Evening star., 1943-03-03
Loss Of Production
Due 10 Absenteeism
Knox Says
Heartily Behind Move
To Halt Practice, He
Tells House Committee
By The Associated Press

| BY he Associated Press.
Secretary of the Navy Knox
testified today he had received
reports that time lost in war
plants because of abSenteeiSm
was many times greater than
| the time lost due to strikes or
shutdowns," and that such loss
of time and production had been
increasing during the past year,
rather than decreasing"
Mr.. Knox appeared before the
House Naval Affairs Committee
during consideration of bill to
curb absenteeism by requiring wal
contractors to report work absences
to draft boards. with the view of in
Quoting into military service men
who willfully stay away from their
war production jobs.
Il wish to state to the committee,
Mr.. Knox said. that whatever final
form this legisla ton may take, ]
am heartily behind anything that
can be done to reduce absenteeism
Says They Will Be Ousted.
Il feel that there is no place in
the whole naval ablishment for
a chronic absentee and steps have
already been taken to remove them
from our employ after all means
have failed to cure them.
Il am not talking of the increas-
ing number of workers who are old
or physically handicapped, whose
services can be utilized with advan-
tage on a part-time basis, but I am
talking about the strong and
healthy. who. in my opinion, should
put in their full effort every day and
every hour of their working time to
assist their country in winning this
war as quickly as possible.
The thought of what our men at
the front may be enduring for lack
OF the plane or the gun or the ship
or the ammunition should be enough
to spur every able-bodied man and
woman in this country to redoubled
and continuous effort on the produc-
ton front"
81 Per Cent Unjustifiable.
Mr.. Knox reviewed efforts by the
Navy to curb absenteeism by i'm
proving working conditions and said
the figures he presented demon
strated that the record of the civil
ian workers of the naval establish
ments is by no means as bad as it is
commonly supposed"
TT is estimated" he told the COM
mittee, that OF the total absentee
ism reported in naval establish
ments, about per cent comes under
categories of authorized and justi-
fed; hence. of the absentee rate fol
all employees Of the eight continental
navy yards for the quarter ending
December 81, 1912. shown as 81 per
cent, we should subtract per cent
leaving 81 per cent of probable un-
justifiable absenteeism.
This is far too high and every
effort must and will be made to re-
duce every bit of unjustified alb
senteeism in the naval establish
ment."
The Naval Affairs Committee
previously had approved work or
fight policy" to curb absenteeism OF
civilian workers at naval yards and
posts, and now Is considering legis-
lation to broaden the policy to cover
workers in all war industries.
Suggests Pay Penalties.
just as a Suggestion for consid-
GRAFTON" Mr.. Knox said the prob
lem might be approached by hit
ting the willfully absent workers lin
the pocketbook."
That's where 1t hurts them he
declared after saying that only a
percentage of the absentees could
be reached by a threat to put them
into uniforms because only those
eligible for service would be af-
fected.
Representative Johnson. Demo-
crat, of Texas, sponsor of the meas
ure, asserted that figures showed
40 per cent of the absenteeism
occurred on week ends and asked
Mr.. Knox if he had any explana-
ton.
"Dissipation is one" said the
secretary. More money than they
can spend Is another. The rea
major cause Is that men go ou,
Saturday and Sunday and indulge
and don't feel so well on Monday
The Secretary told the committee
that whatever remedy we apply
we ought to handle it through the
local selective service boards"
Mas Suggests Posting Names.
He argued against placing the
administration of absentee -curbs ir
Washington on the ground it woulo
get all snarled up and said loca,
draft boards are 10 times, 100 times
better equipped to handle these
problems than some fellow down
here who has never seen the persons
with whom they deal"
Representative Mas, Republican
of Michigan, suggested that absen-
teeism might be cut down by pub
fishing or posting the names of alb
sentees in order to hold them up tc
public scorn"
ut might help enormously" Mr.
Knox said. adding that such a meth
Cd would have to be handled with
care to prevent injustices.
Thumping the table for emphasis