Evening star., 1941-12-28
Retreoding Autoists' Ch;efHope
In Face of Tire Rotioning
Substitute Rubber Sources Appear
Barren, New Planting Too Slow
By THOMAS r. HENRY.

practically restrict them to cars
actually used in national defense Or
in defense industries, threatens one
Of the greatest changes that ever
has occurred in the routine OF
American life.
Here, as nowhere else, the fact
that the Nation is at war will be
brought home to the average
American.
Was 1t necessary?
Here are the facts behind the ra-
tioning order:
Last year the United States used
$4,000 tons of crude rubber.
It imported, chiefly from the pres
ent war area in the Far East. $4,000
tons at a cost of s318,000, 900.
A survey in August showed stocks
sufficient only to operate the rub
ber industries in the country Tor
eight months.
About three-fourth of all the
rubber consumed annually Is USED
for tires and inner tubes.
! Years Needed for New Sources.
At least seven years will be re-
quired before new plantations in
Latin America will produce more
than a negligible supply.
The possible production Of syn
thetic rubber is so small that it
makes no change in the general
picture.
These are the high lights of the
most intensive survey of the rubber
situation in the United States, just
announced by the Tariff Commis-
sion, on the results of which the
present ban on sale OF tires for
domestic use largely is based.
The survey gives little hope for
any relief until the war is over and
normal deliveries from the Far
East are resumed.
The most common size tire, used
on Fords. Plymouths, Chevrolets
and other cars in the same class,
consumes II pounds of crude rubber
In 1910 there were 60,000,0O0 new
tires manufactured.
The services. especially the Navy,
are using rubber in large quantities
for purposes which hitherto have
consumed only a small part Of the
supply.
Retreading Is Chief Hope.
Perhaps the chief hope of the
motorist. the Tariff Commission
points out, lies in the retreading of
tires.
At present there are about 1000
retreading shops in the United
States. Most Of them are small.
About 100000 tires have been re-
tfeaded this year and the total
capacity is about 100000 yearly.
Tire manufacturers have calcu-
lated. however. that If they turn
over most of their apparatus to the
job they could retread about 80 000,-
600 tires in a year About half the
old tires turned in or discarded
when new ones are purchased, could
be renovated in this way. The pro-
cess requires about 5 pounds of
rubber. Such a tire has about 80
per cent Of the mileage of a new
tire. Some shops guarantee 10000
miles.
The motorist must be cautious
Some retreading shops are known a.
"dynamiters". Their practice ha.
been to buy unreclaimable tires fol
as low as 10 cents each, do a hasty
Job which looks good, and sell then
to unsuspecting innocents. Retread.
ed tires Of good quality generally
bring from a third to half as much
as new ones.
Rubber Can Be Reclaimed.
Regardless Of retreading. tirs
cannot be used forever. There art
about four pounds Of cotton piles
in the average tire and these tenc
to shift, or grow, with use Wher
this has progressed to certain
stage. which can be determined b!
inspection. the tire can be reclaimed
only by special processes.
The other hope stressed by the
Tariff Commission lies in the re.
claiming of rubber.
America in the past has beer
extremely wasteful. Operating a
full capacity with existing facilities
the experts calculate, about 0,00t
tons could be reclaimed a year
It is estimated that 100000 tons O.
scrap rubber could be collected II
year and that this would yielt
about an equal tonnage Of the re-
claimed product. New plants woule
be necessary. The cost of erecting
and equipping them, the commission
estimates. in normal times woule
be about $10,000o 900 for every 100.'
900 tons of yearly capacity. I
would require 18 to "a months II
get such a plant in operation.
The rubber produced is of con
siderably poorer quality than natura
rubber
Nazis Use Synthetic Rubber.
The German Army has rolled +
victory on synthetic rubber.
Why cannot the worlds creates
industrial Nation at least supply 1t
own domestic needs with the sam
material?
The situation, as outlined by tn
Tariff Commission, is far from en-
couraging. Last year the total Amer
lean production was about 400
tons. With the threat of war be
coming more ominous, plant capac
ity was increased so that maxi
mum of about 5000 tons can b
expected for all 1941, and in 1874.
il there were no complicating fac
tors, about 10000 tons could b
anticipated.
Germany freed itself of much de
pendence on rubber imports only b
10 years of foresight. The princip;
German synthetic rubber is mao
from a chemical known as butadien
which in turn is made chiefly frol
petroleum products mixed with otht
chemicals which require lars
amounts Of chlorine or nitrogen.
3 to 5 Years Needed.
1t is generally believed amor
rubber manufacturers, according
the Tariff Commission, that buts
diene rubber would be the mo
practical form for synthesis in Il
United States. Large plants wit
expensive machinery are essentis
A plant capable Of turning out 10C
900 tons of finished product ye'
would cost, the commission est
mates, between $75 900 900 and $10(
600 600 at a time of normal col