The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-23
BY JACK CUDDY

New York, Feb. 23-(UP)-Major League baseball is still uncomfort- able worried about manpower un- certainties about whether the game will have enough players left to last the season.
 This worry has not been relieved by hodgepodge of invisible green lights, by settlement of its trans- portation problem, nor by repeated statements of hope from the sports brass hats.
 Even the most hopeful owners or officials admit that the game must have about 400 men to carry on. Of these, about 300 must be men with previous big-time experience whether they are. 4-FS, discharges or over-agers.
 It is becoming apparent that a nucleus of 300 experienced perform CTS may not be left. The army is reaching rapidly for previously re- jected players, carrying out the re- cent request of war mobilizer Byrnes. For example, the case of Ben Chapman, Dodgers, is now being considered. Three Indian players have been reclassified to IA with in the past few days: Pitchers Allie Reynolds and Ed Klieman, and Outfielder Felix Mackiewicz. The status of Eddie Miller, Reds short stop, Is being investigated. A&an- while, the Reds lost Pitcher Harry Gumbert and Catcher Ray Mueller. The Phillies lost slugger Ron Nor they. So 1t goes.
 League presidents Ford Prick and Will Harridge went to Washington and reportedly conferred with Mo- bilizer Byrnes about baseball's man. power. They were quoted as saying that they had inside info" which they could relay only to the club owners. Apparently some of the owners haven't received their feed- box special yet Because they're worrying trenches across their fore- heads.
 If Prick and Harridge did actually confer with Byrnes, it is our guess that the mobilizer told them some thing like this: Hold tight boys, and maybe something can be done to help you after Congress passes the impending labor control legisla- tion."
 Such legislation regardless of it's final form-is expected to re- quire nearly two more weeks. It will be designed to end the man power shortage" At present, the House and Senate are approach ing the problem from different angles. The May bill, which orig mated in the House and passed the House on February l, is the work or-jail" document which would af- feet all civilian males between Is and 45, who have not been deferred legally from military service. The Senate is moving much more slow | ly. The brand new Kilgore bill was approved only yesterday by the Sen ate Military Affairs Committee This bill applies to ALL workers regardless of age or sex, It applies to women, as well as men. This bill would control the distribution of labor by cracking down upon the employers rather than the workers Under it. for example the labor needs of plants would be investigated essential plantS-apd limits would be set for the number of workers skilled and unskilled-they could use. Employer violators would be penalized worker violators might be, too.
 There1l be a lot of pickering be- fore the Kilgore bill passes the Senate; and a while lot more be- fore the contents of the two bills can be batted around and merged into one document acceptable tc both houses.
 How kill this legislation benefit baseball?
 It may not benefit it at all. But it could benefit it in this fashion Mobitzer Byrnes, confident that the "manpower shortage" had been ended by the legislation, could sug- gest that baseball players be one of the classes exempt from labor con- trol, for the ,public's benefit. He could whisper this suggestion into the ear of Manpower Commis- sioner Paul V. McNutt.
 Tn connection with the man power shortage, a close friend ot Senator Harley M. Kilgore of West Virginia = co-author of the Kill gore bill-told us last night: "Sen- ator Kilgore says there is no man. power shortage in this country - merely an improper distribution of workers"
 If Senator Kilgore Is right, il seems that the war effort will moi be slowed up in the least if a couple hundred ball players are permitted "a nnr,k kif1a,a arakar.kaiininn fnillinns