No Detroit Shortage?

The U.S. Manpower Commission recently ruled that Detroit should be considered in manpower Group I, the group of regions where manpower shortages are reputedly most acute. But last week representative management and labor leaders rose up to doubt the finding which would in effect bar the city from getting new war contracts or renewing old ones if there are facilities elsewhere. Typical comments :

> C. E. Wilson, president of General Motors: "We get all the help we need."

> George Christopher, president of Packard: "We have not found that there is a shortage of workers."

> C. J. Reese, president of Continental Motors: "We have been hearing about a manpower shortage for the last 18 months, but Detroit has met the task of training unskilled workers."

> Victor Reuther of C.I.O.: "I don't think the manpower recommendation from Washington was justified. We can step up production by increasing our use of manpower."

As if to emphasize Victor Reuther's opinion, his brother, Walter Reuther, has come forward with a plan for establishing "full employment" for Detroit and all war industries. Claiming that absenteeism and labor discontent are largely due to the fact that many men are asked to work only in spurts, Walter Reuther proposes drastic remedies: 1) establishment of regulations that all war plants must provide 40-hr.-week employment now, and later a 48-hr, week, with full payment for overtime; 2) a national wage policy which will guarantee to all war plant employes who work less than 40 hours per week through no fault of their own the equivalent of 40-hr.-per-week pay--the cost to be borne by the Government when material shortages are to blame, by the management when it is to blame; 3) release to other plants of all employes who cannot get full employment; 4) stabilization of wage rates for the same kind of work.

Occasioned by wartime conditions, and aimed against labor hoarding by corporations, Walter Reuther's suggestions may be a foretaste of many a labor proposal for maintaining full employment in peace. They likewise suggest many a problem. If pressure is applied against part-time employment, will not some men lose their jobs altogether? If firms are ordered to employ a given number of men on full-time pay, who is to decide when a firm should cut its production, or go out of business? Finally, can Government dictate employment short of full socialization?

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