Evening star., 1945-11-29
PldntsFar Ahead
InReconyersiion,
President Says
Unemployment Below
Expectations, He Says
In Progress Report
LABOR OFFICIALS hoping to find
basis for resuming GIN talks.
Page Al
By ]. A. FOX.

Making public report on "the
progress of reconversion" at his
news conference today, President
Truman asserted that "unem-
ployment so far Is less than had
been expected" in the shift from
a war to a peace economy.
He said the administration has
not been asleep on the reconver-
sion problems and, in fact, its pro-
gram is far ahead of schedule. He
made this comment in releasing his
statement dealing with the first 100
days of reconversion progress.
The President declared, however.
that the country still is in transit
tion period and that the rapid de-
mobilization of the armed forces will
undoubtedly increase the unemploy-
ment total over the next few
months"
No figures were cited to show
the extent of joblessness.
Returns to VI Day Level.
The President said that with the
exception of shipyards, the great
part of the Iayoffs from war plants
has been completed and that en-
ployment in nonwar activities has
increased since VI day. He added
that total employment has returned
to the VI day level and that a
continued rise is expected.
The Presidents report covered
manpower, plant reconversion, lift
ing Of wartime controls, production,
business activity, labor disputes and
stabilization and was issued, he said,
to show that the administration has
not been asleep on the job.
Specifically he asserted in his
statement that business continues
good" but he warned that "inf1a-
tionary pressures are still great"
Dealing with the subject of labor
disputes, the President said there
has been an upsurge of strikes since
WI Day and he blamed the in
crease in part ito the fact that all
parties held their grievances in
check during the war and observed
the no-strike pledge"
Figures on Strikes.
His figures showed that new strikes
since August have totaled approxi-
mately l,500, involving about 1,5o0,-
oo0 workers. The other side OF the
picture. the report explained. was
that In the same time, 924 threat
ened strikes were averted involving
about 525.000 workers. Through No.
vember "a, labor dispute cases set
tied involved about 1,150, 900 workers,
according to the President, who said
that time lost through work stop
pages since August is estimated at
0.76 of per cent of the total work.
ing time available"
The President stressed as he read
the report that he was citing
"ofncial" and he repeated the word
Labor Department statistics.
The President was asked If he
thought great strike" would i'm
pede reconversion and he said he
did.
Asked then what the administra-
ton would do in the event such a
walkout occurred he said he would
deal with that problem when it was
presented to him.
Text of Statement.
The text of the Presidents state.
ment follows:
In the first 100 days of recon-
version. we have made the following
progress:
Manpower-The great part of the
layoffs from war plants has not been
completed, except in the shipyards.
Employment in nonwar activities
has increased since VI day. Total
employment has now returned to
the vi day level and is expected
to continue to rise.
Unemployment so far is less than
had been expected. This means that
the disruption of our economy has
been less drastic than anticipated.
However, we are still in transition
period. The rapid rehabilitation of
the armed forces will undoubtedly
increase the unemployment total
over the next few months.
During these first 10 days, $500, 900
men and women have been de-
mobilized. We have stepped the
rate up to $4,000 a day, and expect
to continue at this pace.
Plant reconversion-The job of
reconverting our plants from war
to peace is virtually completed.
Ninety three per cent Of all plants
have been cleared in go days or less