The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1942. MANPOWER, THE BASIC PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 15, 13 October 1942, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1942. MANPOWER, THE BASIC PROBLEM

‘ In introducing a Bill designed to create a single authority over the recruitment of personnel for the United States , “armed forces, agriculture, industry and other essential occupations,” Senator daft described the problem of manpower as “the most serious question confronting the nation.” This is an obvious truism. Moreover, the statement applied not only to the United States, but also to every warring country. Manpower —or, more correctly, man and womanpower—is the basic national problem in war. The outcome of the present struggle will depend to a large extent upon the-ability o the belligerent nations to organize that power and adjust it to meet changing circumstances. It is equally plain, however, that there can be no fixed basis of sufficiency. Strength in manpower is wholly comparative. The need, always, is to create a power either numerically greater, or greater in efficiency, than that of the enemy—then to translate that power in terms of military might, armament and supply production, and essential national resources and facilities. The manpower.-requirements of any of the warring nations constantly alter according to the altering strength and situation of its enemies and allies. A national programme in the United States, or in Britain, or in this country, which may have been barely adequate six months ago, is certainly not adequate today. Similarly, a programme suited to the needs of the moment may not —and probably will not —-be sufficient six months hence Occupation of territory, new offensive movements, altered disposition of forces, additional preparation involving increased industrial output—all these and other factors are fluid, not stable. And because they govern the demand a nation must make upon the services of its people, that demand cannot remain, fixed. . The outstanding example of this is provided by Germany. Hitler’s huge and costly military commitment in .Russia, coming.on top of the task that has fallen on his armies to police a restive Europe and guard an immense coastal frontier against constant threat of invasioii, has drained the Reich of manpower for the fighting Services. On the other hand, the increasing demands from, the fighting fronts for war material —not to mention the steady eating-away by Allied aerial bombardment, of production facilities —has created uigent need for more and yet more labour power on the German home front. The desperation of the efforts made to meet the situation is seen in the forced transfer of people from occupied territories to Reich industries. Such labour is the poorest possible substitute for national effort, yet the Germans are seeking it not only in France, the Low Countries and occupied Scandinavia, but also even from the tiny communities of the captive Channel Islands. Co-operative industrial planning and effort is today enabling the Allies to increase essential war production to something like sufficiency, yet maintain the expansion of their respective armed foices.. But tomorrow may bring the need for extensive adjustment. There is the inevitable developriient of United Nations operations in the Pacific arena; there is the possibility of a renewed struggle on the frontiers of India; there is the major conception of a second f ront in Europe; there is the looming danger of Russo-Japanese hostilities. . All these are factors which will, or may, bear directly upon the f basic problem of manpower. Undoubtedly they are being foreseen by those, in Washington who believe that control, of the. recruitment of United States war personnel —Servicemen and civilian workers—should be unified in order that changing national needs, may be met speedily and systematically, without waste and delay—without purposeless.competition between the Services and industry, or inefficient chopping and, changing in the grouping of manpower for this urgent puipose and that. Such handicaps have to a marked extent dogged the development of this Dominion’s manpower resources. The American plan, therefore, is deserving of our careftil study.