Evening star., 1942-04-17
Truman Committee
To Probe BoHIenecks
In Transportation
Seizure of Private Autos
To Take War Workers
To Jobs Proposed
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
Declaring that both shipping and
domestic transportation facilities
apparently are on the point of bog
ging down." Chairman Truman said
today the Senate Defense Investi-
eating Committee would begin an
inquiry soon into bottlenecks in the
maritime, rail and truck industries.
Senator Truman said the commit
tee had asked the Maritime Com
mission for a progress report on
ship building but he added that in
ability to obtain trained crews for
merchant vessels appeared to be one
Of the great obstacles.
"As for land transportation" he
told reporters" "the chief difficulty
now seems to be the lack of rubber
for trucks"
Auto Seizures Urged.
Senator Downey, Democrat, of
California, proposed in the Senate
yesterday that the Government be
authorized to seize privately -owned
automobiles and use them for taking
war workers to their jobs, carrying
the mails and other essential serv-
Ices.
Although Price Administrator
Leon Henderson indicated he had
no present intention of comman-
deering private cars, he supported
Senator Downey's contention that
fewer than 10000, 900 of the Nations
100000 cars could be equipped
with tires from the natural rubber
on hand and from the synthetic
program that Is just starting.
Senator Downey proposed the
establishment of $4,000, 900 900
fund for Government acquisition of
a pool of automobiles, parts, tires
and supplies.
Senator Truman said the COM
mittee planned to call Joseph B.
Eastman, director of defense trans
portation, in an inquiry into all
phases of the mounting problem of
moving war supplies and essential
civilian items-a problem Senator
George, Democrat, of Georgia said
would become acute by summer un-
less bottleneckS were eliminated
Acute Fuel Shortage Feared.
Senator George said he was in
formed that midcontinent oil wells.
particularly those in Texas, were
being operated at only about one
third capacity because of a short
age of ship tankers and railroad
tank cars. Unless movements OF
coal to the Eastern seaboard in
creased sharply soon, he said the
transportation might become so
congested by fall that there would
an acute shortage of fuel in this
area.
The shipping problem, aggravated
by submarine sinkings along the
Atlantic Coast. was described by
Senator Byrd, Democrat, Of Virginia
as the biggest bottleneck OF the war
program right now"
A return to wooden cargo ships
and even sailing vessels to lessen the
menace of submarine actions, con-
serve steel for the armed forces and
keep open the Allied Nations supply
lines was urged as possible solu-
ton by Representative Smith, DEM
ocrat, of Washington.
Mr.. Smith launched his wooden
ship program during a half-hour
speech in the House which evoked
the approval of numerous members.
The interest displayed, he said later,
increased his determination to pur-
sue the matter with Army, Navy
and maritime officials.
Prejudice Held Unwarranted.
THE prejudice against wooden
ships is not founded upon facts" he
said.
Any ship, whether of steel or wood,
would be sunk or damaged seriously
If struck in vital spot by a torpedo,
he asserted, but a wooden ship, be-
cause Of its buoyancy, would stay
afloat longer and increase the
chances of saving or at least salvag-
ing the cargo.
Mr.. Smith added that wooden
ships would cost less, could be built
in from five to six weeks, would re-
lease vital steel for tanks. armor
and munitions, and would Offset the
daily sinkings.