Evening star., 1942-03-20
Shortage
ByFd|| Feared
Employment Now
Exceeds 40 Hours
Per Week, He Says
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

President Roosevelt expressed
fear today that a shortage in
skilled war production labor may
develop in this country by fall,
and he submitted to his press
conference statistics showing
that average weekly employment
at present runs consistently
above the 40-hour statutory
standard.
The implication given in the
Presidents statistical presentation,
however, was that the 40-hour law Is
not interfering with the longer work
week or with essential production.
The President went on record Tues
day as opposing any suspension of
this law at the present time.
Regarding the potential labor
shortage next Fall. the Chief Ex-
ecutive said he believed there is no
present problem and there is no
immediate plan at least for labor
conscription from the IS to IS year
old registration now scheduled for
April 27.
Method Held Immaterial.
The Presidents comments on this
phase Of the labor problem came in
response to question of whether
the newly-announced registration
would be used for the mobilization
OF men in the war industries. After
answering in a qualified negative,
Mr.. Roosevelt added that when and
If labor shortage develops the only
important point will be to supply
the deficiency rather than be overly
concerned about the manner.
Mr.. Roosevelt opened his discus
sion OF war labor matters by a ref
erence to the large number of work.
ers incapacitated through indus
trial accidents.
Amounting to 460,00O,000 man
days in l94l, this loss was S per cent
higher than the 1910 figure. In
other terms, the 194l industrial ac-
cidents involved 101 500 persons
killed and 350,000 permanently dis.
abled.
| BY contrast. the President re-
called that respiratory illnesses had
cost the country only 10000, 900
man days in 1941. while strikes had
affected 10000 900 man days.
Nelson Supplies Figures.
The Presidents figures on average
work weeks, submitted to him by
War Production Board Chairman
Nelson, were for the month Of Feb
ruary.
Only for two industries, in both
of which 24-hour daily operation is
maintained. did the figures show
an average work week below 40
hours. These are the blast furnace
industry with 1913 and the smelling
J industry with 1916 hours
Other industries with their av.
erage hours follow:
Foundry and machine-46.9; elec-
trical machine-454; brass and cop
per-46.1 aluminum-459; machine
tools-55; airplane frames-4s7;
shipbuilding4S.2; explosives-A.9.
and engine making-511
| Citing the great range in individ-
ual plants, the President said that
one machine toOl plant is working
its employees IT hours per week, q
| figure which he described as excess
sively high.
The Chief Executive has contend
ed that there is no necessity for
suspending the 40-hour law since
war production employers are free
and have been paying time and q
half overtime for work in excess Of
this standard. The additional cost
is recovered by Government pay
ments on war contracts.
On Tuesday, however. Mr.. Roose-
welt made the public suggestion that
the double-pay penalty for Sunday
work should be eliminated Today
he described as a grand thing the
proposal of Bethlehem Shipbuilding
Co. in San Francisco that they work
! free on SUNDAYS