The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-12-03
THROUGH
H I { |
I Y s
BY HAZEL !,

The average American citizen has
begun 10 ak questions about t!.e
synthetic rubber program and Won
dering whether or not Mr.. Jeffers
and the administration are really
making an effort to get The program
into production. The rubber situa-
ton is still very much in a muddle
as any motorist viii tell you.
Now Mr.. LETTERS comes forward
with the announcement that we need
not expect any synthetic rubber I'M
I'll 1914 when we had been led
TO believe that the Standard Oil
Company would be producing syn
thetic rubber by July l943. Is 1t
possible Mr.. LETTERS would like to
see all passenger and freight traffic
handled by the railroads?
1t is reported that the first syn
thetic rubber plant in America will
start operating in about two weeks
but it is an alcohol plant whereas
Standard uses the petroleum pro-
cess,
The American people r not con-
cerned with the fight over whether
we should use grain or petroleum
for manufacturing rubber. They
are vitality concerned that WI do get
the rubber. It behooves Washing
ton to see to it that they get it.
It is suspected in some quarters
that certain interests in high places
do not really want to see America
making her own rubber. These in
terests would have her produce syn
thetically only what we must have
for our military uses until the war
is over on the premise that we VIII
go back to our old sources Of supply.
Washington should be made to urt-
derstand that the wisest course in
the minds of a great many people
in this country is our full develop
ment of the synthetic rubber indus
try. Such an industry would be
carried on after the war giving jobs
TO American men and feeding Amer
Jean families at a time when jobs
are going to he needed as never be-
fore. III addition such a course
would make us Independent Of for
eign supplies practically and lay the
groundwork, as far as we're con
cerned, for enduring peace. we
would no longer have to fight for
rubber.
Self-preservation Is the first law
a. uasrre ana chat Inv is going 70
rule after this war as well as now.
If we are going to be prepared to
meet the needs of u own men,
now serving our country in Its
armed forces, we must find a way
to gainfully employ every one OF
them. Manufacturing rubber is only
a partial solution. Other jobs must
be found.
II is possible the administration is
dlily-dall wing along with synthetic
rubber plants now because it is en-
gagged in wishful thinking and plan
ming for a shorter war than at first
believed possible. We hope that such
is not the case. Whatever the u
it is entirely too evident that some
thing is wrong or We would be
ing greater progress in getting SYN
thetic rubber than we now are.
At any rate the American people
should not and will not tolerate 1t
much longer. We can and will do
anything possible to win and pay for
this war. But when u whole
economy, geared to motor transpor,
tation, is thrown into a tailspln ano
completely disrupted we will not be
able to do very much about earning
a living much less winning or pay
ing for the war.
We should take a lesson IRON
Russia who all these years has beer
independent of the far east by pro
ducing all her rubber needs syn
thetically, both for her military an'
a,,t1san MAIDS