Greenbelt cooperator., 1942-03-06
Senator Norris
Advocates Coop
Power Alcohol
By JOHN CARSON


pitched into a war on any forces
which are stopping the production
of power alcohol from farm pro-
ducts. Norris, in joining with Sen
ator Guy Gillette of Iowa, long an
advocate of "power alcohol, has
made clear that he expects fight
with the tremendously powerful
Ethyl Corporation. But as he talks
of this fight, his paw sets and the
old fire of battle lights in his eyes.
eve are going to get the facts
about the production of power
alcohol" Norris said. every able
to produce alcohol for motor fuels
is entirely feasible and | believe
in what they tell me. And we are
going to insist that the distilleries
which it is proposed to construct
under this plan shall be operated
comparatively so that the profit
motive will be taken out"
The Senate Committee on Az
riculture has voted to make an
investigation into the feasibility
of distilling alcohol from farm
products. The investigation is now
assured and undoubtedly both
Gillette and Norris will be mem
bers of the investigating commit
tee. Many years ago, chemists
urged the government to build
some experimental distilleries to
convert corn into alcohol which
would be mixed with gasoline to
make blended motor fuel. Trey
insisted that alcohol could be sub
stituted for the lead compounds
which are used to make "ethyl"
gas. But their projects were halted
always by the declaration that
"power alcohol" would be so
costly it would not compete with
gasoline. Gillette and Norris and
their advisors say it now has been
proved that power alcohol can be
produced to compete successfully
with gasoline.
Norris and Gillette now charge
that Standard Oil of New Jersey,
one of the owners of "ethyl gas"
has prevented the development of
synthetic rubber manufactures
and Norris has added that he an
ticipates a fight with General
Motors and Standard Oil over the
power alcohol project. He says he
is anxious to have the fight "out
in the OPEN, if it is necessary to
fight. Some weeks ego, George E.
Johnson, chief engineer of the
Central Nebraska Public Power
and Irrigation District and DIR.
Leo M. Christensen, research ex-
pert attached to Nebraska Uni
versity, returned to Washington
to tell Norris of their troubles.
Norris looked over their evidence
and their plans to construct five
distilleries with 10000 gallons
daily capacity. Immediately he
wrote to Donald Nelson, admins
traitor of War Production Board.
and urged Nelson to give them a
hearing on the projects.
Johnson and Christensen did
not get very far in talking to
Nelson's subordinates, to whom
Nelson referred them. One of the
subordinates, F. M. Moffat, Jr.
is a director of chemical division
of Nelson's organization. He is
the key man in passing on this
BlOJGCI. hOlld dI liluuSLI ldl tApcI-
ience has been associated with the
friends of Ethyl Corporation and
Norris has not hesitated to suggest
to Nelson that one with Moffat's
training should not be a Judge in
the present controversy. When
Johnson and Christensen reported
their failure at WPB, Norris re-
manded a hearing for Johnson and
Christensen. 1--WE appreciated
that when we undertook anything
of this kind, we would be in direct
opposition to some of the most
powerful financial influences in
the United States" Norris told
Nelson. He then added that by
adding 10 per cent of alcohol to
gasoline, they would make tetra
ethyl lead unnecessary" Il un-
derstand that chemical is control
led by General Motors and the
Standard Oil Company" Norris
added. 81 understand the corpora
tion controlling this has made
100000 profit during the last
year with hut very little invest
ment." He added that corporations
which wanted to use "ethyl gas"
were compelled to submit to "un-
reasonable and | think, unlawful
conditions" Norris asserted that
Nelson and hi subordinates had
not heard the last of this contro-
versy and that he would noc he
satisfied at all with Moffai'S de-