The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-05-16

HGA leho oAA1N CAA
our East Indian source OF supplies
Of the genuine article. Yet, within
my recollection, the whole worlds
rubber came from the Belgian Con-
60, on the African west coast.
What's become Of the Belgian
Congo? Maybe it was put out Of
business by the upper Amazon's
competition. That region already
Wss beng tapped o. tremendous
scale as far back as several years
before World War No. 1. Coming
northward up the South American
coast in 1921, my boat put in at
the Brazilian port of Para (also
known as Belem). Para was ad-
vertised then as our globes chief
rubber export source - raw gum
from up the river. Henry Ford
was just starting a huge planta-
ton OF the trees. So were other
Yankee interests. These cultivated
trees ought to be yielding now ad
libitum, not to mention wild ones,
OF which there are vast forests,
Just waiting to be tapped, free.
What's become Of all that rubber,
too?
Not New Questions -
Well, I've asked these questions
IN print hitherto. They're chest
nutty simply as my individual
queries
However, never considered my
self an expert. merely considered
it queer and let 1t 60 at that.
The other day, in my mail,
though, ran across mimeo-
graphed release from the recent
testimony Of Elliot Z. Simpson,
representing huge commercial rub
Der interests, before a congress
sional committee in Washington,
and this rubberite, who doubtless
knows what he's talking about,
says emphatically in the afirma-
tive, exactly what I've been Won
dering.
The president and the American
people" testified expert Rubber
man Simpson, on Capitol Hill,
have been sold gold brick on
the fake rubber shortage"
His account is that 100000 tons
OF the original and reclaimed stun
are all that are needed for de-
Tense and civilian necessities" and
he maintains that that much is
easily available In this heni-
sphere"-not including the Belgian
Congo and the East Indies. but
right at hand.
There's a minimum" he de-
posed, "of 100000 to 3,0o0,ooo
tons OF crude rubber in the vest
ern hemisphere in mature trees"
The points been made that we
aren't short alone on supplies
that a good many Of EN- are to be
had in SUFFICIENT quantities at their
various sources Of origin, but that
transportation's lacking TO deliver
'em where they're needed.
Rubberite Simpson doesn't dis
regard this item.
South American rubber" he
testified, "can be shuttled to Pan
anna. Central American rubber can
be moved by rail and truck, elm
mating the need Of great numbers
Of ships"
Simpson flushed
A governmental "husher" was
put on Rubberite Simpsons con-
gressional testimony. Heaven
knows that Uncle Sans publicity
bureaus broadcast everything to
the last syllable, that suits their
purposes. But this particular dope
didn't Ct, Just as wholesale ra-
tioning was being imposed. The
rubber interests had to dissent
nate IL themselves.
Now, / don't guarantee II.
say only that it comedies with
certain observations Of my own.
Now, how much more Of our
current regulations are hooey?
Far be it from me to deprecate
EN-. but I suspect that a good
many Of EN- are adopted, not so
much because they're wartime es-
sentials as because. in certain
sort Of way, the public enjoys EN-.
II WANTS some hardships.
We have blaci,outs.
l think we'd get more fun out
OF 'em IL they we're accompanied
by a few bombs. Bomblessly, they