The Wilmington morning star., 1943-01-04
FAIR ENOUGH

4 <1xxA LII 0x 4
Editors Note.-The Star and the News accept no
responsibility for the personal views of Mr. Peger,
his readers His articles the good purpose of
making people think,
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK-There is an obvious deliberate
purpose in the present handling of the indus
trial war manpower problem to duck the ques-
ton whether the shortage is legitimate or ar
first purpose of the government If and when
the available skill, intelligence, energy and
hands are used to the best advantage where
they are currently employed and the need of
compulsion still exists, conscription, either di-
rect or indirect, by means of the squeeze, will
be acceptable as a temporary measure.
But that time is not yet for there is enor-
nous waste or manpower as Paul V. McNutt
must know and as Truman Arnold man of
his own political faith, will be glad to tell
him if he doesn't The members of the Tru-
man committee and some other committees
OF congress can give him further information
regarding strikes and slowdowns and the fea-
re-
tarded production
But this is not an issue of interest to Nc
Mutt alone. It is vital issue to every man
and woman in the United States who now is
subject to classification as a non-essential
worker. to dismissal from his or her present
job by order of government agency, to COM
pulsory induction into war industry and even
to transfer away from home to some remote
and strange area.
There is in this situation positive possibil-
ity of the wholesale breakup of American
homes, of bankruptcy for individuals having
financial commitments such as mortgages,
insurance premiums and large taxes on last
years income and Of perpetual reduction to
the status of the German worker in the war
industries of Adolf Hitler. It is easier for
people to stay free than to regain their liberty
once they have been compelled or induced to
will be abandoned latter the war; are so
vague as to be without value because the
'war" may continue long after the fall of
Hitler and the military defeat of Japan.
If PresidenU Roosevelt should be elected for
a fourth term or someone of his choice, such
as Henry Wallace, should succeed him after
1914, the emergency doubtless would extend
indefinitely into the future while this nation,
in collaboration with Russia and, possibly with
Britain undertook to establish an operating
Brotherhood of Man everywhere in the world
and to raise the living standards OF other ma
tions and all races at the expense OF our own
Just as, it must be expected, the fighting
men will be released only gradually, and over
a long. period. lest there be mass confusion
and aimlessness, SO 1t would be necessary al
so to release conscribed workers only few
at time. But it must be kept in mind, too,
that there is an intention never to return to
the old American way which has been derided
AS popular serfdom under monopoly although
under that way the American people have the
greatest Individual freedom the highest living
Standards and the most inviting opportunities
on earth.
That being so, nobody can know what de-
gree of Individual freedom will be restored
to the people and, if private industry becomes
total and permanent casualty of the war,
all of us, including our press and our arts,
could become wards of robots of the state
The possibilities are too vague, dark and
deep to be fully explored in advance but the
unknown always is frightening and the evasi-
veness of the government on the debatable
question of the need for compulsien is not
reassuring.
AS matters stand today, George Spelvin
American, may be squeezed out of his job
by indirect pressure on his employer and
squeezed into war task, possibly at a great
reduction in pay and in another section of
the country, to compensate the ideleness of
man who laid down his tools and struck or
slowed down by order of a shop steward
the nonproduction of an idle man in stand
by job wasteful device which has received
recognition from ex-Justice James Byrnes
who also speaks for the administration on
manpower problems The available manpower
already engaged in war tasks is not being
used honestly or to the reasonable limits of
conscientious workers many OF whom would
IL, N 40 H,,+ - rc-If f1I~r TO