Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-15
Manpower
Program
Squeeze Play
Meaningless Mess That
Nobody Understands
BY wESTBROOK PEGLEF(

-
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-This
w governments war labor. or
manpower. program has been
referred to as the department
OF utter confusion.
II is such a meaningless mess
that nobody understands it. All
that is clear is that IL is an at
tempt at CONSUMPTION of civilian
labor, first mentioned last win
ter by Mrs. Roosevelt.
The program consists of a
squeeze play by Paul V. McNutt
to force men into war Jobs with
the alternative OF being drafted
for combat duty if they refuse:
an unavoidable and inflationary
48-hour week, and a declaration
by Mr.. Byrnes. backing up Nc
Mutt. that men will have 10 go
10 work where they are told, for
the going wages.
Neither the administrations
plan nor the proposed law. Of
fered in the House by James
Wadsworth OF New York. takes
into consideration the fact that
the present available supply Of
manpower is being wasted to a
large. but thus far uncalculated
extent, through the Woodwork
system.
IN EITHER case. a conscien-
l. tious civilian might be drafted
for war work and sent away
from his home 10 make up the
loss represented by the idleness
of loafer.
II might ne thought that Mr..
WadSworth's proposal would en-
power the loafer's local draft
board TO take him off his mock
job and send him 10 work on
real one but If that were tried,
his union could whip out a SUI
preme Court opinion and savs.
MIN from the anguish and igntV
miny of useful toll.
Mr.. Wadsworth plans TO in
troduce an amendment 10 his
bill providing that any person
assigned 10 service under COM
pulsion or accepted as a volun-
teer shall have a right not tn
join any union.
But the protection OF the
worker from terrorism by union
stewards and agents on and of
the job is neglected on the
ground that this is local police
matter.
EVERYONE in the administra-
IL ton concerned in the labor
consumption problem SHES away
from the question Of compulsory
union membership although IL
will inevitably arise as soon as
compulSion is tried.
A man drafted for any Of the
fighting forces does not have TO
Join a union but. under Nc
Nuts plan, a man drafted for
war work would have TO join
in some factories.
Some conscientious directors
10 compulsory uniopiSm are GER
tain 10 make fight on that.
in which case. the jector
would be liable 10 military con-
Scription but would also have
good grounds for an appeal 10
the courts.
Because the Selective service
law, which McNutt is using for
his authority, does not even
mention labor conscription in
the first place. and. in the Sec
ond. does not authorize compul-
sorry unionism which certainly
was not the intent of Congress.
DUT il must be remembered
~ that IL has been the policy
Of the government ever sinM
the enactment of It's Wagner A ~
TO induce or compel workers 10
join unions and Of the millions
who have joined during this
time many certainly were driven
in against their will and clearly
against their rights.
II the rights OF individuals
could thus he ignored in war
plants. using more or less volun-
tary workers. many Of whom
were taking the
Jobs under economic compmsion,
the rights OF the labor draftees
might similarly be ignored for
there are those on the union
side who would insist that closed
shop contracts are binding even
on conscript workers.
Before the present Supreme
Court the unions might get away
with 4 and GO on from that 10
refuse membership 10 undesir-
ables who might then be drafted
10 fight.
THERE are questions of per-
Il sonal financial responsibility
md commitments which have
lot yet been discussed in con-
lection with the labor draft.
One man might be made desti-
ute. losing everything acquired
~ 30 years of toll so that a
oafer could stall the days away
n a mock-work job, for there Is
10 mention Of an income tax
or relief from other
responsibilities while he is work.
ne for a fraction Of his normal
md accustomed earnings.
Yet. wealth or economic class
,annot be made a reason for
'xemption If labor CONSUMPTION