Senator HILL. If we are going to follow your plan I am wondering why the employment offices should not cover all work, all jobs. Mr. MOSHER. My basic program would cover the entire work force. They are part of the 50 million-odd people in the country who are working. I think the whole work force should be subject to the same rules. Senator HILL. You would have it cover all jobs, all work, and that would apply to domestic work too, wouldn't it? Mr. MOSHER. Yes, sir. Senator HILL. You would have it apply to all jobs, you would have it apply to all men and you would have it apply to all women between the ages of 18 and 60? Mr. MOSHER. I don't know. I take the old age idea, 65, to answer your question out of the sky. Senator HILL. 18 to 65. You have covered a pretty good deal of territory here. Mr. MOSHER. Yes, sir. If you are going to cover this you have got to cover territory. Senator HILL. Let me ask you a question off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Senator HAWKES. Mr. Mosher, may I ask this question, following the thought that Senator Revercomb had? Suppose under this plan of yours, this employer fired John Jones and he was told by the United States Employment Service to go to a certain plant and he went there and for some reason didn't accept employment. Then what would you have done? Would he go back to the United States Employment Service? Mr. MOSHER. We have not covered that particular case. Senator HAWKES. I think that is important because that could easily happen with good reason. Mr. MOSHER. Yes, sir. We didn't see how to cover it unless we got into this compulsion that might be carried and extended to the point where we are afraid of it. In the individual case I don't think one needs to be particularly concerned about anything, but I didn't hear the details of that particular discussion. I know it was discussed and a satisfactory answer was not found for that. Senator HAWKES. There seems to be a difference of opinion as to whether the program for vital war materials and supplies can be met without any law, and if the difficulty at the moment that is stirring up this situation has not come from the let-down in the program last fall and then stepping it up higher than it will have to be maintained to carry on the whole program after they catch up with what they lost through the lowering of schedules last fall. Have you an opinion on that? Mr. MOSHER. I have no right to set my judgment up against the military, but my opinion is the pendulum is swinging just as far the other way, putting on too much pressure, as it swung when the pressure was released last summer and fall. The new production program includes-I say this with hesitationoutfitting a tremendous part of the French population for reasons that you gentlemen know more about than I do. It includes another Navy. Maybe the war is going to last all those years and I don't advocate for a moment that when the military lays out their plans they should figure the war will end on a certain date. But take W. P. B.'s figures which have come to my attention. The manpower is here to do the job, but telling people you have to work there or you have to work here won't relieve the picture. It is a delicate mechanism. The speed factor we have in this country is a delicate mechanism and very little will hurt it. I have spent my life trying to increase efficiency in plants. So I think I can make that statement. Senator HAWKES. I know that you are right in stating that men who are satisfied and who feel they are doing their full share voluntarily and who realize the vital necessity for backing up our manpower in the armed services will do a more efficient job than the fellow who is taken by the back of the neck and told he has to go there. I don't know if this needs to be or not, but if it does need to be, I am going to vote for it. That is why I asked you the question. You see, I have been out of the manufacturing business for a long time now, but I have had some very strong letters from some of the ablest industrialists in the United States, and they are just as patriotic as any man in the Senate and they feel if we put this compulsion on and make everybody feel that they have been drafted and they are regulated, and their whole lives are regulated, that we will injure the whole thing more than we benefit it. Mr. MOSHER. I think I can boil the opinion of the National Association of Manufacturers down to a very few words. We believe, first, that we must not do anything that will interfere with this morale factor in production. We do believe that if the W. M. C. controls in those four points that I mentioned are put under statute authority, or whatever terms I should use, that the job can be done that way and it can be done better, and we won't run the risks that we will run under other types of legislation. That is oversimplified, but it is our position, roughly. Senator BURTON. Is your proposal in the form of an amendment to the bill? Mr. MOSHER. No, sir; but we will be glad to do anything along these lines that we can. I think there has been something worked out on it but I will have to say I don't know. Senator BURTON. You are not sponsoring the Harness measure in the House? Mr. MOSHER. No, sir; and I am not particularly familiar with that. The CHAIRMAN. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. MOSHER, for appearing before us. (The telegram referred to as the telegram sent out by the National Association of Manufacturers to its members is as follows:) FEBRUARY 2, 1945. Please wire immediately attitude of your association to May national service bill for men 18 to 45. Will it help solve manpower problems your area or would strengthening of voluntary manpower program by statutory authority better meet situation? Also, is your manpower situation as serious as reported? Any information you can furnish in way of figures or other data needed as several Senators called on us today for this information. Rush. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr. (The telegrams received in reply to the foregoing telegram are as follows:) WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., LOS ANGELES, CALIF., February 3, 1945. National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Have been in correspondence with National Industrial Council representativesCompton, Brennan, and latest Sparks-with whom discussed subject over phone and who is advised as to our attitude. Our association took no formal action after discussion on subject by our executive committee, believing it would be best for the time being put ourselves in position of trying secure amendments. Several of our members having knowledge of such views expressed conclusions that organization opposition to any kind of a national service bill would be in opposition to views held by men in military service. Our check indicates they feel everybody able should be made work under law in present situation. Further if Army and Navy leadership denied any form of legislation they might feel and defend themselves on the ground, in connection with any reverses, that they were due to lack of total national effort, putting industry on defensive. However, as bill is now, overwhelming majority our members are opposed to it on ground that it will be ineffective, place burden of responsibility without knowledge on draft boards, give too much directive power, is legislatively inconclusive, and definitely does not provide answers to these questions: First, what will happen if man is ordered into job in essential industry having closed-shop agreement and refuses join labor union, pay its dues, or obey its orders? The compulsory permit system permissive with unions has been in substance ruled unlawful by our State supreme court; second, where there are closed unions in sense that no more members are being received, what will happen to such inducted employee if union refuses him membership? To say they will be forced to do so is not any answer in view of success unions have had in defying Government orders such as in Petrillo case. Have in mind that probably 9 out of 10 men that may be inducted into industry are not members of any union or not of the union having jurisdiction in that plant; third, in what manner will this bill meet the crying need which is principally for skilled artisans, who as our survey shows are now fully employed? And where unusual skills involved working as high as 60 or 70 hours a week. This shortage in production can be met only by removing every obstacle in way of a man working overtime and providing for production on incentive basis. Answering your questions directly, our survey shows in metropolitan area Los Angeles and Orange Counties about 1,500,000 people employed. Between 500,000 and 600,000 under industry contracts furnishing war materials. We are short in critical war industry about 8,000 employees, 25 percent highly skilled, 50 percent semiskilled, 25 percent common labor. Our shortage in all industry is about 25,000 which has been constant for 8 months, arising largely from unsuitability of men for jobs and turn-over arising from that and other causes. Even in peacetime United States Employment Service lists about 25,000 job openings as a constant factor due principally to turn-over. It is conclusion of myself and associates with whom I have reviewed subject this morning, that measure will not serve purpose of increasing production, but will introduce into war industry by compulsion an inefficient and dissatisfied element whose presence is apt to create confusion and discord, for it is highly improbable that any substantial number of new employees will be found who are fitted to the jobs where shortage now exists. PAUL SHOup. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., DENVER, COLO., February 5, 1945. National Association of Manufacturers: Retel 2d our voluntary plan successful. State War Manpower Commission director stated January 23 "Colorado meeting day-to-day quotas." Figures of current need reduced from 2,300 November 1 to 2,100 January 15. Figures of anticipated need high but usually unreliable; 4,000 actual job openings now. FERNE R. CRAWFORD, Manufacturers Association of Colorado. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., DES MOINES, Iowa, February 3, 1945. Director, National Industrial Council, Washington, D. C.: Strengthening war manpower control preferable to May bill. Manpower situation tight but voluntary effort will do the job. WALTER CHAMBLIN, EDW. A. KIMBALL. NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 3, 1945. National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Believe strengthening voluntary manpower program by statutory authority would meet situation better than May bill. Some May bill provisions discriminate against loyal workers who have produced diligently since Pearl Harbor. January applicants New Orleans United States Employment Service exceeded 12,000 with 62 percent referred to war industries. Louisiana ordnance requirements December to March, inclusive, 1,600 being met, but separation rate 10 to 15 percent per month. Required employment level expected to be met. Aircraft requirements December to March, 1,400. Expected to be met. Ship building and repair need 1,100 skilled. New Orleans current programs adequate despite 10 separations monthly. No difficulty experienced in petroleum. Negligible demands in synthetic rubber chemicals require 350, with prospects good for securing. Lumber and logging real problem, with 3,300 required and 9 percent separations. Present program inadequate but believe reclassifications and better-planned local cooperation will help. Paper need 500 next 3 months. Hopeful present program will supply. Textile requirement, 300, should be met without difficulty. Sugar mills and plantations present serious problem, partially overcome by prisoner labor. Louisiana agriculture will materially suffer if farm workers drafted. Expansion of farm-machinery production and delivery will help, otherwise farm production will be reduced. Dairy and livestock industry needs men badly. General manufacturing employment apparently stabilized, but May bill would probably instabilize. General outlook encouraging, with new program inaugurated New Orleans to reduce absenteeism and plans being worked out to reduce separations. Optimistic reports from Washington resulted in loss of workers to less essential activities. Believe proper publicity and presentation actual facts will eliminate much turn-over and stimulate employment where most needed. Manufacturers committee New Orleans Association of Commerce concurs this view. SAM B. DUNBAR, Manager, Louisiana Manufacturers Association. BOSTON, MASS., February 3, 1945. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Re telegram Associated Industries of Massachusetts attitude hard to assemble Saturday morning but consensuss of opinion of staff and members contacted support National Association of Manufacturers position. May bill would help to limited extent, but accomplishment of War Manpower Commission and cooperation it has had from employers demonstrates logic of its continuing the administration and particularly if given statutory authority. Great danger seen in swapping horses now. Present over-all shortages in Massachusetts estimated at twenty-five to thirty-five thousand, with nine to ten thousand in critical work. Acute demands are spotty both as to area and occupations, with greatest need in highly skilled men and laborers on heavy work. ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF MASSACHUSETTS, WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., CINCINNATI, OHIO, February 3, 1945. National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Prospective shortage in Cincinnati area until July. Not too serious. 3,000 women could cure situation. Are fearful of further delegation of authority to any agency. THE INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION, By JAMES G. MANLEY. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., TRENTON, N. J., February 5, 1945. National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Our association favors strengthening of existing manpower controls on the voluntary cooperation basis. We believe it will most quickly and effectively meet the situation which exists in spots in our critical labor areas. Steps already taken by Selective Service State director and by regional War Manpower Commission directors and splendidly functioning labor management committees, we feel make new Federal conscription or compulsion proposals totally unnecessary and undesirable. • WALTER CHAMBLIN, M. J. HICKEY, General Manager, Manufacturers INDIANAPOLIS, IND., February 3, 1945. Investment Building, Washington, D. C.: Our association on record as opposing legislation for conscripting labor. It is our opinion that strengthening of some kind of voluntary manpower program would be preferable, for it is generally felt that conscripted labor would only make the conditions worse. As to Indianapolis, probably 2,000 workers would more than take care of all needs. Most contracts are up to the minute, and only recently the Ordnance Department complimented this area for our production record of war materials. It is the opinion of many that present regulations hamper rather than aid the hiring situation. H. M. COCHRANE, Secretary, Indiana Manufacturers Association. PORTLAND, OREG., February 3, 1945. WALTER CHAMBLIN, Jr., National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, D. C.: Practically all my time since January 8 has been spent at State legislature therefore have not followed proposed national service legislation. From what information I can get on Saturday afternoon it seems that our manpower shortage has greatly improved in past 30 days. No urgent war production behind schedule at present on account of manpower shortage. Outside recruiting has been stopped. What voluntary immigration we get is sufficient to meet present needs. We believe that time has long since passed for compulsory labor legislation. ROBERT R. MCKEAN, Manager, Columbia Empire Industries, Inc. R. T. COMPTON, CLEVELAND, OHIO, February 6, 1945. National Industrial Council, Washington, D. C.: We believe that voluntary manpower program will be far more effective in securing necessary labor for critical industries than the proposed national service bill now pending in the Senate. January 15 needed 8,700 men. Since then and up to January 31, United States Employment Service reports that there have been 20,000 applicants for work in critical industries. The rush of applicants continues and it has been possible to utilize a sufficient number of them to greatly ease our situation. We have been publicly complimented and thanked on our progress by Mr. Bard of the Navy and Mr. Krug of War Production Board. Copies of communications from the above men are being mailed to you tonight. We are continuing our efforts. The problem would be practically solved if we could reduce absenteeism. THE ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF CLEVELAND. |