Evening star., 1951-06-08
No Time to Waste Monpower

Columbia University's research report on
Conservation of Human Resources" indicates
that the armed forces have not yet taken full
advantage of the lessons learned about man
power utilization in World War II. The report
declares that there was tragic waste of man
power then and that this vital resource is still
being wasted under present induction policies.
DR.. Eli Ginzberg, director of the study prof.
ect said that too many good fighting men were
rejected for illiteracy and similar trivial reasons
during the past war. He added: "A considerable
number of men who. though failing the mental
examinations, could nevertheless serve effec-
lively" are being turned down by defense officials.
He has presented the views and recommendations
of the research group to the Defense Department.
Defense authorities have justified the present
literacy standards as being sufficient to the needs
Of today's emergency. They have indicated that
requirements will be relaxed in event of full
mobilization. But Dr. Ginzberg contends that it
is better to relax standards now than to build
up a large body of rejectees who would have to
be inducted later. Of1icials found in the late
war that the building up OF such large group
of reectees for later induction presented serious
administrative problems.
Eve contend lin the reporD," Dr.. Ginzberg
said, 'that they should use the present period Of
partial mobilization for experimenting with clas-
styling, assigning and utilizing men with minor
mental or emotional handicaps. The strong
desire of the armed services to have Congress
pass q universal service and training act rein
forces the logic of this approach. Clearly, such
an act can apply universally only II a minimum
number of persons are rejected for service"
It was found that of the 100000 men re-
tected in World War II for emotional or mental
handicaps, 10000 had been ruled out on mental
deficiency grounds. Most of these men were not
really deficient mentally, however. They merely
had lacked educational advantages When the
Army finally established elementary education
the report pointed out, most of them learned
quickly and became excellent soldiers.
Not all Of the waste of manpower occurred
among the less-educated groups either. The
report shows that the screening procedures
used in World War II failed to develop the
capabilities OF talented men, "Since only
about per cent Of the population has the
type Of intelligence required for the solution
of complicated scientific problems" the report
says, "the Importance of developing and
utilizing the capacities of these well-endowed
individuals as fully as possible is matter Of the
greatest national Importance" Presumably the
researchers had in mind the drafting Of scientists
and technicians who were assigned to jobs
having no relation to their special talents and
training-and the loss both to the armed serv-
Ices and to defense industry of such key men.
The Columbia report should be required
reading for all Federal officials concerned with
manpower utilization in this emergency. It
presents in concise form the lessons Of wasted
manpower in the past. This is no time to repeat
the mistakes Of other years.