Evening star., 1942-09-17
i. 5. ManpoweI
To Be Drafted,
Nelson Hints
WPB Chief Sees
Arms Production
As Near Maximum
By the Associated Press.

|
War Production Chief Donald
M. Nelson said today the Nation
now lis almost at a maximum
Of production and that the out
put Of war material in 1943 would
be much bigger" than the pre-
vious goal of $60,0OO, ,0OO, 900.
He told the House Committee on
Defense, Migration. now studying
methods for full utilization OF man
power, that production would begin
in full flow in January and Febru-
ary.
We are on the big upswing Of
production" he declared. Mr.. Mel
son remarked that the maximum
was dictated by the amount you
can get out of certain materials and
also was governed by other factors
such as shipping.
Later Mr.. Nelson told reporters
that when he said the country was
approaching the maximum of pro-
duction," he meant that the time
had arrived when WPB could make
schedules for eventual mass pro-
duction In a particular plant. He
said he agreed with President Roose-
velt's recent statement that at pres
ent, the country was operating at
50 per cent production.
Hints Of Labor Draft. @
He said he had not studied the
ACCESSIBILITY OF legislation to control
manpower, which Paul McNutt,
chairman OF the War Manpover
Commission, yesterday asserted was
inevitable" and essential to maxi
mum production.
However, Mr. Nelson said that I'VE
have to have workers at places where
We need them and at times when
We need them. II 1t can be done
voluntarily, we'll, that's fine. But If
1t can't be done that way, 1t must
be done some other way"
The production, he said. had "ar-
rived 1T the point where, If you add
a thing to our program, then you
have to subtract something"
That assertion was made In reply
ing to questions from members of
the committee on the progress being
made by Henry j. Kaiser, West
Coast shipbuilder, in getting Gov
eminent authority and backing for
his plan to build giant cargo planes
on . mass production basis.
Cargo Planes In Production. "
Mr.. Nelson said big cargo planes
already were being produced, and
that the final decision on how MANY
would be built was 4 decision for
the chiefs OF stan.
He said he wanted ito 20 ahead
and build some OF them'-the type
proposed by Mr.. Kaiser-and added:
Il am sure that if we can build some,
we'll find place for them in the
program"
Placing Of inspectors in all i'm
portant war plants ito see that labor
Is emciently utilized at maximum
skhls was proposed to the commit
tee earlier by Director Lund of the
WPBs Labor Production Division.
He said the War Manpower Com
mission already has the power to
institute labor market controls and
that 1t should not wait for sweeping
legislation"
Hoarding Called Natural.
Mr. Lund, turning to the problems
created by plants oyerstockine with
labor, against anticipated rather
than current needs, testified. "It is
natural IN a period of expanding
employment and impending labor
scarcity for employers to hoard la
Dor just as, they want to hoard
materials" ,..
:: he said that, from his observa-
tions, saving in manpower REQUIRE
ments could be brought about IT We
mstitute the same sort Of inventory
controls in the labor market that
We have Instituted and are institute
ing with respect to critical raw ma
terials."
The labor utilization inspector
and the Labor Management pro-
duction Committee should take an
active part In the promotion OF pro-
grams and plans for training and
upgrading unskilled and semi
skilled workers into skilled occupa-
tions, and for breaking down. com
pllcated jobs into simpler and more
easily manned occupations.
Proved Methods Endorsed.
Those methods Of labor utiliza-
tion which have. proved so success
ful In great sections Of the shin
ouilding industry. and all Govern
ment contractors should be REQUIRED
as part Of their obligation, to con-
duct ehicient operations, to utilize
the accepted and approved training
practices developed so successfully
by the training within industry di-
vision OF the War Manpower Com
mission"
A Government attempt to deter
mine the future manpower needs of
both the armed forces and industry
also was disclosed to Congress.
Mr.. Lund reported Government
agencies were preparing a decision
"on the largest and most efacient
possible army which can be fully
serviced by those who are left out
side the armed forces"
Until that decision is made, twin
dangers face, the Nations war ef-
FORT" he told the committee.
Danger on Two Sides.
"On the one hand" Mr.. Lund
said, workers may be taken out of
jobs into the Army in such a way
As to. cripple production the armed
forces need for their maximum EN-
cheney. On the other hand, there