BRITISH MANPOWER

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22461, 23 September 1944, Page 6

BRITISH MANPOWER

USE AGAINST JAPANESE REDISTRIBUTION PLANNED RELEASES FOR INDUSTRY (Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 21 There will be no general demobilisation of Britain’s armed forces until the total defeat of the Axis Powers, including Japan, throughout the world. There will nevertheless be a partial release when Germany is defeated and a re-allocation of manpower between the Services and industry. The needs of the latter will mainly be concerned with housing. Meanwhile the call-up of men to the forces will be continued. A war gratuity scheme is to be announced. These are the main points from a Government White Paper setting out the scheme for demobilisation. The underlying principle is that general demobilisation of either the armed forces or war industry cannot take place until the end of the war against the Axis Powers and their total defeat throughout the world. Therefore the mobilisation of the manpower of the nation will have to continue until the war, including the subjugation of Japan, is finished. With the defeat of Germany, Britain will pass to a new phase of the war but in the interim period must be subject to overriding military needs. These will govern the extent of the releases from the forces, but taking the Services, as a whole it is anticipated it will be possible to reallocate manpower on a substantial scale among the three Services and industry. Governed By Needs Military needs will also govern the volume of munitions and other essential production. While this will decrease during the interim period, requirements will still be very large and there is no doubt that until well after the end of the war against Japan there will be a shortage of labour in Britain.

During the interim period the callup of men to the forces will be continued while at the same time men and women will be released from the forces for return to industry. Release from the forces is intended to be on two distinct bases:

First, an age and length of service basis. The number of men so released will correspond to the reduction in the strength of the forces and will be increased in consequence of the calling up of new recruits. They will be released in turn as determined by the two factors of age and length of war service, except that men of 50 and over will be treated as a priority class, to be released if they so desire. Secondly, men needed to assist in the reconstruction of the' country preparatory to general demobilisation after the war will be transferred out of turn from the forces to industry. No man will be forced to leave the forces, and any man due for release will be able, if he wishes, to volunteer for a further period of service. Application to Women Release of class A men (age and length of service class) will begin as soon as practicable after the end cf the European war. The transfer of Class B men (reconstruction employments) will not begin until a start is made with men in Class A. Class A released men will be placed in a special reserve from which they will be recalled only in an extreme emergency. Class B men will be placed to a reserve from which they will be recalled if they discontinue reconstruction employment. Arrangements for release and transfer will apply to the women’s auxiliary services in the same way as to men in the forces, except that married women will be treated as a priority class. A similar scheme for the redistribution of manpower among civilian employments is being worked out.