Evening star., 1947-12-08
Marshall Plan Needs
May Set New Mark
In U. 5. Employment

In U. 5. Employment
BY shs Assseisisd Press
Industrial production under the
Marshall plan for European recov-
cry Is likely to bring . manpoweI
squeeze to some American cities and
help raise employment to new
peak next year.
In making these forecasts today
however, Robert G. Goodwin, direc.
tor of the United States Employ
ment Service, insisted there will be
no general labor shortage over the
country.
Nor, he added, win the labor sup
ply be serious bottleneck If the
multi-billion dollar program is voted
by Congress.
President Truman is expected to
send his detailed Marshall plan rec
concentrations to the Capitol this
week. Secretary Of State Marshall,
author Of the help Europe -help-it-
self program, has estimated the 4
year cost at between $4,000, 900 900
and sac, ,oo0, 900 900.
Scarcities In Materials Possible.
Discussing the relationship be-
tween any such Government outlay
and job prospects In this country,
Mr.. Goodwin said steel and other
scarcities will put = ceiling on pro-
duction before manpower does
And, even though unemployment
now is at a postwar low Of 800 900,
there still Is room for expansion Of
the labor force II desirable" Jobs
are offered, he asserted.
Finding farm workers to harvest
the huge 1948 crop goals will be
"the toughest part Of the job," Mr..
Goodwin said, but I believe we can
do 1t with an intensive recruiting
campaign"
He added that some importation
of foreign workers will be necessary
even though the Government after
January no longer will subsidize
the housing and medical care of
Mexicans, Bahamians and others re-
cruited for work In the fruit, grain
and sugar beet harvests. Some 80, 900
were brought here this year for that
work.
Fourth Of Areas ~ Bottom"
As for possible squeezes In some
cities, Mr.. Goodwin noted that
most of the manufactured items
needed by Europe, such Is steel,
farm machinery, vehicles, freight
cars, electrical and industrial equip
ment, are produced in areas like
the Great Lakes which already are
among the tight labor markets.
One-fourth OF the ITO labor mar
ket areas" into which USES divides
the country now are listed as rock
bottom" with three per cent or less
unemployment.
There is = good possibility that
the number of such rock-bottom
areas will increase when the sum
mer seasonal upswing Of employ
ment nears its peak" Mr.. Goodwin
reported. y
"However. manpower will not be
an obstacle to our meeting the aid
for Europe goals. It Is possible to
expand our labor market by making
the jobs more attractive, bringing
women back into factories and
breaking up skilled Jobs into several
Simplffied operations"
May Top ls47 Record.
Employment may top the 1g47
|peacetime record of around 60,o0O.-
900 II sizeable European aid pro-
gram Is piled atop the Nations
already booming prosperity, Nj.
Goodwin said. With students lesy-
ing schools and veterans being grad
uated, the total labor market may
total some "a 4,000, 900 persons.
During the war the labor market,
including this men and women In
the armed forces, was ,0O0, 900
higher than that. Then the house
wises retired, the older people quit.
But it Is possible for them to be
brought back. Our reserves Of man-
power are not yet exhausted" Mr..
Goodwin said. s-. III Ia, SIS u
Although the Employment Serv-
ice has steered clear or translating
any Of its observations into recon-
mendations, it has cited three fac
tors as suggesting ways In which the
labor force could be bolstered. They
are:
/. Negroes, in proportion to their
numbers In the labor force, are en-
ployed only halt Is fully as white
persons.
2. Work specifications now are
more rigid than they were during
the war, and hours are shorter.
:. Some industries do not attract
workers because Of "substandard"
wages.
n, ~ Maybe Needed for Steel.
+ An informal USES survey OF In
dustries most likely to be affected
by the Marshall plan resulted In
this summary:
Steel - Twenty-Five thousand to
$1,000 more workers would be need
ed, mostly unskilled. Chicago mills
already have difnculty recruiting.
Farm machinery - Between 5000
and 1900 workers would be needed; !;
difficulties could be expected In find-
ing unskilled foundry help. Most
producers are in the Great Lakes
and Minnesota areas, where unem-
ployment is negligible; therefore, re-
cruiting would hurt other industries.
Fertilizer = No great problem is
anticipated. At its peak the indus
try employs only $4,000. The pro-
duction centers-Baltimore, Hamp-
ton Roads, Va; Savannah, Ga, and
Charleston, s. C.-have some labor
surpluses.
Heavy electrical equipment No
recruiting problem foreseen for the
three major producers, General
Electric, Westinghouse and Allis-
Chalmers. AL have lists of laid
OF workers who can be recalled,
wages are comparatively good and
women can be used for many oper-
ations.
Metai-Working Machinery-15,0 ,0O0