Evening star., 1944-08-27
Battle Of Production
Must Be Waged Until
V-Day, McNuf Says
BY PAUL v. McNuTT.

BY PAUL v. McNUTT,
Until the last shot is fired on our
far-flung battle fronts-until we
drive our enemies into uncondi-
tional surrender-the battle Of war
production on the home front must
not slacken, even for an hour.
The tools Of war must be provid-
ed for our valiant forces in ever
growing volume until the very eve
Of armistice. Production must keep
pace with the mounting tempo Of
battle overseas.
This calls for intensified effort
and the full cooperation on the
part of every worker and employer. :.
It means continued all-out mobili-
zation of the Nations labor force
and American industry's unparal-
leled resources and energy.
To furnish the necessary able
bodied men for the jobs of great
est urgency in the crucial period
ahead, the War Manpower Com
mission, through its area and
regional directors, has instituted q
JOB priority program to provide for
the referral of workers only by
the United States Employment
Service or authorized hiring
agencies.
Progress IL Encoura ring
Encouraging progress has been
made so far-but progress alone is
not enough. We must insure that
war plants producing must" items
have the men they need to finish
the job. This is not the RESPONSE
bility of the War Manpower Com
mission alone. 1t Is the RESPONSE
bility of industry and labor as we'll.
Government has provided the
map and the guide posts. 1t is up
to labor and management-and the
communicate help make it work.
Each must support it fully and
willingly If our vital objectives are
to be attained. Cooperation is the
keynote.
The program is simple. Through
priority referral, critical war indus
tries get first call on the workers
they must have. Standards have
been established which are designed
to safeguard the rights of workers.
and employers. These standards
are the result of recommendation
from VINO management laborI
policy committees. The right of
appeal to these committees is pro-
vided for both worker and en-
ployer.
The establishment of employment
ceilings and manpower priorities
is provided for under priority re-
ferral so that the most critical
plants are enabled to procure the
men they need to meet the increas-
ingly insistent demands of the
armed forces for some 300 vital
items which are now short. These
urgent items must be provided with
out delay.
H0me-FrOnt Beachheads.
Here are some of these home
front "beachheads": Heavy artillery,
heavy ammunition, shipbuilding and
repair, trucks, heavy tires, radio
and radar, tanks, textiles, heavy
planes, lumber and pulpwood, bull
dozers and tractors and cranes.
Unless the necessary workers are
provided the swift drive of our men
on the battlefronts is threatened
and final victory is delayed.
The demands for these highlyl
urgent weapons of war must be met,
and met now. To man the vital
war plants producing these must"
items, more workers are needed at
once. The need is greatest in the
following areas: Akron, Cleveland,
Chicago, indianapolis. Los Angeles,
Muskegon, Newark, New Bedford,
Norfolk, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia,
Pontiac. San Francisco, Seattle, and
Springfield, Mass.
There is no doubt of it-a miracle
OF production has been wrought by
American workers and American in
dustry. But we are not through. |
Some workers are leaving vital war
jobs to look for civilian employment.
This Is a most dangerous develop
ment. There must not be letdown
at home
Priority Plan Essential.
The extension of the priority re-
ferral program has been in the ma
tional interest. Its purpose is toI
maintain war production in the
critical induStries-to insure last
minute war materials.
The manpower situation generally
is excellent. American production
OF war materials has been a stu
pendous achievements brilliant
pace in our history. Our problem
today is one of specific lag. Only
certain areas, certain communities
and certain plants are involved.
These are the beachheads which
must be won. With Government
industry and labor as full partners
IN this enterprise, the job will be
done, and the war will be speeded
to a triumphant conclusion all the
sooner.
We are about to strike the knock
out blow. Now is the time to make
| victory OVaruh e1r,iy,o opd .o,,,,.