The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-10-08
Mdnpower-Drdft Situation
Is Nation S No. | Problem
Political Shadows Darker Vital Issues Con-
fronting Every Family; National Service
Act Subject of Debate.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, ID. G..
BY BAUKHAGE
NetUs Analyst and Commentator.

WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, D. C.
Today, a whole year stands be-
tween election day and the capital
but the shadow of coming events
cast their shadows before them. Like
the dark patches on the ground when
scudding clouds cross the sun, the
Washington scene is f1ecked with pol
itics.
And there are issues this time
which reach right into every home,
touch the family where there are
men and women of fighting or work
ing age, reach into the larder and
the ice box. It is hard for anyone
to see these issues clearly because
of the shadow of politics.
There is the draft, the manpower
question closely interviewer with it,
there is food, its production, its dis
tribution, rationing and prices.
1t takes keen eye to see where
merit ends and politics begins.
When Senator Wheeler, fathering
the deferment of draft for pre-Pearl
Harbor fathers, said the defeat of his
measure would be a blow at morale
and the nations children, there was
no reason to believe that he was in
sincere. Certainly there was no in
sincerity about the army and navy
heads who opposed the measure, ex-
planning that there were just so
many men of fighting age and
physique and that a certain job had
to be done.
But to a reporter who has been
reporting the doings of mice and
men for more than quarter of a
century, I could not help suspecting
some of the folk who battled over
this legislation. What a juicy NOR
sci it was for the vote-getter! True,
the Wheeler bill aimed to exempt
those who, with no foreknowledge Of
war, produced families without a
thought that babies, to quote the
ancient wheeze, like Memberships,
could keep them out of the draft.
But what about other fathers, quite
as Pearl Harborish in their pater-
nifty whose offspring sprang after the
deadline simply because time or op-
portunity had fingered?
Presidents VieuDs
There was no doubt what the Presi-
dent thought when he talked about
men with children who were doing
no useful thing and who might, if
they wished immunity from military
service, easily get into a war indus
try. They, one opponent of the
Wheeler bill said, were told that they
had no responsibility in the war eff
fort, at home. or at the front.
Of course, this argument would
not hold if the National Service act,
that nightmare of politicians, were
passed. The army wants it, Sena-
tor Austin and Representative Wads-
worth who introduced it, and their
followers want 1.-THE White House
has never spoken but of late is
silent when it is "said to be willing"
Now politics, long before the cleo
ton winds started blowing, has
dulled mems minds on that subject.
Manpower Commissioner McNutt
has been willing but not emphatic.
Perhaps you never read the con-
tents of a recent statement issued
through the Office of War Informa-
ton from the Manpower commits
sion. I have treasured it and want
to quote it's first sentences:
Better utilization Of our work
force is the primary means of get
ting the manpower needed to supply
productive establishments Of the ma
/ ton" (You and can understand
that, despite the fine four and FIVE
syllable derivatives.)
Labor reserves in shortage areas
have been exhausted and the COM
mon lack of community services and
facilities in such areas usually
makes it impossible or undesirable
to bring in more workers" (Also
quite understandable, on little
thought, but would it make you rush
out and hunt for defense job?)
I "Where there has been rapid mo-
Obligation Of manpower, utilization is
not always at its highest level. This
is not necessarily reflection on en-
ployers. When plant has expand
ed its labor force several times, ex-
amples of ineffective use of man.
power are certain to follow"
i There is careful exposition Of
the situation for you! Now what
could the man who wrote that be
running for? Somewhere where
there were lot of toes to be stepped
on, it would seem, for he certainly
was pussyfooting among the poly
syllabics.