The Ypsilanti Daily Press

New Group to be in Work or Fight Limits President Likely to Announce New Manpower Plan

Washington. Mar. 8-INS-President Roosevelt is expected to announce a new manpower program this week, it was reported today as Congress prepared to take action in the muddled manpower situation.

These developments in the nation's No. 1 problem came as it was indicated that the War Manpower Commission's "work -Or-fight" policy would be extended to the 6,500,000 American men in the 38 to 45 year age group. Signs increased that the armed services again may start taking men over 38 for limited military duty to release physically-qualified soldiers for combat service.

A special committee appointment by Mr. Roosevelt was reported to have agreed on basic plans for a solution to the manpower tangle. It was understood that the group concluded that the high command's goal for a fighting force of 10,500,000 men this year must be retained.

Special Group The special group formed by the President to give their opinion on how manpower should be divided among the armed forces, agriculture and industry is composed of Economic Stabilization Director James F. Byrnes, chairman: Bernard Baruch, New York financier; Harry Hopkins, confidential adviser to the President; Adm. William D. Leahy, the President's military adviser and New York Supreme Court Justice Samuel I. Rosenman.

Meanwhile, the Senate moved nearer important decisions on questions involving proposed limitation of the Army, reorganization of the manpower program and methods of averting a possible food shortage. Despite the Manpower Commission's order to defer necessary farm workers, supporters of the Bankhead bill' keeping all agricultural labor from military service this year indicated they will call up the measure in the Senate tomorrow.

Action is also expected in the fight to keep married men with children from being inducted and to reduce the size of the planned armed force to about 9,000,000 men. Furthermore, boards were advised that beginning May 1, they should reclassify out of class 4-H all other registrants and rate them according to their occupations.