Evening star., 1941-09-16

portant, since about IS per cent
of the total crude rubber used in
this country today goes into the
making of tires. More particu-
larly these synthetic rubbers may
be used in tire treadS, and while
they may not be as efficient in
passenger car tires, they may be
more efficient for treads for truck
tires.
Synthetic rubbers, however.
may be used to advantage for
thousands of articles which are
no less essential to the overall
defense effort than are tires. Mr..
Bridgewater pointed out that 10
years ago a complete cessation of
supplies of natural rubber would
have stopped the wheels Of most,
If not all, of our industries. Dur
ing that period rubber manu-
facturers have adapted synthetic
rubber to thousands of uses, until
now they would be able to use one
or another of the synthetics for
practically every product now
made Of natural rubber, If the
need should arise.
Contracts With Tiremakers.
Obviously, new industry Of
large proportions is in the making.
1t will receive greater impetus
because of war conditions than
1t could have possibly received
otherwise. The Rubber Reserve
Co. has recognized the need of
quantity production of synthetic
rubberS that may come. 1t has
already made contracts with four
of the big tire-producing COM
panies for the construction OF
synthetic rubber plants - the
money for which will be advanced
by the Government. These COM
panles are the Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Co., the Hydro-Carbon
Chemical & Rubber Co.. a sub
sidiary of the Goodrich Co.; the
FireStone Tire Co. and the United
States Rubber Co. Each plant is
to make 10000 long tons a year
and each may be quickly expand
ed if need arises. The cost of each
plant is to be S2,75O,OOO.
In what position will this syn
thetic rubber industry find itself
at the close of the emergency?
The use of these rubbers will de-
pend on their prices. But the
uses may be vastly extended. Mr..
BridgeWater said that in many
cases the synthetics may be used
to better advantage than natural
rubber. Already they have proved
themselves worth their added
cost in gloves, hospital sheeting,
oxygen tents, heating pads, etc.
In years to come they may be
used in hot-water bottles. elastic
garments, sporting goods and
many other products. Shoe soles
and heels of synthetic rubber
have proved to be we'll worth
their cost on certain types of
workmens shoes.
The Rubber Reserve Co, which
Is giving so much attention to the
expansion of synthetic rubber
manufacture, has at the same
time been acquiring a surplus
stock of natural rubber, against
the day when it may become
vitally necessary for national
defense.
Under authority granted it, the
Rubber Reserve Co. has con-
tracted for 100000 tons of Far
Eastern rubber, to cost approxi-
mately s19O00O.0OO, and for 30
900 tons of Brazilian rubber, to be
delivered during 1941 and the two
succeeding years, at a cost of
about s20,00O,0OO. The company
has been made the sole buying
agency of crude rubber from the
Far East in order to facilitate
distribution. AS of September l3,
already there has been delivered
140,318 tons of rubber, 66 ,391 tons
are in transit and 15O,6O1 tons
are awaiting shipment.
The Defense Plant Construc-
ton Corp. has just allotted to the
Standard Oil Co. of Louisiana ST.
464,000 for the construction of a
plant for butadiene rubber, adding
still further to the output of syn
thetic rubber.