Evening star., 1942-07-01

Henry McLemore. A failure not be-
cause of lack of cooperation on
the part of men, women, children
and even dogs and cats Of the
United States, but a failure because
there wasn't enough scrap rubber
hidden away to make an appre-
ciable difference.
If Government estimates OF our
rubber needs are accurate, then
there isn't enough odds and ends
of it lying around the homes in the
48 States to make more than a
drop in the bucket. The Govern
ment can keep Boy Scouts and
Girl Scouts and all the rest OF us
scurrying around until our tongues
hang out like bloodhounds and still
not turn up enough assorted odds
and ends of rubber to come close
to Keep EN- rolling" Keep EN-
flying" and Keep EN- shooting
There is only one sort Of scrap
rubber drive that is going to do any
good, and that is drive on the
automobile tires and automobile
tubes that are being used by the
millions every day in non-essential
driving. That's where the real
scrap rubber supply of this country
is-on the automobiles of citizens
who use those automobiles only for
convenience and pleasure.
Shortage for Whom?
The way the rubber situation Is
being handled now it's impossible
to know for sure whether there Is
shortage for civilians or for the
military Is there crying need
for bomber tires or tires for the car
that John @. Public uses to drop
him nicely at his Office door, so
that he won't have to take stuffy
subway, bus or trolley?
What is the good of ali those in
structions to the public on how to
preserve the life of their tires? You
know the ones I mean, the ones
that warn you not to drive over 40
miles per hour, not to put on
brakes all of a sudden, not to allow
your tires to stand on burning
pavementS, to be sure to have your
garageman switch the tires around,
and the dozens of others.
If we civilians are to be allowed to
keep our tires, to run them until the
air in the tubing shows through.
what difference does it make how We
treat them? The rubber We save
isn't going to the Army, Navy or Air
Force, apparently. When we handle
our tires with the tenderness of
mother tucking her babe to sleep, We
are not being patriotic, we are SIM
ply being selfish.
Somewhere, somehow, the whole
thing doesn't make sense. I stood
around few filling stations during
the drive and watched women make
their contributions. A good fifth OF
them drove up in cars, with pounds
and pounds of fine rubber on the
tires, to open the door and throw out
package containing half a pound
of such things as rubber bands, bits
OF garden hose and an old corset
that grandmother wore when Nc
Kinley was President. They wore of
more rubber from their tires getting
there than the junk they turned in
was worth.
Forget Comfort, Advice.
Nobody denies that this country Ia
geared to transportation on rubber:
that for years we have been nothing
short of slaves to inflated tires. To
give them up would work hardship,
yes. To give them up would throw a
| whole lot Of things out of gear. But
what does that matter? This coun-
try Is also geared to freedom.
What it boils down to is that this
country, just as Britain did at first.
is trying to achieve triumph without
scratch. We're lousey with round
table conferences, politics. elections.
high-sounding notices and medals.
What we have to do-and quick-is
to realize that this is war that is
going to the mosd fit, the most sac
rificing people-a3d not to the most
comfortable.
Let's forget that chicken in every
pot, two cars in every garage busi-
ness. Better no chickens, no car.
than a Nazi stirring everv not
watching every garage.