Evening star., 1942-07-14
Alcohol 10 Produce
More Rubber in 1943
Than Oil, Nelson Says
Entire Production for
Next Year Will TotoI
$4,000 Tons, He Says
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The War Production Board ex-
poets to get more synthetic rub
ber from alcoholic sources than
from petroleum in 1943, Chair
man Donald M. Nelson told a
Senate Agriculture Subcommit-
tee today. ...
Chairman Nelson said facilities
were available to produce in excess
of the 100000 tons of elastic which
had been assigned to the alcohol
process in program estimated to
produce 100000 tons yearly.
I'VE will get more rubber from al
cohol sources in 1943 than from pc
troleum," he testified.
Mr.. Nelson said the country's maxi
mum production of synthetic rubber,
based on the amount of materials
which could be made available for
that purpose without taking them
away from other essential military
uses. was covered in the 8OO. .OOO-ton
program.
Senator Norris. Independent, of
Nebraska, protested that this ap-
peared to preclude the development
of additional processes, but Mr.. Mel
son insisted that chronological in
vestigation was being pushed.
Hope for New Program.
Somebody had to decide to 70
ahead with the program the best
way he knew how, Mr.. Nelson ex-
planned. adding he was not closing
his mind to changes which might
place increased emphasis on new
processes. and that he was hopeful
new processes will be discovered"
He said the Publicker Commercial
Alcohol Co. Of Philadelphia, which
uses the so-called Polish" process
OF obtaining rubber from grain or
synthetic alcohol, had been granted
an ALA rating June n for ma
terials to construct facilities to pro-
duce 1000 pounds daily.
The committee visited this plant
last week and members said they
were impressed by their investiga-
tion of the process.
The WPB chairman reiterated
that despite speeded efforts to in
crease synthetic production pleasure
automobile driving was out for the
wars duration, as tires would be
available only for military needs
and essential civilian use.
New Estimate of Output.
Mr.. Nelson presented new esti-
mates showing he expected syn
thetic rubber production in 1943 to
total 1888 600 tons, with 1914 pro-
duction very large" or about dou-
BILE the l943 production.
A shortage of critical materials
for construction necessarily limits
the magnitude of the program, he
declared. saying there seemed to be
a public misconception" that an
Of new processes for
synthetics meant abundant
rubber for ALL
Synthetic rubber production this
year viii total only about $4,000 tons
of all types, Mr.. Nelson said. but
added he expected the rate to be
stepped up to $4,000 tons in the first
half Of l943 and to 264,70O in the
latter half of that year.
I'VE hope in 1914 to have enough
rubber for necessary uses" Mr.. Mel
son commented.
Rubber for Military Needs.
The No. l necessity, he added, was
rubber for the military needs of the
United States and its allies. In
addition. he said, tires must be made
available for such essential civilian
services as moving people to and
from their jobs, performing neces-
sary commercial and farm trucking
and meeting such community needs
as police and fire protection.
In response to a question by SEN
ator McNary, Republican. of Oregon,
Mr.. Nelson said it was true that the
United States now was exporting
some rubber, both to the United Ma
tions actively engaged in the war,
and to South American countries
where tires were needed in order to
move out raw materials urgently
needed in this country.
Mr.. Nelson said he was strongly
opposed to creation of another
agency to spur production of syn
thetic rubber for civilian use. The
power to allocate raw materials
should not be decentralized, he de-
clared.
At the outset, Subcommittee
Chairman Gillette expressed the
hope that Mr.. Nelson's appearance
would help dispel some of the con-
fusion" about the rubber program.
Called Little Short Of Criminal"
Senator Gillette said yesterday
that either inexcusable careless
ness and lack of action or a very
reprehensible purpose" had blocked !
xse:ses:s.