Evening star., 1946-05-06
100000 Face Loss
OF Right 10 Old Jobs
# Draft Law Expires
BY Miriom Ottenbero

approximately 100000 men
who were promised their old Jobs
back when they entered the
armed forces will lose their re-
employment rights If Congress
fails to extend the Selective
Service Act, draft officials
warned today.
They represent about one-third
of the men who had Jobs before
they went into the service, Selec-
tive Service officials estimated. They
either are still awaiting discharge
or have recently been DISCHARGED
and are in the 9O-day period during
which they can apply for their old
jobs.
Draft officials. in answer to oues-
tions, said the best legal minds
are convinced that if the Selective
Service Act expires on May Is, the
right OF re-employment-as prom
ised by Congress-expires, too.
Would Have No Protection.
THAT: means that if the act ex-
pires a veteran who applies for his
old job on May 16 has no protec-
tion,' Selective Service spokesman
pointed out. The employer could
give it to him or not as he sees
fit and the veteran would have no
recourse to the courts"
Draft officials said the re-employ-
ment protection guaranteed by the
law was more important now than
at any previous time for several
reasons. In many industries, it was
pointed out, employers are cutting
down rather than expanding their
forces. The law gave veterans first
chance at the remaining jobs, but
without the law, employers would
have no choice but to follow union
seniority rules-men with the long
est service in the plant would get
the jobs, whether they were vet
earns or non-veterans.
The trend in that direction al
ready has been noted by Selective
Service unemployment officials, who
report that the number of contested
Unemployment cases has risen
sharply in the last month or two
as result of an appeals court
decision holding that veterans did
not have the right to displace non-
veterans with greater seniority.
Before Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court was sched-
uled to hear arguments on the case
against veterans so-called super
seniority" today.
Reporting that approximately 700
Unemployment cases are now in the
hands of United States attorneys,
draft officials pointed out that If
the act expires, the veterans who
run into the same unemployment
difficulties after May Is will not
have the Governments prosecutors
to go to bat for them.
Selective Service Director Hershey
brought the unemployment angle of
the Selective Service Act to the at
tention of Congress several months
ago and several bills were intro
duced. Instead of acting on these
bills, the House. in voting to extend
the Selective Service Act, provided
that veterans unemployment rights
should continue even after the next
expiration date of the act.
Urging immediate action on the
draft-extension question, now await
ing Senate action, Commander IL,
Chief Joseph M. Stack of the Vet
Grams of Foreign Wars today wrote
Chairman Thomas of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee that "the
need Is urgent for Its extension in
the interest of national security,
replacements for service-weary per-
sonnel and protection for the re-
employment rights of thousands of
Servicemen."
TT would be a breach of good
faith by the Congress If this act
is not extended" Mr.. Stack de-
clared.