Evening star., 1943-07-21
$4,000 Sought
|. For Non-U. ).
Jobs Here
Workers Are Needed
To Maintain Vital
Civilian Services

Steps to recruit $4,000 more non
Government workers needed in tn
Metropolitan Area in the next eigh
months to maintain war production
goals and essential civilian service
were being taken today by local of
ficials of the War Manpower Com
mission. in cooperation with labo
and business leaders.
If Most of the replacements will hav,
to be women. Fred 2. Hetzel, actin,
VINO area director, indicated, anc
as many as possible will be enlisted
in this region. Some migration o
workers to Washington will b,
necessary, however, despite the con
gested condition of the Capital.
Mr.. Hetzel made public late yes
terday report by Jack A. Serber
area labor market analyst, after .
survey of conditions in the variou
essential industries and services.
May Extend Work Week.
Although Washington never ha
been known as an industriay city
there now are II 900 workers in wa
production in the metropolitan
Area, it was pointed out at a pres
conference
Aside from the necessity of main.
tanning these industries, such neces.
sary services as restaurants, laun.
dries and public transportation are
threatened with serious curtailment
perhaps approaching a breakdown
unless more workers are recruited.
Mr.. Hetzel said an extension of the
minimum wartime work week was
under consideration. with view Of
"the fullest utilization of workers
currently employed" He named as
another objective the most complete
use of local labor supplies.
Women Workers Needed.
Every able bodied woman without
young children must be drawn into
the labor force" he added. Child
care facilities, part-time opportuni-
ties and housekeeping arrangements
will have to be provided Also neces-
sary to attain this objective will be
the fullest utilization of Negroes at
their highest skills."
Expansion of day nurseries was
mentioned as one necessity if wom-
anpoWer is to be used fully.
VINO officials estimated there
were 5000 persons in Washington
unemployed, though this figure in
cluded unemployables. Belief was
expressed that most of those out OF
work were moving from one job to
another, with temporary lapses from
employment, or were awaiting bet
ter opportunities.
While many persons are believed
to have left Washington because of
difficult living conditions, with 9TH
ers fearing to come here, a VINO
spokesman said the Federal Hous-
ing Authority had taken into con-
sideration essential civilian needs
in planning its future program.
Requirements Needed.
Out of the more than $4,000 work
ers who will be needed, Mr.. Hetzel
said, about 1000 will represent net
additions to the labor forces of this
area, with the rest needed to re-
place men drafted for the armed
forces and other Withdrawals.
The number of workers in the
District area has increased by al
most 250,000 since March l, 1910,
1t was estimated. The present figure
was figured at 654.000. BY March l.
1914, the force should amount to
665,000, VINO holds.
The report estimated that between
March l, 1910, and March, l, 1913,
the population of Metropolitan
Washington increased from 100000
to 100000. The area includes the
District, Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties, Md: Fairfax and
Arlington Counties and Alexandria,
Va.
THE extraordinarily rapid expan-
sion of population and working force
in the area" Mr.. Hetzel said, has
placed an unprecedented burden
on housing, transportation, day care
for children and community facili-
ties. However, Government agen-
cies concerned with meeting these
problems are catching up with the
demands placed upon their facilities
The report indicates that by the
end of the year the housing shortage
will be greatly relieved.
Although the great bulk of the
increase in employment in the last
three years has been concentrated
tn the Federal Government, it is
expected that a large part of the
demand in the next eight months
will be for workers to replace men
heing called to the armed forces
from trade and service activities"
VINO estimated that no more than
$500 women and 5000 men could be
recruited locally.
Part-time work was mentioned as
one possibility. Mr. Hetzel pointed
out that lin other 'white-collar
cities, workers employed in seden-
tary occupations have been utilized
for additional time over and above
their regular work with gratifying
results"
Higher Wages Held Necessary.
Mr.. Hetzel also said that wages
will have to be increased and ade-
uuate housing provided if Washing
ton is to compete with industrial
areas"
with the cost of living at its
current level here, he added, lit
cannot be expected that workers
would be willing to accept jobs pay
ing considerably less than they can
earn in industrial establishments
nearer their homes
FWMC officials are engaged in a
series of meetings with associations
of laundries, restaurants, food ano
fuel distributors and hotels, apart
ment and Office building main.
tenance to discuss the situation
and agree on means to relieve it.