Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-03-23
New Plan Defers
Workers in Only
8 War Programs
Army and WPB Nap
Proposal for Skilled
Men u to 26
SO, 900 AIR CADETS transferred to
Army ground forces. Story on
page "A.
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

A highly restricted list of war
programs of the utmost urgency
eight in all-will be the only
production to receive considera-
ton under the joint military
War Production Board plan to
limit draft deferments of men
under 26 in industry, The Star
learned today.
The list was attached to a notif-
cation to all war manufacturers out
lining details of the plan to defer
only a few ''irreplaceable" young
men in the most important pro-
grams. The memorandum, signed by
Charles E. Wilson, chairman of
WPB's Productive Executive Com
mittee, represented a weeks work
OF war agency heads in untangling
the industrial draft deferment
muddle.
Eight Programs Listed.
Programs to receive continued
preferential treatment for highly
skilled young manpower include
landing craft, synthetic rubber and
l0O-octane plants, tires and tubes
aircraft, combat and heavy-duty
truck and bus tires and tubes. in
Guiding necessary tire cord fabric
and molds-high-t rayon for
war products, portion of aircraft,
including heavy bombers, certain
types of radar, submarines and a
secret project.
The formal machinery for assur-
ing retention of key" young men
IN must war programs was COM
pleted soon after the Army an
nounced the transfer to ground
duty OF $4,000 young men who had
been earmarked for air training
another effort to relieve the general
shortage of ground forces.
List May Be Revised.
Ofhcials did not rule out the DOS
sibility that the list of program,
might be revised later, although it
was emphasized that few. if any.
other types of production would be
added.
The list was more drastically re-
strlcted than was indicated In pre-
urinary discussion of the defer
ment problem. Mr.. Wilson's memo.
randum stressed the urgency of the
armed forces need for young COM
bat manpower and showed the de-
termination OF production officials
to strip industry of all but a very
few OF its more youthful workers.
The armed services and the
WPB," said pertinent paragraph
OF the notification to manufac-
turers, will limit their support of
recommendation for deferment of
workers in this age group 10 to 26)
70 those plants in which production
OF specified urgent war programs.
listed on the attached schedule, is
so critical that the output of end
products is insufficient to supply
immediate war detectives, and then
only to specific individuals engaged
In work in those plants and pro-
grams requiring extreme and spe-
+cialized skill or knowledge or a high
educational or specified qualifca-
ton, and then only when the indi-
Vldual worker is irreplacable from
other less urgent work within the
plant or by recruitment"
Must File Special Forms.
Mr.. Wilson informed plants in
Guided in the urgent programs that
they must file special selective
service forms by April 3 if they de-
sire to obtain supporting recon-
mendatlons from the armed services
or WPB as to Importance for con-
tlnued deferment of a worker
Two sets of the forms already
designated for requesting deferment
OF men under Is must be submitted
by the plant to the nearest WPB or
military representatives for recon-
mendation.
Mr. Wilson advised that one of
the forms, with or without support-
ing preliminary recommendation"
Will be returned to the manufacturer
Tor immediate forwarding to the
State selective service director,
The other form, provided it re-
celVes favorable recommendation.
Will be sent by the WPB representa-
1--WE or procurement officer to a COM
mlttee which will be established in
each WPB regional Office for further
review and final recommendation to
the State selective service director.
Top officials reported that COM
plants already had begun to pour
IN from industries and Government
production men whose plants or
programs were not included on the
superficial list. There was no
indication whether any considera-
ton will be given such interests as
mining, logging and transportation.
which already are hard pressed for
manpower, and whose representa-
t1ves have made clear that any fur
(See MANPOWER, Page A-l41