Evening star., 1943-02-28
McNutt to Stay on
Job in Spite Of
Refusal of Funds
(TeTt OF Work Week Order.
Page A-22.j
D., VECCE UDVyYNy

bV JLSSE ". IN WIN.
The War Manpower Commits
sion yesterday announced public
regulations governing the Presi-
dents 48-hour work week order
which, with some exceptions, will
affect all employers of eight or
more persons in the District and
81 other labor shortage areas. AT
the same time it was announced
that Chairman McNutt would
stick to the job despite refusal by
Congress to give him funds he
believes essential to his program
The commission also ordered the
lumber and non-ferrous metals in
dustries throughout the Nation to
go on a 48-hour work week.
Deputy Chairman Fawley V. Har-
per told press conference he was
convinced Mr.. McNutt would be able
to solve the manpower problems, but
added:
L can't assure you that the war
production effort won't suffer be-
cause Of the tardy way we IL have to
do the job. If it does suffer, the
responsibility will not be Mr.. Nc
Nutt's-the responsibility will be on
Congress
Speaks For Himself.
Later Mr.. Harper notified news
papermen that his statement repre-
sented his personal views and that
he had not been speaking for Mr..
McNutt or the commission.
Mr.. Harper evidenced little belief
that the Senate will override the
Houses rejection of Mr.. McNutt's s
request for S2,454,0O0 to halt Job
quitting in his most important op-
Grating unit, the United States EN-
ployment Service, and to restore
employees morale The Senate twice
before has concurred with House
reflections of similar appeals by Mr.
McNutt and members of both
branches of Congress have been
criticizing Mr.. McNutt's administra-
ton.
In prepared statement, Mr.
McNutt said the regulations pro-
vided for the enforcement of the
longer work week to be the re-
sponsibility of area and regiona
directors who will be advised locally
by voluntary management-labol
committees. He said the director.
are authorized ito consider mini.
mum work of less than 48 hours
when a full 48-hour week woulc
neither increase production, release
workers for other employment MOI
otherwise further the war effort"
Job Finding Comes First.
According to Mr.. McNutt's state
ment, no firm which must release
employees to go on a 48-hour basis
shall install the longer week until
the employment service finds suit
able employment for the workers
This might mean, Mr.. Harper ex-
planned, period Of months or more
before some firms in labor shortage
areas will institute the longer work
week.
The procedure, as outlined by Mr.
Harper, calls for a company by April
l to file with a manpoWer repre-
sentative In his district a state
ment OF how many employees it would
release by going on 48-hour week
1t should then continue working its
current schedule until manpower
officials advise that jobs elsewhere
are ready for the workers.
The company then would extend
its work to 48 hours, it was said.
Mr.. Harper divided firms into two
classes
Those which can go on a 48-hour
work week without releasing en-
ployes and which would make &
contribution to the war effort by q
longer work week. He said such
businesses should simply change tt
the 48-hour week and need moi
notify any one"
Those for whom a longer work
week would be impracticable would
not contribute to reduction of labor
requirements or the war effort or
would conflict with State or local
laws. These should file a state
ment of their case with the local
manpower director by April l..
Penalty for Nom n-Compliance.
Employers who fail to comply with
the 48-hour order may not hire new
employees for replacement or expan-
sion. Mr.. Harper said an employer
would be in compliance if. by April
!, he files statement of how many
employees he can release by longer
work week, or files a request for
exemption.
Mr. Harper said the commission
had no control over price and wage
questions brought about by the a.
hour week order. Such were the