Evening star., 1945-03-27
Monpower Bill Seen
Embodying Foscism
Theory Back of Universal Service
Not Being Applied, Writer Says
BY David Laurence

By Dauid Lawrence
Fascism abroad, which is partner
ship between capitalistic interests and
the state. has regimented workers and
forced them to work for the private
profit Of management. That same to-
talitarian doctrine has been embodied
in the new manpower bill which has
come from conference committee of
members of the House and Senate.
If passed. this bill means that work.
ers in America will lose their right to
quit work and that they must take jobs
the Government gives them and work
for designated employers.
The theory back of the much-talked-
Of universal service is not being ap-
piled. When man is ordered into mill
tary service, he gets $50 month and
nobody makes any profit out of his
service to his country. But now the
Government, claiming it is fulfilling a
war purpose, orders American workers
to serve private employers who make
profits. If the workers refuse they are
subject to Jail penalties.
Freedom Issue Raised.
This strange development has been
fostered by small group Of universal
service advocates who think they can
spare the profit system from similar
treatment. Instead they will bring the
kind of controversy that should never
have been permitted at this stage Of
the war. For the issue of freedom versus
involuntary servitude Is raised and, in
effect, the Government is saying that
the patriotic efforts Of the upwards Of
50,000000 men and women who have
done the war production job must now
be subjected to penalties and intimi-
dation.
Senator O'Mahoney Of wyoming,
Democrat, of the liberal and progress
sive school of thought rightly con-
demns the proposed legislation as regi-
mentation such as Hitler used and
Stain promulgated to get control of
the workers in Germany and Russia,
respectively. Organized labor has asked
the Congress to defeat the measure.
The proposed legislation is vicious in
that it deprives an aggrieved citizen of
any court appeal. 1t offers to be sure,
an administrative or interdepartmen-
tai committee to hear complaints but,
under recent decisions of the courts,
there would appear to be no possibility
of review by the courts OF decisions
made by the bureaus enforcing such
legislation. There is certainly no op-
portunity for relief within the time
limits of the bill.
1t is falacious to say that if the Gov
ernment can order a man into the
Army, it can order him into war plant
Such a position would be consistent If
the Government managed all the war
plants and there were no private profits
involved The logical sequel of the sit
uation created by the new manpower
bill would be to abolish all profits and
put all governmental and nongovern-
mental activities under complete gov
ernmental control so that there would
not be a single dollar of profit made
out of the use of patriotism to force
workers to stay on their jobs. Maybe
organized labor will soon begin to press
for such legislation.
Nazis May Wen Smile.
Opponents of democracy will dexve
considerable satisfaction out Of what is
happening. Hitler and the Nazis may
well smile at the spectacle of a democ-
racy, which calls itself free, finding that
it cannot organize itself on a voluntary
basis to win the war but must threaten
Jail sentences to get the war produc-
ton job done. Hitler is losing the war
but apparently his philosophy is
winning
Will the Senate and House acquiesce
as did the Reichstag in Nazi Germany
and as have parliamentary bodies. also
at other great moments in history when
the steam roller of military necessity
| rides roughshod over them and demands
| action? Or will members of Congress
stand on their rights and insist on a
truly voluntary plan?
| The real reason for the manpower
muddle has been ineffciency in the ad.
ministration, which now seeks way
out by drastic measures that will cove
up its mistakes. 1t is tragic indeed that
as American armies are winning a grea
victory, this democracy is asked to adop
totalitarian methods. Fascism has al
ways been simpler than democracy, bu
the American people. up to now at least
| have preferred the cumbersomeness OF
democracy to the efficiency of Fascism
| If we were losing the war by o,lr
methods it would be different, but we
are winning. The administrations idea
of reward evidently is to force workers
to become part of a strait jacket which
| deprives them Of the oldest right in
| American history-freedom to work
without state-made rules of enforced
work or slavery.
| Reproduction Rights Reseryed)