Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03
Rail Union Advocates
Longer Work Week
In Critical Industries
Suggests Possibility Of
Sc Hours; Monpower
Report to President
By JESSE O. IRWIN.

The Railway Labor Executives
Association, representing 1,300,-
900 union workers, today advo-
Gated compulsory measures to
raise the work week to "at least
48 hours or possibly So" in critical
war industries not currently en-
ploying manpower and facilities
to maximum capacity.
This suggestion was believed in
Government circles to have been
the first move made by any union
organization to lengthen the work
week in furtherance of the war ef-
fort. Senator Reynolds of North
Carolina and Representative RAM
speck of Georgia, Democrats, are on
record favoring boosting the stand
ard work week to 81 hours.
The association announcement
said lit was speaking" for members
of 20 national and international
railroad labor organizations, includ-
ing locomotive engineers, firemen,
enginemen, carmen, clerks, freight
handlers, express and station en-
ployes, maintenance of way workers,
signalmen, electrical workers, con-
ductors, machinists, boilermakers,
sheet metal workers and oilers.
Report Goes to President.
Meantime, the War Manpower
Commissions Management Labor
Policy Committee report advocat-
ing solution to the labor supply
problems was resting on President
Roosevelts desk. The statement
was described by Paul v. McNutt,
manpower chieftain, as "a second
Baruch report" and by Deputy
Chairman Fowler v. Harper as
magnificent"
Mr.. Harper added that it repre-
sented a united stand of labor and
management on the entire man
power situation" and that it had
the approval. of William Green,
ALL president, and Philip Murray,
CLIO chief.
Informed sources say the committee
has recommended that the Manpow-
err Commission enforce it's authority
by compelling all war contractors to
hire labor exclusively through the
United States Employment Service
and that the commission, in order
to regulate the flow of workers into
the military forces, be given COM
plete authority over the operations
of the selective service system.
It was said, however the COM
mittee had submitted an interim
report and that it intended to
continue to delve into the need
for compulsory legislation, which It
deemed unnecessary at this time.
The committee has been studying a
draft of the compulsory legislation
drawn up by the commissions legal
staff.
See Order as Sweeping.
These sources said that the COM
mittee had decided that the execu-
tive order setting up the Manpower
Commission could be considered just
as powerful, in view of the emer-
gency, as any law and that Mr.. Nc
Mutt should use these powers to
carry on a voluntary program.
The report, according to informed
sources, states that the Manpower
Commission has blamed the short
age of funds as the reason why 1t
has not attempted to use these pow
ers. An inquiry made recently by
a congressional committee to the
Office of the Attorney General
brought forth informal advices, it
was stated, that under the First
War Powers Act ana under the exec
utive order pursuant thereto, which
set up the Manpower Commission,
the chairman is empowered to write
into war contracts almost any pro-
vision considered necessary to ef-
! fectuate It's policies.
Directives Fail.
These sources said that the Man
power Commission had requested the
President to issue an executive order
STIMULATING to war contractors that
employment service offices would be
their sole hiring centers, and for
full control over the Selective Serv-
ice System. Mr.. McNutt has said
that Manpower Commissions direc-
tives to guide local draft boards In
granting occupation deferments had
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