Evening star., 1945-03-07
Taft Charges Army
Waste Of Manpower
In Plea for Mild Bill
Senate Near Showdown
On Issue in Vote on
Bailey Proposal
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

Senator Taft, Republican, OF
Ohio charged today that the
Army has not handled it's own
manpower efficiently, in making
a .last-minute plea to the Senate
to- adhere to the voluntary job
control system under civilian
control.
As he spoke, the Senate was ap-
preaching showdown vote on the
issue of voluntary or compulsory
manpower regulation, presented by
the motion of Senator Bailey,
Democrat. of North Carolina to re-
quire men, 18 to As, to engage in
essential occupations
Apparently answering yesterdays
plea by Senator Tydings, Democrat,
of Maryland to the home front to go
"all out" in support of the armed
forces or quit talking of "uncondi-
tional surrender" Senator Taft de-
clared:
The question we have to decide
is not an emotional or patriotic is
sue, but the practical one of whether
this bill will increase production"
Denies Army Efficiency.
The Ohioan denied it would have
that effect, and asserted that if this
country had had three times as much
manpower two years ago, it would
not have materially changed the
time required to build a two-ocean
Navy and turn out the other equip
ment needed for current military
operations.
In urging Congress not to follow
the advice of military leaders on
home front manpower problems,
Senator Taft said, Certainly the
Army has not been efficient in han
ding its manpower. With 100000
men on fighting fronts, the Army
has 100000 men behind the lines" :"
Speeches Limited.
Although the Senate voted, A to
35, yesterday to strike out the pen
atty of $4,000 fine or a year in jail
on employers who violate hiring
regulations of the War Manpower
Commission, this was not regarded
by administration leaders as clear
cut test of sentiment on the COM
pulsory work bill passed by the
House five weeks ago.
1t was adopted in committee in
reprisal for a penalty on AIS who
leave farm work, and that clause
also has been cut from the bill on
the floor.
While Majority Leader Barkley
pictured the outlook for the COM
pulsory bill as better than a week
ago, the odds still appear to favor
passage of a bill depending mainly
on labor ceilings to regulate work.
ers. The chief goal of administra-
ton Senators is to get the issue into
conference with the House, where
a stronger bill may be written.
Senator Barley, who joined Sem
ator Tydings yesterday in support
ing the Bailey amendment, told re-
porters he believes it has a good
chance of adoption.
Some Strikes Called Trivial.
Many Senators remained in their
places past the usual adjournment
hour yesterday and listened atten-
lively as Senator Tydings, World
War veteran, delivered the strongest
speech made, thus far in support of
total mobilization on the home front.
Turning to the subject of wartime
strikes, the tall, lean Marylander
shouted:
II believe that all of us, from the
top of the administration down,
have a blot on our conscience and
a slur on our escutcheon when we
draft men to 60 forth and die, and
then permit thousands of men to 60
on strike for week or two, perhaps
in the midst of the production Of the
most critical thing needed by our
Army and Navy. Such strikes are,
for the most part, over trivial things.
Senator Tydings previously had
urged that labor disputes be referred
to three-man boards in each COM
munity-consisting of representa-
tives Of management, labor and a
Federal judge. The decision of any
two ought to be binding, the, Senator
said, "and any man who strikes,
whether he be laborer or a cap
italist, after such an impartial
granting of justice, ought to be
drafted for service in the armed
forces, or otherwise made to serve
in this war"
Senator Bailey's motion is de-
signed to put teeth in the sub
stitute of Senator Revercomb, Re-
publican, of West Virginia, which
now applies the work-or-jai. rrin-
(See MANPoWER, Page A-30