Evening star., 1945-07-02
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

ltS been seven weeks now since
the first seven Washington men tt
be discharged under the point de-
mobilization system sat in the sur
at Fort Meade, Md, on May IL anc
talked about what they would dc
when they got home.
What they have done, Star sur
vey reveals follows just about the
same pattern as what the earlier
discharged veterans returning tc
Washington did.
OF the seven, two have gone back
to their old jobs and one has the
new job he always wanted. An
other, after trying one job, is look
ing for something he likes better
Two have left town and, as far
as their neighbors know. are just
resting" The seventh man, who
had talked about going back to
finish high school, is working in a
war plant in Cleveland.
Reports on 1918 Men.
District Selective Service, which
keeps track of what happens to al
the Washington men after they
leave the service, reports that out
of 1918 men who preceded the point
discharge men out of the service
from January TO June, SIS or 26.s
per cent chose to look for jobs else
where rather than return here; $50
or ITS per cent, have gone back to
their old jobs; 1877. or 1874 per cent
have new jobs; "a have gone back
to school and SO were too disabled
to look for work Immediately.
Generally, District Selective Serv-
ice reported that the younger men
don't seem to need as much help
as the older ones In finding jobs
that young and older men alike are
looking for permanent, we'll paying
jobs; that many of them are shift
ing from job to job-some of them
as many as six times before they
find what they want, and that some
are undoubtedly resting"
Among the men who have de-
clined to go back to their old jobs
District unemployment offlcial
cited the case of one with 10 years
seniority on a Government job. He
gave 1t up for outdoor work because
he had become used to living out
side when he was in the Army.
Most Men Return Home.
A national survey of Veterans
Employment Representatives made
the War Manpower Commission in
dicated that most veterans from
other communities are going back
to their home towns.
Those like the Washington vet
Grams who are not returning appear
to be attracted by West Coast jobs.
A District unemployment official
thought it likely that while many
of the Washington men were work
ing here before the war and regi-
stored here for the draft, their
actual homes might be in other
communities to which they decided
to return for a new start.
The national survey also dis
closed that about half the veterans
return TO their former employer
although only between 10 and Is
per cent are willing to do the same
job they did before they went into
the service.
Few are seeking training. Most of
them want to become wage earners
immediately.
Seek to Use New Skill.
Many are trying to take advantage
of the skills they acquired in the
service but some are finding there's
no place for those skills in civilian
industries.
Most veterans want postwar
jobs either because they want to
get as far away as possible from
the war or because they want
security. Those taking war Jobs
are impelled by high wages or be-
cause they want to have part
in producing the weapons their
former buddies need.
Here's what's happened to the
first seven men discharged under
the point system here-men more
like the great mass who will be
coming home than like those who
were discharged earlier:
Robert E. Croce. jr., of 1912 D street
NE, former sergeant discharged
after 80 months overseas, rested a
month after discharge and then
went to work In his fathers liquor
store at 1900 Massachusetts, avenue
Sc, where he had worked before
he entered the service. AS soon
as he learns the business, his father
will retire.
James E. Mallory, 1887 D street
NE, on the day of his discharge