Evening star., 1942-10-12
Jeffers investigating
Plans 10 Get Rubber
From South America
Tells Senators He Thinks
Royon Should Be Used
For Heavy Tires
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)

\HoAACl OtOAy Ol dSC ALL
Rubber Administrator William
M. Jeffers revealed at a Senate
Agriculture Committee hearing
on the rubber situation today
that he was investigating thor
oughly proposals for obtaining
the maximum possible supply of
natural rubber from South and
Central America.
The administrator told the COM
mittee he had not seen Maj. Wen
dell Dove, who testified at an ex-
ecutive session last week on the
need for new agreements with those
countries.
I'VE certainly. however," Mr.
Jeffers said, have enough people
working on this problem, not only
with a view to the supply in Brazil
but other countries in South and
Central America"
He also remarked that the rubber
supply outlook was very hopeful
if the public generally played the
game
Defends WPB Order.
Mr.. Jeffers appeared before the
committee primarily to defend q
WPB order to use rayon instead OF
cotton in making heavy tires. Dur
ing one phase of the hearing, Sena-
tor McKellar insisted that the con-
struction of new rayon facilities,
using critical materials, ought to be
held up for the conclusion of the
tests to see which would be the best
to use, cotton or rayon cords.
DO I understand you gentlemen
to say to me that I am to continue
to hold up this program for 60 to 80
days while tests are made on COT
ton?' the rubber administrator de-
manded.
so far as am concerned" Sena-
tor Mcclellan replied, the answer is
yes
Somebody is going to have to do
something to stop me-" Mr.. Jeffers
shot back. Otherwise I am going
to authorize rayon because l think
it is the best thing to do and I
am not being influenced by any
one"
Convinced Rayon Is Better.
Senator McKellar inquired why
the Government should abandon use
OF cotton and embark on a S5O,-
100000 program" to produce rayon
for tires.
I never heard of rayon being
used in tires until recently" the
Tennessee Senator declared.
Senator Bunker, Democrat, of
Nevada said that as one who sold
tires himself two years ago, he was
convinced that tires with rayon in
them would outwear tires in which
tne cords were made of cotton.
Ihls isn't new question" Mr.
Jef1ers insisted. THE view of the
chemists, and practical fellows as
we'll, is that in synthetic rubber
tires cotton heats more than rayon. ;
Senator Stewart. Democrat OF
tennessee, asked if the decision as
between the use of cotton and rayon
could not be postponed until tests
determined which was better.
"You wouldn't want to gamble
and neither would l." Mr.. Jeffeers
replied.
No Fear Of Monopoly.
Senator McKellar said it was his
opinion that If any gamble was be-
ing taken it was in the substitution
Of rayon for cotton.
Senator Overton, Democrat OF
Louisiana, asked If the transfer to
rayon wouldn't create a monopoly
for the seven companies he said
were the only ones prepared to man.
ufacture tires with rayon cords.
Mr.. Jeffers replied that he didn't
believe any monopoly would be Gre
ated.
I've only got one job to do and
that's to get the rubber out to win
this war;" Mr.. Jeffers replied. I'm
going to use anybody that's needed
to do that job, monopoly or nc
monopoly"
Chairman Smith said Mr.. Jeffers
reply appeared to cast doubt on
the motives of the committee.
Every man here is just as anxious
to win this war as you are," Sena-
tor Smith declared.
Winning War Comes First.
Senator Wheeler. Democrat, al
Montana said b resented the state
ments of some Government of1lcials
(see JEFFEFs. Pags 2-x0