Evening star., 1942-10-23
Continued From First Page0
De the worst thing that ever hap
Dened tn Annoriroyo L.

= W OCldCOT DOWney
democrat, of California before thu
committee Wednesday that from,
100000 to 10000 Mexican laborers
were needed Immediately to harvest
west Coast crops, but that Fedora
agencies had been able to produce
only about 1000.
Wants Labor's Opinions.
The North Carolinian said he
made his proposal lin the interests
OF labor itself and the unions them.
selves" He said he would like tc
have the friendly suggestions ot
such union leaders as William Green
Phillip Murray and John L. Lewis.
Food, bullets, soldiers-everything
depends upon our manpower," he
said.
Although Chairman Paul v. Nc
Mutt OF the War Manpower Commits
sion, testified Wednesday that I'VE
must not stop short of compulsion'
to keep war production going. Sen
ator Reynolds said he feared any
compulsory national service legisla-
ton would have a bad effect on the
morale of workers and their families
ut would uproot them from their
homes, and jam the over-burdened
railroads to move thousands of pea
pie from one part of the country to
another" he said.
Shortly after Senator Reynolds
was interviewed, the committee, ab-
sorbed in the 'teen-age draft bill
debate on the Senate floor, decided
to postpone until Monday it's ques-
tioning of high Government officials
on the need for national service
legislation. Secretary of War Stim-
son was listed as the headliner
among next weeks witnesses.
The postponement decision was
reached just before the committee
was to hear Donald NJ. Nelson, War
Production Board chairman, and
Brig. Gen. Frank McSherry, chief
of operations of the War Manpower
Commission. They will be heard at
later date.
Policy Committee Meets.
The Management-Labor Policy
Committee of the Manpower Com
mission gathered today for a meet
ing on whether it would approve the
national service bill which has been
drafted by staff members of the
commission.
Informed sources declared that
It was doubtful whether the dead
lock which has gripped the COM
mittee since the draft was SUBJ
mitted more than a month age
would be broken. Mr.. McNutt has
informed the Military Affairs Com
mittee that he believed he would
be able to submit a fully approved
national service bill to the Presi-
dent within two weeks.
The labor panel of the Manage
ment-Labor Policy Committee, 1t
was reported, would take a stand
similar to that which was expressed
by Mr.: Green and Mr. Murray at
their conference with the President
yesterday.
Mr. Murray said that manpower
had been the chief topic at the
conference and that the position
of the CIO is directly in opposition
to CONSUMPTION or RECOMMENDATION of
labor"
The AFL leader is under conven-
ton instructions to oppose any form
of compulsory labor.
Opposed by Management.
The management panel of the
committee is opposed to the legisla-
tive draft because, in its opinion. it
takes away from management the
right to hire and fire.
Meantime, Senator La Toilette,
Progressive, of Wisconsin, declared
that it has long been clear" that
"a thorough going reorganization
of our manpower program, includ-
ing changes in both the Selective
Service and the War Manpower
Commission is necessary.
Neither Selective Service nor the
United States Employment Service
is at present equipped to do the
job of manpower mobilization" he
said, adding that I'VE need a pro-
duction program in which sensible
decisions on manpower use are
central to the program"
The Wisconsin Progressive ex-
planned that the reported Manpower
Commissions decision to request
Selective Service to defer trained
workers in the dairy, poultry and
livestock industries lis case in
point" The Management-Laboi
Policy Committee also had this
commission decision up for dis
cussion today, it was reported.
Senator LaFollette said area oc-
cupational deferment boards are
needed where decisions on defer
ment can be related to war produc-
ton goals of industry and agri-
culture.
Cites Dairy Industry Needs.
MANY of the dairy owners and
laborers who have left the farms
were attracted away by the higher
wages of defense industries" he
said.
Meanwhile, since the dairy in
dustry has been called critical, why
should there not be complete tenn
porary moratorium on drafting men
from the dairy industry and an i'm
mediate development by the De-
partment of Agriculture of Nation
wide plan for milk production?
Both the Employment Service
and Occupational Deferment Boards
need excellent, qualified personnel
if they are to do their jobs. AIDE.
uuate appropriations will improve
the employment service, but, above
all, it's staff needs to feel that it Is
part of well-integrated organiza-
ton. Today the Employment
Service is especially understaffeo
throughout rural areas, and i'll.
equipped to do its day-to-day work
to say nothing of acting in any
Intermediary capacity for selectivt
service, as proposed in connection
with the dairy deferment plan
Appropriations for improvement
of the Employment Service were cut
materially in the $4,000, ,000, 900 sup
Elemental war appropriation bill