An attempt was made to establish the role of publicity during 1962-64 in the Manpower Development and Training Act (MDTA) program in Washington, D. C. Trainees (99% Negro, largely over age 40) had had a year of vocational education and training for service occupations. However, of employers interviewed (owners and operators of banks, hospitals, groceries, hotels and motels, real estate firms, and restaurants), only 24% knew about the MDTA program; and only two of the 48 trainees had heard of the program through any publicity medium. From 1962 to 1964, only 21 articles in the "Evening Star" and the "Washington Post" dealt directly with the project. Some potential employers seemed to consider such programs wasteful and inefficient. Many early critics of MDTA accused local employment offices of choosing only the younger, better educated unemployed for training. Program success requires effective communication and public relations (preferably through the Office of Manpower Training and Automation) to reach potential trainees and employers, mass media, and other groups. (ly)