Evening star., 1943-04-08

been told that David Lawrence.
they are doing a patriotic thing by
assisting in industrial production.
But the work-or-f fight phrase gives
the impression that to work In the
factory is almost a reward for at
tending to duty as against absentee
ism-a form of compensation for
being permitted to stay at home as
against service to ones country in
the field of battle.
The work or fight phrase will tend
to bring about more disruption and
more unbalancing of factory sched-
ules If it leads young men to insist
on breaking down the deferments
that have been given them. Many
a man resents the idea that because
he is deferred under the selective
service system, he is any less
patriotic citizen. Most of the
workers today would rather be at
the battlefront-employers generally
testify that, even in aircraft plants,
their principal trouble has not been
In inability to obtain deferments for
needed employees but in the insist
ence of their men on volunteering.
If the work or fight idea spreads,
the tendency will be to develop a
spirit of resentfulness which will
express itself in efforts to volunteer
for induction. No patriotic citizen
will endure the stigma that In being
permitted to work, he is avoiding
active participation in the Army
Or Navy.
ManpOwer Law Better.
Lately there has been a campaign
on telling men between 3S and IS
that II they do not Immediately get
into essential industries, they will
face an order for induction. This
was never the intent Of the Con-
eress in passing the Selective Service
Act, 1t would be much better If
Congress passed manpower law,
specifically setting up selective
service system for civilian workers
and ordering men into aircraft
plants or essential industries, than
to endeavor to accomplish the same
purpose by threatening to order a
man into military service.
There is pending before Congress
a bill to put manpoWer mobilization
under government control. It
should affect both men and women.
and doubtless before it Is passed, it
may affect everybody up to the age
of so or s.. Such a system is dis
pleasing in a democracy, but so also
are many other things about war
Total war is an unpleasant fact,
but to fight totalitarianism 1t is
important that every bit of energy
should be mobilized to make the
weapons needed by the boys at the
battlefront.
A system can be devised that is
democratic and that avoids unnec-
essary disruption Of the civilian
economy, but at the same time
selects men of skill and mechanical
ability from their present jobs and
offers them enlistment in a huge
civilian reserve at prevailing wage
rates. Such men who are enlisted
should be given some insignia so
that the whole civilian army en-
gagged In essential production for
war can feel that it is playing
part IN winning the war. This
should be true especially OF those
above the age of 80 who, instead
OF being threatened with work
of-flght' order when 1t is we'll
known that the Army doesn't want
individuals over 38 years Of age,
should be encouraged to feel sense
Of pride in joining the industrial
forces of the Nation.
Republicans TEST" Sentiment.
Too many things are being
attempted in Washington without
legislation, and yet there is much
more respect on the part of the
citizenry for law than for an
executive order or regulation which
really has no basis in law and is
derived from some ambiguous Ian
Euage of statute intended for
some other purpose.
Congress is in almost continuous
session these days. Manpower is an
acute problem. The President has
hesltated to ask for law to con-
troll it. and so sensitive are the
political minds in the administra-
tlon that 1t was deemed wise to
let two OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Aus
tin of Vermont and Representative
WadsWorth of New York-sponsor
the legislation and feel out the sit
uation.
The same thing happened when
the Selective Service law was
passed. Again a Republican in the
House-Mr. Wadsworth-and Sena-
tor Burke-a Democrat who had
been defeated for denomination in
his partys primary-were selected
to bear the brunt of the supposed
criticism that would follow. It is
a sad travesty on responsible Gov
ernment that when major meas
ures possibly affecting the outcome
Of the war are to be introduced and
sponsored through Congress, the
disposition is to shunt off the task
on the shoulders of minority party
members.
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