Evening star., 1943-03-02
Labor Draft Law
Senators Told
Wodsworth Says
Present Monpower
System Won't Work
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

Inls country cannot achieve
orderly distribution of man.
power on the home front by
executive orders, directives, ex-
hortations or threats" Repre-
sentative Wadsworth, Republic
an, Of New York told the Senate
Military Affairs Committee to-
day, appearing as the first wit
ness in support of a compulsory
national service law, drafted by
himself and Senator Austin, Re-
publican, of Vermont.
Earlier the committee announced
1t would vote at pm. on the Bank
head bill to defer all farm workers
after postponing a showdown In q
morning session. Selective Service
officials Joined the War Department
in opposing the measure.
Committee Chairman REYNOLDS
depicted Congress as about evenly
divided on the compulsory use Of
manpower, but Senate supporters OF
the plan counted heavily on War
Department pressure for its passage.
"No Criticism"
Mr.. Wadsworth emphasized he had
no criticism to direct at ANY ofIicial
Of the Government"
II believe men like Mr.. McNutt
(war manpower chairman) and Mr..
Wickard (Secretary Of Agriculture)
and others are doing their level
BEST said the New York Repre-
sentative.
MY contention is they are work.
ing under circumstances that make
1t almost impossible to accomplish
the desired result"
Mr.. Wadsworth singled out the
War Manpower Commissions work.
or fight order" as a sample of In
direct attempts to solve the home
front problem, and declared it will
not begin to meet the situation"
Pointing out that VINO served
notice on all men between 18 and
SO that If they were still in non-
deferrable jobs by April l, they will
be subject to military induction. he
told the committee it leaves out Of
the picture thousands Of men above
80 and hundreds Of thousands Of
women.
Objective of Bill.
The pending Austin Wadsworth
bill requires registration Of all wom-
en- between 18 and so, and provides
for orderly assignment to war Jobs
Of men between 18 and IS, who al
ready are registered.
The bill starts out with q volun-
tary system Of recruiting the mum.
bers needed for any war industry,
but empowers the President to draft
persons through selective service If
the call for volunteers fails to reach
the desired goal
1--WE will never obtain an orderly
and systematic distribution Of man
power on the home front until the
Congress legislates on the subject
In a democratic way" Mr.. Wads-
worth said.
In answer to questions by Senator
O'Mahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming,
Mr.. Wadsworth agreed his bill would
not affect wages, hours. overtime
pay or the right Of workers to Sc.
lect the union to bargain for them.
but no man assigned to q war In.
dustry under the draft system could
be forced to join union.
Senator Austin announced he had
an amendment to make that clear.
Cites Selective Service Law.
Mr.. Wadsworth cited the recent
48-hour week order for 80 labor
shortage areas as another incomplete
method of solving the problem.
AS an example OF what could be
accomplished in obtaining orderly
distribution of manpower under this
bill, Mr. Wadsworth said the several
branches of the military service are
doing good job because they had
basic law under which the Army
general staff could perfect long,
range plans.
Mr.. Wadsworth asserted the draft
act Of 1910 was not intended for any
other purpose but to select men for
military service. For that reason,
he said, the work or fight" order
Of the War Manpower Commission
is out of harmony with the intent
of the Selective Service Act. That
act. he said. was never intended to
(See MANPOWER. Page A-40