Evening star., 1942-07-21
Rubber Industry
Offers Plan for
A||.Need Tires
Use of Thiokol, Buyl
And Retreodine Is
Stressed in Program

Approximately 100000 new
and retreaded tires can keep
100000 civilian au-
tomobiles running for essential
purposes for the next two years.
These can be supplied. rubber In
dustry spokesmen say. without TAX
ing an appreciable amount Of rubber
from military and naval priorities.
Details of the program. developed
after an intensive survey by the
Rubber Manufacturers Association.
were placed before Government ofn-
cials at an exhibition In the Willard
Hotel today.
The 100000 tires would be sup
piled as follows:
First-Release Of 1850 900 tires
from stocks already in the hands
of dealers and manufacturer
2 800, 900 this year and an equal
number next year.
$4,000, 900 From Synthetics.
Second-Permission to manufac-
ture 13,223,000 new tires from re-
claimed rubber and from two types
of synthetic rubber-the thiokol Of
the Dow Chemical Co. and the
butyl of the Standard Oil Co. Of
New Jersey. Neither Of these syn
thetics are contemplated In the
Governments synthetic rubber pro-
gram, although materials and ap-
paratus already are on hand for
making considerable quantities Of
them. Both make fair tires-at
least as, good as the natural rubber
tires Of IS years ago.
Third-Retreading Of 3O,2e1 900
tires already in use with rubber
reclaimed from tires to be turned
In after they can no longer be re-
t'eaded A small amount of new
rubber must be used in this retread-
ing process.
Under this program, the manu-
facturers claim, 17,814O00 new tires
and retreads could be made. avail
able the first year and 30,360, 900
the second year.
Reclaimed Rubber Needed.
The program calls for use Of
97,A20 tons of reclaimed rubber.
33.iS8 tons Of thiokol and STATS
tons Of butyl A total of only 3,332
tons Of new rubber would be needed
from the Government stockpile,
which stood at about 100000 tons
at sne. start Of the year.
Also required would be IS per
cent ef the anticipated thiokol and
butyA production.
There is a possibility that both
these synthetics may be produced
in considerably larger quantities
than has hitherto been estimated.
President w. S. Parish OF Standard
Oil Of New Jersey. testifying here
last W'erk, said that with makeshift
apparatns and very little new ma
terial II might be possible to produce
enough butyl for $4,000 900 new
tires Id the next 18 months.
The rEis,ber manufacturers In pre-
senting tileir plan do not minimize
the seriousness of the rubber situ-
alton. u,
In order for the plan to work 1t
will be necessary, they say. to reduce
driving By at least 40 percent under
1941. Gasoline consumption figures
indicate That it has already been
cut down 81, per cent.
A maxirriim speed of 40 miles an
hour is a. i,rime requisite. Above
that speed tire rubber heats up and
deterioratas rapidly.
Tires mttir be watched carefully
for any bruises.
Inner tubes the manufacturer
say, offer a tsruch less serious prob
lem. Their irysntory shows approx
imately 10000 go in the hands Of
dealers and manufacturers at the
start Of the g'sr. With proper re-
pairs Of those now In use, they
believe. this, number should bs
sufficient.
The plan leaves for military and
non-tire civilian requirements. the
manufacturers ssy, nearly all the
crude rubber SUI plies, over IS per
cent of all reclaimed rubber, all OF
the high-grade synthetic rubbers,
buna S and neoErene, and some
thiokol and butyl
Under the ptah civilian tires
would be strictly rationed and
ration certificates would be refused
to all whose tires sts3 we'd evidence of
abuse, who have friven tires nezli-
gently to the point where they no
longer can be safaat retreaded, who
have been convicted Of driving more
than 40 miles an t1c.r, who refuse
to cooperate with socal rationinz
boards in sharing s',eir cars with
others, or who have ;slore than i've
tires Of the props,:s size In their
possession. II