This first interim report of the National Commission for Manpower Policy on the manpower challenges of 1975 was developed to (1) assess the extent to which federal manpower and manpower-related programs provide a structure capable of responding to the current unemployment problems and (2) consider some of the long-run critical manpower issues that the Commission plans to address in formulating recommendations aimed at the development of a cohesive national manpower policy. The content is in three sections. The first covers the Commission's task and includes background, statutory charge, the President's views, and the Commission's approach and work plan. Section 2 on the manpower challenges of 1975 discusses the specter of unemployment, recent legislative initiatives, and the responsiveness of manpower and manpower-related programs, including job creation, income maintenance, funding requirements, and labor market information and analysis. The last section covers the long-range manpower challenges and opportunities. (EM)