The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-25

man committee investigating nation
al defense, But the Truman COM
mlttee Is concerned primarily with
industrial production and war cons
tracts, while the Gillette commit
tee Is interested solely IN looking
after the interests of the farmer.
First problem the committee has
tackled Is industrial alcohol, OF
which some 275 million gallons will
be needed this year and 365 million
gallons will be needed next year, as
compared with normal, peacetime
consumption of 100 million gallons.
This aleohol-known variously as
grain alcohol, ethl alcohol or dena-
tured alcohol -- Is needed primarily
for explosives, but 1t also is needed
for hundreds OF industrial uses and
In addition has long-rNnge poten-
tialities as q motor fuel and rs q
source OF synthetic rubber, This last
makes IL particularly interesting
Just now,
FROM MANY
PRODUCTS
Any way you lok at II, industrial
alcohol Is m agricultural product.
The normal source Is from black
strap molasSeS, which Is what's left
OF cane or corn syrup after the
sugar Is taken out, But the alcohol
can be made from ther farm pro-
ducts such us potatoes, corn and
| wheat
These last two particularly inter-
est the farm state senators because
OF the tremendous SURPRISES 1876
million bushels OF corn and 440 mil
lion bushels Of Wheat-Carried over
from crops dating clear back to
1897. These SURPRISES are owned or
held aS security for loans advanced
TO farmers by the governments
Commodity Credit Corporation. I'M
less the demand for these grains
goes up, the government can stand
10 lose nearly o billion dollars. II
hardly seems profitable, though the
individual deals have unquestlon-
ably saved thousands OF farmers
from bankruptcy In these past lean
years.
When the increased demand for
alcohol first became apparent, II
was natural TO look for the sup
ply ut the usual and cheapest
sources - the reetiiiers, or diStil-
leries which made the stuff from
blaekstrap molasses. When II be-
came doubtful that the sugar mills
could supply enough blackstrap,
II was proposed that some OF the
sugar itself be reeonVerted back
to molasses, thereby further cut
ting The available supply OF sugar
available 70 consumers Az the
beginning OF the year, II was be-
lieyed that IL million tons OF
sugar would have to 80 into Oh
cohol This has Just been cut
down by the War Production
Baord, which now Agures that
only some 100000 tons OF sugar
will be needed for alcohol.
UNCOVERED
FACTS
This situation simply didn't make
sense TO the Senate Agricultural
Committee, particularly In view OF
the fact that there was Gil this
grain surplus from tho last Ave
years. The senator's started digging
about month ago, and they have
uncovered several strange situations.
Various private Interests and
state agricultural college research
STATS had the idea that the sur.
plus grain should be converted 10
alcohol In small alcohol plants In
the midwest. Poland and Ger
many, which have no petroleum
resources OF their own, have de.
veioped this alcohol from potatoes
industry TO high degree. About
two aid q half gallons Of alcohol
can be produced from o bushel Of
gain and about two pounds Of
synthetic rubber can be obtained
per gallon OF synthetic alcohol.
Unfortunately oil sluch propos-
ais have had TO be turned down
by the War Production Board,
which maintains there Is not
enough copper and other materials
available 10 build the alcohol
plants. Further, say the WPB ex.
pcrts, by using whiskey distiileries,
there Is enough rectiher capacity
TO make oil the alcohol the war
will need.