Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-10
Let's Believe
Roosevelt on
Rubber Need
Even Opponents Know
He's Not for Hitler
BY wEsTBRooK PEGLER


because I assume the lack is
simply awful and much worse
than we have been told and
rather resent all opinions and
speculations on the side of
optimism.
l doubt that any layman has
read more about ii or knows
less. for / have waded through
pounds of documents, starting
way last January, and much o.
the information and opinion sent
out of Washington, the sum Of
which is a great confusion.
Never has it been harder for
our people to form an intelligent
idea on any subject. but the one
safest way for all OF US is 10
decide that we are absolutely
up against it, have done with
blaming for the time being at'
least and save and give up
rubber.
I HAVE four old tires and tubes
L and about 10 pounds of other
rubber which goes into the pile
right away and may be able 10
discover more.
Ii has been said that the rec
lamation yield of certain kinds
of mats is very low, but string
along with Harold Ickes in his
rejoinder that every little helps
and that many of these mats
will serve better on ships than
in our cars and homes or offices.
Probab y our government,
which talks and often prattles
with a thousand tongues. did
mislead us and maybe we were
deliberately deceived by the
hookup of the gas shortage and
the rubber shortage. but GER
tainly by this time nobody has
any excuse for CHEEKY view
OF either problem.
DERHAPS our rulers should
L have said frankly in the first
place that the gas conservation
project. aside from the eastern
seaboard. actually was intended
10 save rubber. but that makes
no difference.
In Texas and Oklahoma. there
is plenty of fuel, but no moro
rubber 10 waste than there is
anywhere else.
In the East, the lack of both
should need no explanation. and
even il we could get pipe lines
and barge lines into operation
on a scale sufficient TO our needs
we would only burn up our tires
that much faster.
In other areas. the transporta-
ton of gasoline by railroad or
highway tank car for driving
that is not absolutely neces-
sary. just puts that much greater
strain on the railroads or burns
I'D that much more rubber and
diverts manpower from the main
job.
COME of those highway tanks
~ have as manv as % enor-
nous tires grinding away al
high speeds 10 deliver gas over
long hauls to people who want
10 use il for needless mileage
in their cars 10 the further dimi-
mutton Of the national store.
/ don't care whether Jesse
Jones or Standard Oil or both
failed or sulked during the time
when we should have been lay
ing il in.
II isn't worth arguing now
whether the British neglected 10
stock up and wasted some Of
their rubber on hand or whether
Russia did more or less The
same.
We have got 10 have rubber
10 fight this war. and the enemy
is winning the war up 10 now,
And if he finally wins il alto
gether. we will do without a lot
more than rubber.
IF HITLER wins, this country
not only will be Htlerized
and our own people massacred.
tortured and kicked into slav-
cry. but Japan will annex our
Pacific Coast and when Presi-
dent Roosevelt says we are hard
up for rubber. the wise way is
TO believe that IL Is probably
even worse than he SAYS.
HE CERTAINLY isn't saving
that to punish the Middle West
or make any sect lon war
conscious" and we have got 10
resist all temptation to sulk be-
cause Marshall Field has sud-
denly gone in for eccentric jour
nalism and proclaimed that this
is his war.
1t isn't his or President Boose-
velt's or the New Deals war. al
though between them they man
age 10 antagonize most of our
people and impugn the patriot
ism of all who hoped and wanly
believed up TO December z that
somehow we might manage 10
draw a pass.
II they lose the war, all Of us
lose it and the President GER
tainly isn't trying to help Hitler.
anyway, in crying up the rubber
shortage.
Copvrieht 1910 ny R,rv r..,ur..