Evening star., 1944-11-22
President Reassures
Workers on Jobs
And Pay After War
BY the Associated Press.

~ tAe AShUCl1tuu E1ens,
Tho man ut the gun lathe and the
woman with the welding torch have
presidential reassuranceS about post
war jobs-and pay envelopes as
thick as they are now.
There were no definite promises,
but in joining his own appeal to
those Of military and production
leaders for war workers to stay on
the job and turn out arms and am
munition badly needed to speed
victory and save lives, the President,
who said during the campaign, that
the Administration proposed to pro-
vide $4,000, 900 peacetime jobs, told
his news conference yesterday:
Government and industry are
working awfully hard to provide
peacetime jobs not only for those
in uniform. but also for those now
making munitions.
He added that it was safe to say,
when that time comes, the tendency
will be not to decrease wages, but
to keep them up around present
levels-even If the 40-hour week is
restored.
Reassurances in Order.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he thought
some reassurances were in order.
People are quitting war jobs, he ex-
planned, and one of the reasons is
fear that they won't have work
after the war. inexperienced work.
ers take over, he said. and through
unintentional Gripping of machin-
cry slow war production.
Along with some others, like Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Chief
Executive said he wanted to put in
a little plea for continued produc-
tion of certain necessary things.
He mentioned ships and shells spe-
cifically.
They are shortage items, he said.
We aren't sending enough shells
abroad, Mr.. Roosevelt declared, so
shells have to be rationed and that
is costly in lives.
On the wage question, Mr.. Roose-
velt thought so much of the views
of Charles E. Wilson, president of
the General Electric Co., that he
had an article about them mimeo-
graphed.
Mr.. Wilson, former vice chairman
OF the War Production Board, said
his company would attack the fear
of workers that peace will bring
large reductions in their take-home
pay by reassuring them it intended
to maintain, as far as possible, the
level OF earnings now prevailing.
Other Industrialists Share Views.
Mr.. Roosevelt said Mr.. Wilson's
ideas are similar to those Of a lot
Of industrialists.
The President also sought to allay
any uneasiness about a protracted
employment lag in the reconversion
period. When auto plants in De-
troit went into war production, he
said, there were predictions the
change-over would take six months
six months when employees would
be jobless. Actually, it took less than
half that time, he said.
He said he felt that reconversion
would be brought about as it was
proved conversion could be.
War Production Board Chairman
]. A. Krug yesterday told a National
Press Club audience there must be
an additional incentive to keep
workers on the job after We day"
He suggested some kind of
bonus" based on the length of time
worker stays in munitions work
and remarked that Congress will
have to do something for the war
worker who sticks by his job"
Eisenhower Message Cited.
The WPB chief also brought Gen
Eisenhower into his discussion, say
ing the general had sent word to
production officials: You tell us
what you can deliver and we'll tell
you when the war will end"
Forty per cent of the armament
program is behind schedule, Mr..
Krug said, and % per cent of the
program is so critical that "if we
had more it would improve our
chances for early success and save
American lives"
Chairman Paul v. McNutt of the
War Manpower Commission said in
statement that, while only 200,0 900
workers are needed for urgent war
jobs, there is difficulty in getting
them in the particular areas where
the urgent tasks await