Evening star., 1945-01-12
Knudsen Advocates
Putting Men Up 10 50
Under labor Draft Bill
Production OfficiuI Cool
To Plan to Induct Those
Who Don't Take War Jobs
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

1t. Gen. William S. KnudSen
War Department director of pro-
duction, told the House Military
Affairs Committee today that the
bill to channel deferred draft
registrants between 18 and 4s
into war plants would be better
if it covered men up to the age
of go.
Asked by Representative Spark.
man, Democrat, of Alabama whether
he would prefer the 18-to-45 range
or broader national service bill
the general replied:
THE more the merrier. Up to s,
would be better"
AS the committee recessed unit
Monday sentiment appeared to b.
growing to penalize those who ia;
to take essential jobs with fines ant
imprisonment instead of inductint
them into military labor battalion.
without veterans benefits, as ths
bill now provides.
Two other changes have beer
drafted by Representative Kilday
Democrat, of Texas to protect shift
ed workers by insuring their senior
ity rights for postwar reinstate-
ment in their old jobs, and to pro-
vide financial relief if the job
change makes a man unable to meet
his obligations.
Knudsen Opposes Induction.
Committee members thought some
small business men or self employed
persons required to 60 into a war
plant might leave obligations that
could not be met out of their pay.
Gen. Knudsen, who began the wal
production program in 1941 as head
of the Office of Production Manage
ment, agreed with military leaders
that it would be better to keep the
manpower problem on a civilian
basis than to induct recalcitrants
into the Army.
Gen. Knudsen testified that there
has been recent improvement in the
absentee problem in war plants
Last year it was as high as IL pei
cent, and now it is down to or
per cent. In peacetime, he said, ths
normal amount of absenteeism is
per cent. Under war conditions HI
thought per cent would be normal
The general said he felt confident
the pending bill would help still
further to cut absenteeism as wei
as to prevent turnover, because i
would convince workers their serv.
ices are urgently needed.
Bill to Delegate Authority.
The bill now before the Hous,
committee is designed to equil
selective service with authority tt
draw men between 18 and As from
nom n-essential jobs to replace able
bodied men who will be called from
the farms and war plants to NEE
the required quota of additiona
fighting men-estimated at 10000,
for the first half of 194s.
Meanwhile, Representative Colmer
Democrat, of Mississippi went befor,
the committee late yesterday will
plea for consideration of his NOR
lfar-reaching national service bill
which would place all deferred regis
trants in a new national defens
organization to be known as tn
supply forces of the United States
Men who stayed at work on essentia
jobs would remain on inactive duty
and draw their regular wages
Whenever the President found, how
ever, that manpower requirements il
war-supporting industries were no
being met by voluntary recruiting
he would be authorized to call de
ferred registrants to active duty
in the supply forces, in which cas-
they would receive Army pay and b
subject to the articles of war.
Order Of Call.
The Colmer bill proposes thai
when this is necessary, men b
called in the following order: a. In
dividuals who participate in strik
after the bill passes: 90 men in non
essential jobs; CD individuals in es
sential jobs who are found to hav
an unjustified record of absenteeism
a. other individuals.
The Mississippian's bill also seek
to limit net profits on war contract
in excess of $4,000 to 6 per cent.
Mr.. Colmer told the committe
that, so far, I don't think any or
has made any sacrifice, except thos
called into the armed services an
the relatives Of men killed
wounded. Those of us, so far !
the home front Is concerned, a.
lighting a pink tea war;