Evening star., 1940-07-15
Vitul War Supplies

VtuI VuT SupplieS
One Of the principal problems
which confronted the National De-
tense Advisory Commission at the
outset of its career was that of find
Ing adequate supplies of so-cal1ed
critical and strategic materials
needed for defense. The problem
long had worried officials of the War
and Navy Departments, for they had
f1rsthand knowledge Of the serious
deficiencies which existed in the
stocks of certain metals, minerals,
vegetable products and other sup
plies without which armies and
fleets would be ineffective.
But the drab picture has under
gone transformation for the better.
There is much to comfort an anxious
public in the encouraging progress
report" just issued by Edward R.
Stettinius, jr., chief of the Materials
Division of the National Defense Ad-
visory Commission. AS a result of
collaboration between the commits
sion and industrial research organi-
cations, program of synthetic rub
ber manufacture is being worked out
with a view to making America abso-
lutely independent of foreign i'm
ports OF the natural product.
For the purchase OF reserve stocks
Of tin, tungsten, antimony and other
metals for which we are largely de-
pendent upon foreign mines, the
commission has set up a Metals Re-
serve Corporation, which works in
close cooperation with the Recon-
struction Finance Corporation and
other Federal agencies. Congress
has made $7O,OOO,OOO available for
such purchases, and has authorized
the R. F. c. to aid private industry in
laying up large surpluses of strategic
imports.
There was only one dark spot on
the whole picture, as painted by Mr..
Stettinius. That was with respect
to plans for speeding up the electro
lytic output of aluminium with aug
mented Tennessee Valley Authority
power. Looking for additional
sources Of power, Mr.. Stettinius and
his colleagues learned that an emer-
gency appropriation of $4,000, 900
for dam on the Hoeston River, near
Knoxville, Tennessee, would enable
T. v. A. to impound spring flood
waters in 1912 and thereby to gain
nearly a year in starting an auxil-
larry power supply needed for manu-
facture of aircraft aluminium. Mr..
Stettinius and Mr.. Knudsen made
successful appeals to the appropria-
tions committees of both houses of
Congress for quick action on the
r. v. A. dam project. Although T.
v. A. has been a partisan issue in
times past, there was no evidence
Of partisanship in the committees
consideration Of the commissions s
urgent request.
When Chairman Woodrum of the
House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Deficiencies asked for unanimous
consent so that immediate action
could be had on the floor of the
House last Thursday, objection was
raised by Representative Mclean,
Republican, of New Jersey, who
feared that T. v. A. was merely
taking advantage of the defense
emergency to further its own inter-
ests. He was supported in this sur
prising and lamentable stand by
Representatives Taber of New York
and Dirksen of Illinois. Action thus
was blocked until Congress recon-
venes on July %. Mr.. Stettinius is
quoted as stressing that a delay OF
even two or three weeks in getting
the dam started could cause post
ponement of power production for a
whole year, due to varying flood con-
ditions affecting impounding OF
waters. Such a delay could have
disastrous effects on plane construc-
tion schedules.
It is regrettable that members OF
Congress would permit mere sus-
picions, having no evident basis in
fact, to interfere with the steady
progress being made in building up
the country's defenses. In such
matters as the T. v. A. aluminium
program, prudence and common
sense should demand respect for and
complete confidence in the opinions
of such impartial experts as Mr.
6tettinius and Mr.. Knudsen. They
are in possession of the facts-and
facts, not suspicious, must guide the
Nation in its fateful preparedness
moves.