Evening star., 1943-02-22
Newton
Continued From First Page

NAOllllliuIN L - VII I II ob TdEF,'
Avengers, planes which contributed
largely to our victories in the Pacific.
Navy Yard Needs SkilIs.
Capt E. F. Enright, manager of
the Boston Navy Yard, declared that
5000 skilled men were needed badly
to meet the production demand at
the yard. He added that practically
all skilled trades were needed, in
Guiding plpefitters. shipftters, weld
ers and machinists. While 5000
women are currently employed, Capt.
Enright believes the number cannot
be raised over 5000 due to the heavy
nature of the work. Women, how
ever, are being introduced to such
heavy jobs as sheet metal work.
The Boston yard lost 1850 work
ers in November to the draft and
enlistments and about 500 to better
Jobs. Though the number of those
inducted into the armed forces is
somewheat less now that enlist
ments have been halted, it is still
very high. The yard. Capt Enright
said. lost most of its appeals for de-
ferment.
Practically the same story was
related by the Bethlehem Steel Co.'S
yards at nearby Quincy and Hing
ham, Mass. Absenteeism runs high
at all three yards. Bethlehem dis
charged $50 men at one time for
staying away from the job too long.
Fifty-lve of these men were absent
from 30 to 40 days in six months, 33
stayed away from 40 to so days, IS
were absent more than SO times. In
the extreme case, worker missed
Il days in three months.
Grumman Absenteeism Low.
The Grumman aircraft plant re-
ported only about 2 per cent ab-
senteeism, a reflection of the diff
ferent type worker employed in the
plants. Grurnman employees come
largely from the villages and small
farms OF Long Island. In most in
stances they own their homes and
are stable. The Boston area is
crowded. Shipyard workers there
represent every type and nationality.
A large percentage are drawn from
other areas.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard also re-
ported loss of large numbers Of men
to the draft. Offcials there were
swamped by job applicants, number
ing we'll over a thousand a week,
A high percentage of these were
termed no good for one reason
or another by officers in charge.
New York. too, has lost majority
of its appeals for deferment.
The United Aircraft Corp. in
Hartford, Conn, told the same tale
of draft troubles The corporation
is composed of three divisions. the
Pratt & Whitney Engine Co.. Ham
ilton Standard Propeller Co.. and
the Chance-Vought Aircraft Co
Standard produce large percent
age of the Nations aircraft en-
gines and propellers. Chance
Vought makes several types Of planes
for the Navy. Skilled workers and
irreplaceable engineers were still
being indicted into the services.
Don't Know The Answer.
1--WE have been besieged by men
from So-called non essential indus
tries who were ordered recently to
get into war work" an official OF
Grumman said. We don't know
what to DO about hiring these men,
AS soon as we get them trained they
probably will be taken away. 1t is
the same way with fathers who
apply. We couldn't honestly give
assurance to man with 10 children
that he wouldn't be drafted to-
morrow.
A War Production Board official
told The Star that nearly all the
aircraft manufacturers are having
troubles similar to Grumman and
United He said men were leaving
the plants in droVes." The average
plant now employs from 80 TO 35
per cent women.
The official estimated the "abSo-
Iutely top" percentage Of women at
so. In England employment Of
women in plane plants has been
stabilized at about As per cent. The
British have found that efficiency
decreases markedly beyond that
point. he declared.
Machine Tools Men Lost
Even in the vital machine tools
industry skilled men and ones with
children are ordered away to war,
another WPB Official said. Vice
Chairman Charles E Wilson cur
rently is trying TO increase the out
put Of "a COmpOnentS, such as valves,
motors, CondenserS shortage Of
which is holding up production Of
rubber, escort vessels, aviation gas
Ollne and other must munitions
Despite the high importance Of this
work, manpoWcr problems are re-
tardng production IN about half OF
the several thousand plants making
the cOmpOnentS Most of the prob
lens involve the draft.
Capt Enright declared that the
average work week in the Boston
yard is 3d. hours He described
the nlne-hour day as best, declaring
experience showed efficiency drop
ped of beyond that point. The yard
tried the l0-hour day without sue
cess. On work of great Importance
however. men are asked to work as
long as II hours a day, though only
for two or three weeks az a time.
Bonds or bondage--was there ever
Il II