Boypower

While the armed forces are debating whether or not to lower the draft age below 18, U. S. industry is discovering a new source for its depleted labor supply in teen-age boys. The youngsters ind efende work shown on these pages are not trainess, they are actually employed full or part time at standard wages.

Throughout the U. S. an estimated 2,800,000 boys and girls under 18 are working in agriculture and industry. Much of this employment has developed since the war and a half million are now in vital defense plants. On the West Coast the Lockheed plakce factory (below) has set an example by hiring 1,500 boys for riveting, rivet-bucking, junior draftsmen, assembly, electrical and sheet-metal work. This plant finds that two boys working a four-hour shift can accomplish more than an adult worker in a regular eight-hour stint.

Youngsters are also going into business for themselves. Under the supervision of a nation organization called Junior Achievement, Inc., students from 14 to 21 are forming and operating small model companies like Chicago Midget Manfucturing Co. This concern alreday has an Army contract for 150,000 pants hangers. In 50 other cities almost 200 similar companies are turning out a variety of products including furniture, jewelry, packing blocks, toys and incendiary-bomb blankets.

Last month New Mexico and Delaware became the 17th and 18th States since the start of the war to approve legislation making it possible for 16- to 18-year-olds to accept employment in war industries. Bills are now pending in seven more states to relax for the duration regulations on minors working.

Some ares have become alarmed by the increasing exodus of youths from school, lured by partiotism and high pay. One solution to the work-truancy problem has been formed in San Francisco where the Board of Education actively cooperates with the United States Employment Service in part-time jobs and thus is able to maintain jurisdiction over the pupils.