MANPOWER: The Basic Needs

Day before Franklin Roosevelt gave new and sweeping powers to War Manpower Commissioner Paul Vories McNutt (TIME, Dec. 14) he went over the final draft of the order with a group which included McNutt, War Secretary Henry L. Stimson, Navy Secretary Frank Knox, and WPBoss Donald Nelson. When the President came to the section stopping all enlistments in the armed forces, Secretary Knox is said to have begged:

"Paul, give me just three more months for naval enlistments."

And McNutt replied: "Frank, when the President signs that order, I won't give you three minutes."

As his first act on receiving his new power...

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