Evening star., 1942-12-04
RubberProgran1
Endangered,
LETTERS Says
Tells Senate Supply
May FoII Below
Disaster Line

Rubber Administrator William
Je1ers reported today that be-
cause other war construction is
competing for critical materials,
the, Nations supply Of crude
rubber and synthetics may fall
below the disaster line" of mill
tary demands.
50 He said any delay in bringing syn
thetic rubber factories into produc-
tion would be disastrous" and that
there were indications there would
be some delay.
Senator johnson, Democrat, of
Colorado, member of the Joint Com
mittee to which Mr.. Jeffers present.
ed his first report on rubber, asked
for an explanation, saying "as
read that. you say any delay will be
disastrous, then you say there prob
ably will be delay"
Mr.. Jeffers replied:
Either we get the material to
bring the synthetic plants into pro-
duction or there will be a delay
which In my opinion will be dis
Astrous."
- Complains of Interference.
Mr.. Jeffers complained that other
production programs were interfer-
ing with the task of obtaining vital
machinery for synthetic rubber
plants.
This, he added. was contrary to his
understanding OF President Roose-
velts Endorsement of the statement
OF . committee headed by Bernard
M Barueh, that rubber was the
eountry's most critical problem"
The rubber program is receiving
notable help in obtaining priorities
and critical materials" the report
said. But its relationship to other
programs endangers its completion
IN time to avoid crisis and I am
not hopeful"
Mr.. Jeffers mentioned the con-
struction of high-octane gasoline
plants as one program competing
with the rubber plants for materials,
adding at another point:
IT'S for others to determine
whether the Army, Navy and escort
vessel program Is more important
than rubber
Predicts Delay in Program.
Present indications" he added.
ARE that, because of other pro-
grams, there will be such a delay.
1t Is too early to say how much
Of delay.
The other programs which Mr.
Jeffers referred to as delaying the
rubber plant construction are the
Army and Navy powder and other
ordnance plant construction.
I'VE will come to the end of 1943
with 10000 tons of rubber II we
have the delay which is the ire
ducible minimum mentioned in the
Baruch report" Mr.. Jeffers said.
The report continued:
Our studies have emphasized
that unless these components for
synthetic rubber manufacturing
plants reach the plant as rapidly as
they can be installed, the resultant
delay will cause such a drain on the
crude rubber stocks that there may
be, no crude left for heavy duty tires,
self-sealing gasoline tanks and those
other military uses which demand
crude rubber.
The decision as to whether this
can be accomplished without too Sc
rious delay is in the hands of those
who have also to consider other
programs, including the program
for the building of plants producing
high-octane gasoline. Some of these
call for the same critical materials.
The final solution is not yet de-
veloped.
Sees Crisis As Inevitable.
THE. rubber program is receiving
notable help in obtaining priorities
and critical materials. But its rela-
tionship to other programs endan-
gers its completion in time to avoid
q crisis. and I am not hopeful"
Mr.. Jeffers said that although
the only sure solution of the rubber
problem is to subordinate other i'm
portant programs to it, the demands
OF. the services make this impos-
sible"
This" he added, sis in direct
conflict with my understanding and
conviction that the Presidents ex-
eeutive order of September II, 1912,
and its accompanying letter in
dorsed unequiyocally the Baruch re-
port, its program and its statement:
Thus the rubber situation gives rise
to our most critical problem"
1t is apparent, said the report, Mr.
Jeffers' first dealing with the Ma
tion's rubber supply, that even II
production objectives are attained
"the inventory of crude and syn