The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-08-17
O'CONOR TO NAME RECOVER
SION GROUP AS EMPLOYMENT

Declaring his intention to utilize
every pissible effort towards prepar-
ing the State for any unemployment
problem that may follow VI Day,
Governor Herbert r. O'Conor has
made known his intention of estab-
lisking a Committee on Reconversion
Problems to develop program that
will assure the fullest possible en-
ployment in the postwar era.
The Committee would function
under the Maryland Commission on
Postwar Reconstruction and Devel-
opment, the Governor revealed. and
would supplement- the work of the
Commissions present Employment
Committee, while devoting its efforts
towards the formulation of pro-
gram for utilizing the full possibili-
ties of private industry in the PRO-
vision of employment opportunities
in the reconversion period.
Pointing out that the States post
war program of public construction
has about reached it's goal, with
nearly $20,000,000 of new hospitals
and otker capital improvements eth
er fully planned or well under way in
this respect, and State highway
and bridge construction and improve
ment schedule that may we'll exceed
$50, 1000, with plans and specif-
cations completed or in various
stages of advancement, Governor o.
Conor predicted that projected city,
county and municipal construction
projects will swell the grand total of
planned construction close to the
$500, 100000 mark.
"This vast pool of projects, many
of which can be initiated Immediate
ly the war ends and priorities grant
ed, if the ecoonmic situation at that
time requires, will provide a sub
stantial stop-gap in any employment
crisis that might conceivably devel-
op," Governor O'Conor made plain.
Recognizing, however, that under
TIE American system of free enter
prise we must always look to private
industry to shoulder the bulk of the
employment responsibility, the State
Administration is most anxious to
see, and is prepared to lend every as
sistance to the development of
carefully considered program under
which Maryland's great industrial
capacity can be channeled into peace
time production progressively and
without undue disturbance to the
States economy or the well-being of
it's citizens.
with the latest induction figures
showing more than 100000 Mary
land men and women indicted into
the various armed services, and
steady stream of these patriotic per-
sons already returning to civilian
life, there will be added to this great
volume of potential workers those
many other thousands who will be
displaced after VI Day. when the
war production of the State will be
curtailed to but a small percentage
of it's present huge volume. Both of
these groups have contributed might
lily to the successful conduct of the
war, both must be guaranteed en-
ployment-the kind of employment
that will assure maintenance. of
American standards of living.
''It is with the expectation and
confidence that sound plans, thought
fully conceived and dev e p
through the one hundred precent CO.
operation of capital and labor, can
bring about satisfactory employ
ment situation after the war that l
am going forwadd with the establish
ment of this Reconversion Commit
tee. The personnel of the group is not
ready for announcement at this time
because several who have been ask
ed to serve have not yet signitied
their Willingness. However, l expect
to have tke list complete within the
next few days, so that the Commit
tee may have time to organize and
get down to work within the next
several weeks"