Government Contractors Asked to Utilize Supply of Alien Manpower

Urging full use of all loyal aliens, the War, Navy and Justice Departments and the Maritime Commission today jointly announced shortening and simplification of the procedure whereby holders of government airplane and “classified” contracts may obtain permission for hiring aliens within two weeks of less.

A statement signed by Secretary of War Stimson, Attorney General Biddle, Secretary of the Navy Knox, and Maritime Commission Chairman Land also emphasized that government contractors may employ aliens as freely as citizens on all other types of work; and in fact, such contractors are forbidden by Executive Order 8802 from discriminating in hiring because of a worker’s race or national origin.

“Even on aeronautical and classified contracts, if a qualified applicant whose services the contractor needs is an alien whose loyalty to the United States the contractor has no reason to doubt, the contractor is obligated to cooperate with the applicant in applying for consent to his employment,” the statement said. It went on to say that failure to employ such an alien is a breach of the contract anti-discrimination clause and contrary to national policy.

The shortened procedure whereby a contractor on aeronautical or classified (as secret, confidential or restricted) government contract can obtain consent to employ aliens is outlined in full in the statement, which supersedes previous regulations on the same subject. Either the employer or the alien may ask for reconsideration if consent is denied, and in case of final denial, the alien should be directed to the U. S. Employment Service for referral to other work. Furthermore, the statement emphasizes that an employer is not subject to penalty resulting from loss or damage if he has obtained, in good faith, the permission of the government department involved before permitting an alien to have access to the work, plans or trial under aeronautical or classified contracts.