The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-07-24
DIGEST OF FACTS
REGARDING RUBBER SITUATION

cushion from the tracks on our large
tanks; also eliminating the use of rub
Der from other ornaments which will
seriously interfere with the efficiency
of our ornaments. We are reducing
mileage on all vehicles for civilian use
which is seriously interfering with
the normal business of the United
States and causing a very large re.
duction in the gasoline taxes collected
by the several states. This also IN
terferes with the ability Of the states
to properly carry ON their highway
programs to take care of the addi-
tional traffic due to the war, as well
as the normal traffic to carry on the
business of the country.
The evidence submitted to the SEN
ate subcommittee shows that pract-
ically all Of the rubber being used by
Germany, Italy and Russia is made
from farm crops. This is an old tried
process and hundreds of thousands of
tons of rubber have been and are be-
ling made from agricultural products.
No evidence was introduced to show
that any of this rubber was made
from petroleum.
The evidence before the committee
also shows that rubber can be made
from farm crops at approximately the
same price as natural rubber. The
K and r Journal of 1899 and 1910,
published by the Russian government,
shows that country is producing more
than ten pounds of finished rubber
per bushel of grain. The evidence
shows that plants to manufacture rub
Der from farm products can be con-
structed with approximately one
fourth the materials and one-fourth
the money required for plants of the
same capacity, which are now being
constructed to manufacture rubber
from oil processes. These plants to
manufacture rubber from agricultural
six months and be in full operation
in eight months.
After receiving all of the evidence
presented over several weeks, evil
MniCl WnCn Ibid WV
books of more than 400 pages each,
and numerous exhibits, the senate
subcommittee composed of Mr.. Gil
lette, Mr.. Wheeler, Mr.. Thomas, Mr..
McNary and Mr.. Norris, prepared and
introduced a bill known as the Rub
Der Supply Act Of 1912" S. 1900. This
bill does not in any way interfere
with what the Rubber Division War
Production Board is doing. 1t allows
them to proceed with the oil COM
panies as they are. However, in or
der to insure the government of Sc
curing an adequate supply of rubber
at an early date, the bill provides for
setting up a separate department to
manufacture rubber from agricultural
and forest products, this department
to have complete authority and fl
nances so they can provide an ade-
quate supply of rubber for both mill
tary and civilian needs.
Naturally the Standard Oil Com
pany will do everything within its
power to defeat this bill. | am thor |
oughly convinced the Standard Oil |
Company, due to its interests and con-
nections with its German Allies, would |
rather see this country lose the war
than to lose control of the new bust |
ness they are now developing In the
of rubber. Mr.. w. S.
Parish, and other officers Of this COM
pany, know they will be very much
when the people of the
United States realize they have seri-
ously interfered with the progress of
the war and the business of the coun-
try by inducing the federal govern.
ment to proceed on an experimental
program when there is already de-
yeloped by other countries old proven
methods for the manufacturing of
synthetic rubber. They will be further
by investigations Of the I
arge sums of money paid to them and
their co-partners under contracts
which have already been made and
are continually being revised.
After spending more than half Of
NY time since the first of January in
working with govern
mental departments, attempting to
help get more rubber at an early date,
have been asked by many people
Why -the Standard Oil Company has
been able to influence the government
n this program. The answer Is that
he records of the department of JUS
ice show there are thirty-eight men
representing the petroleum industry, |