Evening star., 1941-12-18
D. {. Defense Heads
Asked 10 Form Tire
Rdtioning Board
O.P.A. Requests Col. BoIIes
To Set Up Local Council
Before Jonuory z

already have been requested by the
ONCE OF Price Administration to
take steps Immediately to establish
a local board to handle the ration
ing OF automobile tires in Wash
ington, 1t was learned today.
This development came on the
heels Of an announcement by Price
Administrator Leon Henderson that
rationing Of automobile tires will be-
gun January 4. with sales prohibited
except to individuals possessing ra-
ton cards, or TO flll military orders
Mr.. Henderson said stoppage OF Far
East rubber imports had forced
reduction OF nearly 30 per cent in
the Nations crude rubber consump-
ton.
The price administrator explained
that civilian rationing boards were
to be set up by State and local de-
fense councils in every community
to decide which individuals are en-
titled to ration cards.
Waits More Instructions.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, executive OF
District civilian defense, said no ac-
tion has yet been taken on o. P. AS
request He explained that he
would await word from the Office of
Civilian Defense before proceeding
with establishment of a rationing
board, and added that he would
follow whatever instructions o. c. D.
issues.
1t was learned that Col Boles
had received a telegram from Frank
Bane, Of the o. P. A., stating that
1T Is imperative that you establish
Immediately competent To- !
cal council to handle this work be-
fore January 2"
Meanwhile. tire dealers in Wash !
ington reported that demands for
recapping and retreading Of auto |
mobile tires had Increased enor-
mously since the temporary ban on
the sale Of new tires went into effect |
December 10.
Omcials OF one concern said their |
recapping and retreading business |
had doubled, and another firm re- |
ported an increase of more than so |
per cent. Other companies reported |
increases ranging from 10 to so per |
cent.
Many dealers said their supplies |
OF rubber were limited, and that |
they didn't know when they would |
be able TO obtain replenishments. |
Some have been on an ALLEGATION |
basis with their main factories for |
the last four months One dealer |
said his supply probably would be
exhausted in two weeks.
Firms which have been promising
their customers that they would be |
able to buy new tires next Monday, |
said they'd just have to tell them
to wait and pray that they can get
a ration card" The freezing order
forbidding all sales of new tires
originally was scheduled to be sup
planted by the rationing plan on
Monday, but Price Administrator
Henderson changed the effective
date to January 4.
Conflicting Views.
Conflicting views of the o. p. A.
rationing order were voiced, mean
while, By two representatives OF the
tire industry. |
In Akron, Ohio. John L. Collyer,
president of the B F. Goodrich Co.,
said that "rationing is the fair way
to deal with this country's complex
rubber problem"
The uses of rubber are so many
and our military needs are so great
and immediate that the whole Ma
tion, not merely any one group or
class. will gladly shoulder whatever
sacrifices are necessary" Mr.. Collyer
told the Associated Press. Firm
and fair action inspires united sup
port and the Government has done
the right thing"
In Hartford, Conn. President w.
Mark Hickey Of the National Asso-
citation Of Independent Tire Dealers
termed the ration plan "a little too
severe and said I'VE can't fight q
war hiring mules and riding around
in buckboards." Mr.. Hickey sug-
gested Inauguration of a voluntary
program of tire conservation by the
public instead of the o. p. A. pro-
posal.
More Rationing Probable.
Acknowledging the possibility of
more rationing in the future, Mr..
Henderson told press conference
yesterday the rationing boards could
become the framework for control
ling the distribution of other civilian
articles.
Mr.. Henderson said warfare in the
Pacific, cutting off rubber imports.
necessltated an 80 per cent reduc-
ton In crude rubber processing and
curtailment of civilian consumption
from $1,000 tons monthly to 10000
tons.
Each new passenger car made will
get four tires, but will have either
no spare or one made Of reclaimed
rubber, Mr.. Henderson said. Manu-
facture of new passenger tires will
be eliminated almost entirely for
the present.
Tire producers will be assigned
quotas monthly by the Once of
Production Management, and sales
quotas will be fixed for each State
and county on the basis of the num-
Der Of commercial vehicles in the
area. Price ceilings will be fixed
before the effective date. Until
then no sales are permitted.
Use Of rubber in thousands of
non-essential items-toys, rubber
balls and bathing suits among them
probably will be halted entirely.