The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-19
n, RAYMOND CLAPPER

Nv n FAoaF1 = - ~
WAsHT>GToN-Fer the SAX.
If prompt action on rubber It -
II he hoped that the recemnsn-
dafions Of the Bsrueh COMMITTEES
will be followed more closely
from here on than they were IN
tn, selection If the rubber adj
ministrator.
That Is said without any in
tention of rejecting on the
ability Of the new rubber adj
ministrator, William NJ. LETTERS.
who evidently has plenty Of II,
certainly in railroadins. He
has been railroading for 81
wears. He has never done any
thing else. Undoubtedly he -
an exceptionally good executive,
quick TO master detail and tough
as railroad men usually are.
Donald Nelson. chairman of
WPB. had served as director
of the Union Pacific railroad
while Mr.. letters WAS president
so they came to know each
other very well. Mr.. LETTERS
was first choice for the post OF
rubber administrator and was
approved by the president. They
must have had good reason for
selecting Mr.. letters. particular
" since he does not entirely fit
the qualifications suggested IN
the Baruch report.
The Baruch report said that
the most important part of the
whole rubber program WAS OBJ
viously the choice OF the right
man as Administrator. He
should be, said the report. a
thoroughly competent operating
and manufacturing executive,
preferably with experience in
the rubber industry.
The Baruch report went on
to say this: THE demand for
speed and the vital need for this
man to start with experience
and knowledge of the problem
make it important that the man
chosen be of proven integrity
and enjoy the public's confidence
and that Of the rubber industry
as well. We cannot stress too
much the Importance of choos-
ing the right man for this work,
for no plan of organization can
bolster up a weak man suffici-
emily to meet the difficult prob
lens he must face"
The first thing Mr.. letters
said on arriving in Washington
was that he didn't know a thing
about rubber but intended to
learn as quickly as he could.
The new rubber administrator
has full authority in manufac-
ture of synthetic rubber, inelud-
ing research. development. con-
struction and operation Of
plants. This single administra-
tor, says the Baruch report,
must be a man of unusual ca
pacity and power and must
have full charge of all matters
connected with rubber within
the WPB.
No job in the civilian side of
the government is as closely in
volved with technical decisions
as this. In addition Mr.. LETTERS
steps into the most tangled.
most manhandled of all war pro-
duction tasks and one now
heavily burdened with an ac-
emulation of fueds. No man
could be given a more thankless
task nor a more essential one.
One can think of good reasons
why II might not have been
possible to find a man IN the
rubber industry who was SUI
ficiently free from recent en-
tsnglement to be available as
an administrator. II II was i'm
possible 10 find a rubber man,
then perhaps it did not matter
much whether a manufs cturer
was selected or a railroad oper-
ating executive.
The latitude that President
Roosevelt and Mr.. Nelson ought
to have in selecting their adj
ministrator should not extend SO
fully TO the rubber production
program itself. After months
Of failure, under the appalling
conditions described in the Bar
UGH report, a group Of experts
has pointed what il considers 20
be the quickest way out OF the
hole and into the production so
urgently needed. Everybody
else has kicked the rubber pro-
gram around and only failure
has resulted. Now the recon-
mendsnons 81 tins impartial
Rsrueh board are entitled 10
faithful application.
The his point which the Bar
uch report makes throughout Il
that everything hangs on speedy
construction Of plants now pro-
jected There s no longer tine
10 20 back and look for the per-
feet process. AL OF the processes
are practical. The important
thing IS 10 get them into pro-
duction and not 10 delsv BY
changing 10 other processes.
Later expansion can 20 into ad-
dltional processes such as quick