Evening star., 1941-06-07

in addition af1oat on the way here.
In the meantime, it was declared,
rubber consumption during the first
four months of 1941 mounted to a
rate of more than 100000 tons a
year, as against 100000 tons in 1889
and $4,000 tons in 1910.
recommendations have been made
that every American ship in the
Pacific trade should be required to
include in its cargo not only rubber
but tin, mica, tungsten, chromite,
manganese, antimony and graphite.
Merchant marine captains are rep
resented as declaring that they
were compelled to load such wares
as were waiting on the WharveS, and
that if the American Government
wanted strategic materials it should
have had agents on the spot to see
they were assembled.
R.F. c. Subsidy Responsible.
Responsible for the procurement
of rubber is a subsidiary of the Re-
construction Finance Corp. This is
the Rubber Reserve Co., the chair
man of which is Secretary of Com
merce Jones.
Awaiting only the Presidents sig
nature is a bill extending the r. F.
C's lending capacity by sl500,000,
900; authorizing it, with the Presi-
dents approval, to make secured
loans to foreign governments. and
empowering it to set up any COR
poration thought necessary by the
President to expedite the defense
program. Though no longer titular
chairman of the r. F. c., Jones is
its actual ruler through his position
as administrator of its parent con-
Germ. the Federal Loan Agency.
AS in the case of rubber, lack of
foresight and of preparation in the
field, as well as shortage of shipping
space. is alleged to account for the
record in regard to other vital COM
modities which has lately been hung
up by second r. F. C. subsidiary.
the Metals Reserve Co.. of which
Jones is also chairman. It's purpose
is TO acquire and carry a reserve
supply of critical and strategic ma
terials, in connection with the ma
tlonal defense program"
No Chromite Yet.
In November of last year, the ac-
count goes, the Metals Reserve Co.
contracted for 100000 tons of Phil
ippine chromite, to be delivered at
a rate of 5000 tons a month. None
has vet been delivered
Contracts for 100000 tons of In
dian manganese are said to have
been negotiated last August by M. r.
c.. with deliveries stipulated in ex-
cess OF 10000 tons a month. In nine
months, it is declared. less than
5000 tons have been delivered.
In December, M. r. c. is declared
to have contracted for 1O0,0 900 tons
OF South African chromite. Out of
10000 tons due to date, only $4,000
have been delivered.
Out Of $4,000 tons of Philippine
manganese ore contracted for in
July, 1910, it is asserted, less than
half had been delivered 10 months
later. Under another contract for
manganese ore signed in November
for a total of 100000 tons. about
$4,000 tons have been delivered. and
another 1000 tons are afioat, out of
some $4,000 tons now due.
The Du Pont plant for manufac-
turing an. artificial rubber called
neophrene is not expected to be in
operation for another year. Il prom.
1ses an annual output OF 10000 tons.
The Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey
Is planning synthetic rubber plant
with a capacity of $4,000 tons a year
On May 16 a third R. F. C. SUBJ
sidiary, the Defense Plant Corp, of
which Jones again is chairman. al
lotted s1,250,0O0 each to four tire
companies for building and equip
ping synthetic rubber plants, with
theoretical combined production
of 10000 tons yearly.
1t is estimated that the country
today might have an output of
American-grown natural rubber To-
falling 100000 tons year and be
on the way to independence of for