Evening star., 1951-01-28
Question of Policy
Appears to Be
UD to Truman
By jones Y. Newton

Top-level. Government officials
are engaged in a tug-of-War over
control of the entire manpower
mobilization program and appar-
emily it will be up to President
Truman to pick the winner. it
was learned last night.
The behind-the-scen strug-
gle is between the Office of Mobi-
lization Director Charles E. Will
son and Secretary of Labor To-
bin. Standing by as more than
interested spectators are Assist
ant Secretary Anna = Rosenberg,
in charge of the Defense Depart
ment's manpower problems, and
Lewis B. Hershey, selective serv-
ice director.
The issue is whether the Labor
Department or the Office of De-
fense Mobilization should co-ordi-
nate the manpower policies of the
military, defense production and
essential civilian programs. In ef-
feet, the man, or men, who gets
the job would decide who will per-
form what job when the man
power supply gets really tight.
A decision is imminent and it
apparently could go either way.
Secretary Tobin was said already
to have taken his case to Mr.. Tru-
man. Leading the argument for
ODM is Gen. Lucius D. Clay, now
an assistant to Mr.. Wilson. Mrs.
Rosenberg was described as being
in Mr.. Tobin's corner.
Secretary Tobin discussed the
problem with Mrs. Rosenberg yes
terday in a quiet conference at
the Pentagon. Gen. Hershey, ap-
parently a neutral, also was pres
ent. Gen. Clay was not. He is Mr..
Wilson'S trouble shooter on pro-
duction and manpower problems,
and ODM's liaison at the Penta-
gon. He was one of the Army's top
production men in World War II.
Mr.. Wilson was said to be nearly
ready to set up a manpower policy
Office in the ODM. One high off,
cial said a co-ordinatory would
be named within a week. But the
plans may be snagged by the
fight Mr.. Tobin is making in the
matter.
In the order creating the ODM.
the President gave Mr.. Wilson his
authority over manpower as we'll
as policy control over all otner
phases of the giant mobilization
program, including defense pro-
duction and economic stabiliza-
ton. Mr.. Wilson was said to feel
he must have control over all as
to do an effective job.
It was the plan to attach a
manpower Office to the ODM,
similar to the Economic Stabiliza-
tion Agency which operates price
wage controls, and the Defense
Production Administration which
handles military production prob
lens and cutbacks in civilian
goods.
Tobin Has Manpower Office.
Mr. Tobin'S department oper-
ates the Office of Defense Man
power. which is a souped-up ver-
sion of the peacetime United
States Employment Service. OPP
Grating also under an order from
the President, it is designed to
take care of the civilian end of
the defense manpoWer problem.
The office roughly corresponds to
the War Manpower Commission of
the last war. In fact, Mr.. Tobin
has set up committe of depart
ment and agency officials to con-
suit on various aspects of the de-
tense program.
But under the present arrange
ment, Mr. Wilson must deal with
at least three people-Mr. Tobin
or his manpoWer director, Robert
c. Goodwin; Mrs Rosenberg and
Gen. HerShey-ln order to get
things done. William H. Harrison,
the Defense Production Admins
traitor, is in ODM'S corner.
1t was said that President Tru-
man has two courses open. He
may decide the issue himself or
he may tell Mr.. Wilson to make
the decision.
Mr.. Tobin was making his
fight, it was said, because he feels
(See MANPOWER, Page ABB