
The largest portion of available
labor, the President went on, Is
among the women who are being
used increasingly for all kinds of
war work.
However, he said, 1t appears that
registration of all women between
the ages of 18 and 65 may be neces-
sary to find out just where those
able and willing to take war plant
(see MANPOWER, Page A-200