Evening star., 1945-01-16
Shortage Of Labor
Confined 10 Certain
Plants, Murray Says
BY ]. A. O'Leary.

Z IuIHISg Fiuuuy S0yS
By ]. A. O'Leary.
Predicting that overall employ
ment in war industries will con-
tinue to decline, as it has for
more than a year, despite recent
increases in orders for particular
items, Philip Murray, president
of the CIO, today joined in urg-
ing the House Military Affairs
Committee to stick to voluntary
manpower controls.
The problem today is not one Of
overall labor shortage but rather of
specific situations in certain locali-
ties and plants, which can best be
handled by strengthening the pres
ent recruiting machinery of labor,
management and Government COM
mittees under the War Manpower
Commission, Mr.. Murray insisted.
Message to Urge Service Act.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
President Roosevelt plans to send a
message to Congress in day or two
reiterating his recommendation for
national service legislation. Chair
man Thomas of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee, made this known
today after White House confer
ence in which the President dis
cussed the subject with members of
the Congressional Military Affairs
Committees and his top ranking
Army and Navy leaders.
In his message on the state of the
Union, the President said he would
send another communication to
Congress to bolster his pleas for
legislation that would make more
men and women available for war
service.
Survey Made by CIO.
Questioning the extent of the
nanpower shortage as estimated by
some Government officials, Mr.. Muir
ray said the CIO had a survey made
through its affiliated groups, which
. isclosed the following:
Il. That at least one-fourth of
the plants lin the case of steel the
proportion is closer to three -fourths)
where shortages were reported, there
is actually no shortage at present.
In many Of these plants there have
been recent layoffs.
-. That in the overwhelming pro-
portion of the remainder, where
there are not enough workers, there
are readily correctable factors which
explain the shortage. In some
cases-particularly in foundries-
wage rates are below those in other
plants competing for workers. In
other cases, working conditions are
so bad that labor turnover Is high.
In still others the companies have
bad labor relations records.
"3. That in many plants manage
ments are unwilling to employ wom-
en- and Negroes despite the fact that
these workers are ready and eager
to get into war jobs"
Party Suggestion Renewed.
Renewing his suggestion of last
Saturday that War Mobilization Di-
rector Byrnes call a conference OF
labor, industry, agriculture and
Government leaders. Mr.. Murray
declared that only voluntary solu-
tions for the current situation can
give the expanded production
needed.
AS the CIO chief testified, there
we're growing indications that pend
ing proposals for assignment OF
workers under the compulsion of
military induction or civil prosecu-
ton faces an uphill fight due to
sharp division in the committee
over the need for such legislation
at this time,
Although no decisions will be
reached until later in the week,
after - the hearings close, there
were some indications that a
measure merely strengthening the
job recruiting system Of the War
Manpower Commission, through the
United States Employment Service,
may emerge in place Of the COM
pulsory work or fight plan.
The National Association OF
Manufacturers strengthened this
trend in the committee by urging
in statement last night that, In
stead of enacting national service
legislation, Congress should provide
for more effective administration of
the orders of VINO, with enforce
ment through the courts. Such leg
islative authority would cover estab-
lishment of employment ceilings, use
of controlled referrals and COM
pulsory releases.
The manufacturers advocated i'm
mediate enforcement of the work
or-fight principle, but contended no
additional legislation is needed to
accomplish that.
This would coincide with the
views presented thus far by organ
lied labor, and some Of the Repub-
licans on the committee indicated
yesterday they sympathize with
those views.