The union times. (New Haven, Conn.) 1941-1948, 1944-03-18
Production OF
Unionists Is
HighlyPraised
Workers Are Given Credit
For "Awe-Inspiring'
War Output

the most authoritative and i'm
partial report on the war
production program yet pre-
scented, the Senate's Truman
Committee came out unre-
servedly against a National
Service Law to draft labor.
Outstanding findings of the
committee report were:
1.-The major battles of war
production have been won, large
ly through the astounding per-
Torrance" of American labor.
Proposals for a National
Service Act are far too drastic,
unwieldy of operation and inef-
fectlve as an anti-strike meas
,ure.
3-Government and manage
ment must take their share of
responsibility for strikes which
have occurred. The committee
did not condone strikes but de-
clared Americas strike record
compares favorably with that of
Great Britain where compulsory
National Service legislation has
been in effect.
1.-The Government should
adopt a clear and understandable
labor relations policy for the du-
ration, written into law and adj
mlnlstered by a single central
agency, instead of the multiple
bureaus now handling labor mat
tiers.
These conclusions, fully endors-
ing the official policy of the Am
erican Federation of Labor. were
buttressed by an indisputable array
OF facts and figures obtained by
the Truman Committee from Gov.
eminent sources.
In support of its finding that the
major battles of war production have
been won, the committee cited these
production totals from January, 1911,
to this year:
Delivery of l53,O6l airplanes of
all types; 746 combat naval vessels:
1899 Liberty ships 7O2 CONNER
cial ships; 1926 subsidiary naval
vessels, mostly landing craft; l.
67,94O military trucks-aIl this
besides equipping ten million men
with guns, tanks, clothing, ammu-
milton, etc.
While need for landing craft,
heavier and longer range aircraft,
radio and radar, ships and other spe-
clal items will continue for many
months, the committee expressed con-
fldence that the nations war produc-
ton facilities will be able to meet all
requirements.
Manpower shortages are still a
great problem, the committee con
ceded, but it laid the blame largely on
boarding of labor reserves by indus
try. 1t urged that efficient use of
manpower should figure in costs when
the Government determines profits
through renegotiation of contracts.
Immediate production of more con-
sumner goods from surplus war mate
rails, where possible, was recon-
mended by the committee as a meas
ure to shorten the lag between con-
version from war to peace production.
Terming Americas war produc-
II
tee pointed out that this astound-
ing performance exceeds anything
of its kind ever achieved i'm the
history of the wOrld.''
To figures on production cited
above, the committee added the
housing and training facilities for
10 million men and the construc-
ton of airfields and bases all over
the world.
The record was increased by the
construction of nearly 20 billion dol
lars worth of the best and most
modern plant facilities in the world"
These plants should not be pre-
sented as a gift to their operators,
the committee held, but neither
should ''pre-war industry be pro-
tected against competition of
Government built plants acquired
at fair price.
The question as to whether Gov
arnment-built plants are to be closed
must be decided squarely upon the
issue as to whether it is proposed
that the United States return to a
peace-time economy similar to that
which existed in 1889, when nine mil
hon workers were unemployed in
addition to upward of five million
women and other war workers who
were not seeking employment in
1889, or whether we propose to pro-
vide full employment for all who
seek it b. operating present plants
whether owned by the Government
Or privately, and if necessary, by en-
CO11raoit1o the ornctr1.c4;o.. of LIZ