The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1942-06-04
WNU Service, 1343 H Street. NV.
Washington, D. c.

Washington, D. c.
leaned over the rail of the radio
gallery in the United States senate
the other day and looked down on a
fiery debate on the agriculture sup
ply bill.
The touseled head of Vice Presi-
dent Wallace, presiding over the ses-
sion, l could see almost directly I'M
der me when I leaned over. Unlike
many of the men who preside over
the senate or house. he was keenly
interested. His eyes never left the
speakers. Naturally. He had been
a farm boy. He had edited a farm
paper, he had been secretary of
agriculture.
1t was not the main subject Of the
debate that interested me at the
moment but a depression. Tall,
silver-haired Senator Gillette from
out where the tall corn grows and
where both corn and men grow tall,
had the floor. He had depressed to
speak about the utilization of sur
plus products for the manufacture
Of articles which have become
scarce because of the war. Specific
ally. the manufacture Of synthetic
rubber from grain alcohol.
The senator from Iowa walked
back and forth between the desks,
trim in a slate-blue suit, tense in
manner, an accusing finger continu-
ally pointing from a long. straight
stretched arm. He had just come
from a hearing of a senate SUBJ
committee of which he was chair
man where they had heard testi-
mony by DR.. William Hale, presi-
dent of National Agrol company, to
the effect that eff opposition of the
big petroleum companies could be
eliminated, we could make budta-
diene synthetic rubber for five cents
a pound from surplus farm commod-
tiles"
Senator Gillette was bursting with
indignation or so at least he
seemed from his words and the
voice in which he spoke them.
I'VE had demonstrated to u.s." he
said describing the committee hear
ings, "that plants for the utilization
of farm products al be established
ut one-tenth the cost Of the critical
materials in one-third Of the time"
O'Mahoney on Monopolies
To illustrate opposition to such ef-
forts he told a story of how a Polish
scientist, an expert in the making Of
synthetic rubber who had come to
this country, was suddenly ordered
to keep his mouth shut and spirited
away where he could not be found.
He charged that this ''sordid ro-
nance" as he called it was the work
Of men in certain agencies in WASH
ington who, while they might be as
patriotic as anyone else, were still
protecting monopolies which they
represented to the farmers disad-
vantage. At the word monopoly,
slim, dynamic Senator O'Mahoney
was on his feet to expound that SUBJ
ject which is his PETITE evil Of the
monopoly. and after him Senator
Wheeler rose to echo the charges.
The senator's remarks had their
effect. Immediately the War Pro-
duction board was heard from. A
WPB spokesman declared that Don
aid Nelson had been working like
hell on the whole rubber problem.
The next day Arthur Newhall, WPB
rubber co-ordinator, called a press
conference and set forth in detail
what the WPB vas doing and plan
ming to do to meet the rubber needs.
Shortly after Senator Gillette's
speech the WPB stated that it had
ordered preparation of a plan for
nationwide rationing of gasoline SO
that those states where tanks were
still flowing would be restrained
from the use of gasoline and in turn
the use of rubber tires which make
up Americas greatest rubber stock
pile.
Rubber From Dandelions
One possible source Of rubber
which offers the greatest theoretical
possibilities and therefore is looked
upon with the greatest doubt by the
realists who have een many tall
DromiSeS collapse. is about to be