Evening star., 1944-03-19
Civilian Voice
lin Deferments
Seems Assured
Accord Reported
Between Services
And Production Men
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.
An agreement between MILL
tary and war production officials
on the tangled industrial draft
deferment question was reported
reached last night with the pro-
duction leaders apparently win
ming a voice in selection of the
men under 26 to be classified as
indispensable.
These officials, however, were dis
turbed anew by reports that Selec-
tive Service, soon would broaden It's
mo deferment" policy to include all
registrants up TO 20 years and
eventually even to 80.
The reported agreement came as
complaints from industry about the
strict draft policy continued to
pour into Washington. Otto s.
Boyer, transport personnel head OF
the Office of Defense Transporter
ton, was understood to have made
clear that the efficiency of railroads
and other transport, already hard
pressed for manpower, would be
greatly impaired unless some Of
their young men are placed on ths
new critical" list.
Dewey Statement Held Factor.
A factor believed to have tipped
the scales in deferring some men
under 26 was a declaration yester-
day by Rubber Director Bradley
Dewey that military requirements
for rubber could not be met If the
draft stripped the industry Of young
technicians. He told press con-
ference that the rubber program ''is
SO tight that any slowup might spell
national disaster" adding that pro-
duction of heavy military tires would
be affected more than the output
of passenger car rubber. pointing
out the larger sizes were more COM
plicated to make and required url-
usual strength to handle.
The agreement, it was understood,
provides for use of inter-agency
committees in selection of the in
dustries, plants and men to be given
preferential treatment. A top COM
mittee in Washington. composed Of
WIPE, War Manpower Commission,
Army. Navy and perhaps other pro-
lcurement agency representatives
would select the list of critical"
plants.
Local Committees F0reseen.
Local committees would be set up
in the vital production areas with
nearly the same representation as
the top group. These committees
would process applications for de-
ferment requested by the critical
plants. The plan provides for pre-
liminary screening" of applications
by the plant procurement officer be-
fore submission to the local commit
tee. Then the processed application
would be sent to the State Selective
Service director for action.
While the number of young men.
mostly engineers, chemists and other
technologists, needed to keep the
must" war programs operating Ell
GENTLY has been roughly estimated
at 10000, it was said the new agree
ment fixes no numerical limit. A
man under 26, however, must be
adjudged without a duplicate" in
order to meet the new standard of
essentially.
President Roosevelt was expected
to act early this week on the request
of production officials for some re-
lief on the new draft policy which
they feared might sweep fireplace
! able men from vital war plants. The
President was understood to have
told the officials he was agreeable
to some deferment leeway for men
under 26 provided there was Army
and Navy concurrence. The officials
desire an expression from Mr..
Roosevelt to selective service back
| ing up their new agreement.
Industries Not Selected.
While the list of industries and
plants to receive preferred treat
ment had not been selected, 1t will
undoubtedly include at least the key
plants producing such must" war
good as aircraft, landing craft, 100
octane gasoline, synthetic rubber
and electronics items, An official
said the industries not on the list
would be literally thrown to the
wolves" so far as deferment for
young men was concerned.
The new draft program will mean
that vast portion of the estimated
800, 900 men from % to 26 now de-
ferred in industry will be reclassi-
fed la. The men in that age group
in agriculture estimated at 100000
are considered 'untouchable" de-
spite the higher standards for es-
Isentiality that have been set up.
Other industries besides transport
tation, fearing all deferments for
their young men would be ended,
are requesting inclusion on the criti-
cal list. WPBs copper division re-
ported yesterday that production of
the essential metal had dropped and
that any further drain on manpower
would impair attainment of war out
put schedules.
New York Senate Defeats