Evening star., 1944-05-31

In a move TO ease The lIupdCt
Of war production suspensions
on industry, the legislative and
executive branches of the Gov
ernment today took steps to see
that firms whose contracts are
terminated receive sufficient ad-
vance notice to enable them to
seek other work and thus give
their forces new job opportunt-
ties.
Growing out of labor demonstra-
tions at the long Island City IN. "
and townsville (Pa.) plants Of the
Brewster Aeronautical Corp, which
are going out of airplane production
July /. the Joint Contract Termina-
ton Board received orders from
War Mobilization Director James
r. Byrnes to:
Develop effective procedures or
reinforce those which exist to insure
adequate notice and the canvassing
Of the requirements Of all procure
ment agencies prior to the termina-
ton of contracts affecting the oper-
alton OF whole plants"
The board is meeting today to de-
ternine If there are any contracts
which could be placed with Brewster.
Army May Use One Plant.
At session yesterday of a Senate
~ ilif crx, c,,hnny,, ~, ~ &Aa ~, x,or n~~.
tracts, at which Chairman Murray
demanded that the Army and Navy
be required by statute to give ade1
quate notice OF impending contract
cancellations, Julius Amberg, special
assistant to the Secretary of war,
said the Army was considering tlse
TOWNSVILLE plant Tor heavy artillery
manufacture.
Director Byrnes' instructions CO.
incided with q news conference
statement late yesterday by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, who said he had
asked Government agencies to see
whether contracts could be placed
with BreHster ut Long Island City.
Observing that Ehe action in ORDER
ing the production Of Eorsair figrlt-
ing planes had be taken for eco
nomic reasons, Tie President said
that, nevertheless, it was possible
insufficient notice of the shutdown
had been given.
The Associated Press reported
from Long Island City today that
5 500 Brewster employees who staged
a 24-hour "stayin" at the plant as
a protest at the closing were re-
turning today to prepare themselves
for the new work sought for the
establishment. They left the plant
late yesterday.
Demonstration Started Monday.
The "stay-in" demonstration was
begun Monday. Refusing to leave
the plant the men and women work.
ers played games, danced, sung, ate
and mapped in the buildings.
Friendly relations were maintained
with the management throughout
the vigil.
A similar situation prevailed at
townsville, where about 900 en-
ployes slept in the factory Monday
night and were joined by more than
1000 day-shift workers yesterday
Before leaving the plant last
night, workers set a new production
record, assembling eight Corsair
fighter planes during the day, ac-
cording to officials of the United
Automobile Workers Union (CIO)
At the Long Island City plant
Marco Cicala, vice president of the
UAW local, instructed workers as
they streamed out of the buildings
last night to report back today.
Zeus Soucek, Brewster vice presi-
dent, said that 4,50O of the COM
pany's approximately $500 workers
would have to be laid off in three
days at the close of business OF
the shifts starting today.
The plant will continue in opera
ton with workers not scheduled for
layoffs remaining at their jobs.
Although the Navy made no COM
ment on the situation, Navy public
relations men took newspapermen
on a tour of some sections of the
plant yesterday, the first time that
persons other than workmen or on
cials were allowed inside since the
"sit-in" began.
Many workers said in interviews
they wanted to remain on the job
particularly because they had rela-
tives or loved ones in the service.
Admiral Ramsey Testifes.
At the Senate subcommittee hear
ing yesterday, Rear Admiral De Witt
c. Ramsey, chief of the Navy Bureau
Of Aeronautics, testified that the
contract was Cancelled because