Evening star., 1943-02-12
Confusion Reions

I
"clarlflcation" have not served to
clear away the confusion attending
the announcement of the admnis-
tratlons 48-hour work week program
And the suspicion grows that this is
the case because no one in the ad-
ministration knows just what the
program is supposed to do nor whom
it is supposed to affect.
The Presidents executive order
stated without qualification that no
| plant, factory or other place of en-
| ployment" shall be deemed to be
making the most effective utilization
OF its manpower if the minimum
work week therein is less than 48
| hours. But, as the War Manpower
Commissions interpretations become
| public, 1t appears that, relatively,
| only a few establishments are ex-
pected to up their work week to 48
hours. 1T should be emphasized, :"
the VINO says. that the purpose OF
| the order is to economic on man.
| power, and not to increase the hours
OF work where it will not contribute
to the war" Employers are told that
they should go to a 48-hour week
only II that would result in more
effective use of employees or if it
would avert employment OF addi-
tional employees" Yet it does not
appear that employers in the affected
areas are to be permitted to make
these determination for themselves.
II an employer feels that it is not
feasible for him to 60 to the longer
week. it is up to him, by March 81,
to convince the WMC-"if he cam
that this really is the case. If he feels
that it is feasible to go to the longer
week, and thereby is enabled to re-
lease some OF his employees, he cannot
do so without getting permission
from the VINO. Only in the rare case
where an employer can go to 49,
hour week without discharging any
body, and with time and half for
every body, is there to be any freedom
OF action. On the face of it, this
apparently means that the VINO will
have to investigate and pass on vir-
tually every business establishment
and industry which is not already on
the 48-hour week. When that proc
ess will be completed is any mans
guess.
The confusion is hardly less con-
Spicuous in the matter of overtime
compensation. Contrary to an earlier
announcement, the VINO now says
the requirement for time and a half
Is not applicable to persons outside
the scope of the wage-hour law or
collective bargaining contracts -
generally, domestic servants, certain
employees Of retail or service estab-
lishments and agricultural workers.
Employers would not have to pay
overtime in these cases. But, the
VINO adds, unless overtime is paid in
these categories the worker would
be likely to leave his job for employ
ment with an employer who is paying
time and one-half." And, apparently,
this change Of employment would
come about with the approval of the
VINO, II not at its suggestion. But
this is not in harmony with the posi-
ton taken by Economic Stabilizer
James F. Byrnes Tuesday night.
When we are drafting men and
youths into the armed forces at 5000
year." Mr.. Byrnes said, I'VE cannot
let other men and women work where
they please, when they please-or
allow them or persuade them to Jump
from one job or business to another
because it pays more"
Thus, one gathers that Mr.. Byrnes
would not look with favor for in
stance, on an attempt by a farm
worker to quit his job at straight time
to go to some other job paying time
and one-half. Yet the Manpower
Commission evidently thinks that
this is what the farmland would do,
and, possibly what he should do.
A number of similar examples of
conflict and indecision could be cited,
but they all add up to the same con-
clusion--that in this business the
Governments right hand has very
little idea what its left hand is doing.