Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-08
Worker Draft
Bill Offered
|nCongress
Measure Authorizes
Compulsory Steps If
President Sees Fit
BY JESSE o. IRWIN.

"A HdtlOlldA wal SclNICc Ulll, 6u~
thorizing the President to use
voluntary or compulsory meas
ures to get both men and women
to work in war industries, was,
introduced in Congress today.
The measure was introduced sinful
taneously by its two Republican CO..
sponsors-Senator Austin of ver-f
mont and Representative Wads-N
worth Of New York. 70
The objective Of the bill. the CO.
sponsors said, Is to establish and
maintain proper balance between
industrial workers and the armed
forces.
At joint press conference with,
Senator Austin today, Representa-
tive Wadsworth assailed Manpower.
Chairman Paul v. McNutt for at
tempting to use the Selective Serv-
ice Act as CLUB" to force workers
in certain non-essential industries
to take jobs In war plants. He said
the "Selective Service Act was never
intended to do such thing"
Order Called Coercion. :.
Mr.. McNutt last week issued an
order, effective April /, requiring all
workers between the ages Of 10 and,
SO in non-essential work to get jobs /.
In war plants or be reclassified for
possible immediate induction into
the armed services. He said the
order would include married men
with children.
"Such an order is plain coercion.
and without legal authority" assert. !,
ed Representative Wadsworth.
The war service bill calls for the,
continuance Of the War Manpower
Commissions voluntary operations
in the event the President decides
that method Of recruiting workers Is
progressing satisfactorily.
II in his judgment 1t should be-
come necessary to resort to COM
pulsion, however, the measure sets,
out, selection Of men and women,
for war industries would be han
died by local draft boards in &C.
cordance with q presidential ap-
proved manpower commission master
plan.
Wages and Hours Not Affected.
The measure also makes q dec
laration Of policy and intent Of Con-
| gress" under which it is stated:
The Congress further declares
that there is no intention by this
act to modify, reafirm, or otherwise
affect existing laws relating to MAXI
mum hours, minimum wages, over
time pay, or collective bargaining,
or relating to mediation, arbitration
or other procedures for the settle
ment of any labor controversies or
questions ="
There was no mention in the pro-
! posed legislation OF the status which
drafted workers would have If they
were assigned to industries where
unions now hold closed shop con-
tracts.
Preserves Selective Service Plan.
The War Manpower Commissions
chairman would be the administYa-
tive oficer under the bill, and the
selective service operations would
be preserved In their entirety. =
The President, as Commander
in Chief, would continue to TX the
size Of the armed forces, and he
would be empowered to determine :
the number Of workers necessary to
keep the combat units supplied With
munitions and food.
In determining the sizes Of the
armed and industrial forces, the
President, the bill states, would
have the advice Of the joint chiefs
Of stan. the manpower commission
and any other agency he deemed
necessary to consult. Voluntary or
compulsory calls are to be issued
through the Manpower Commits. 5
sion.
Senator Austin, in explaining the
bills provisions, said one Of the
principal benefits would be "a decla-7
ration OF policy OF the people,
through Congress, regarding the lia-4
bility of every man between thu
ages of 10 and IS, and every woman, /,
Is to so, to contribute personal
service to the war effort in non-s
COAAOoV CdPoCAtACo " tIlC UCCt VI LIS
or her ability" y
Assisted in Drafting Bill.
Equally before the law Is the
spirit of this feature of the BILL"
he said.
In drafting the measure, Senator
Austin and Representative Wads-
worth said they had the assist.
ancn Of Granville Clark New Vnrh
attorney, friend Of President
Roosevelt and drafter of several
national service and selective service
bills; officials of the American
Legion, and the Citizens Committee.
for q National Service Act. Repre-
(See WORKERS, Page A-l0.)
=,
No 1913 Racing al Bowie;