Evening star., 1943-01-01
Solution Of Rubber
Problem Is on Way
ColIyer Reports
Goodrich Heed Urges
Speedy Completion Of
Synthetic PIunts
BY JOHN L. COLLYER,
President q. p. Goodrich Co.

AKRON, Jan. 1.-Although rub.
ber, which became the United Ma
tons No. supply problem almost
with the first bomb dropped on
Pearl Harbor, still holds that posi-
tion at the end Of 1912, the Nation
is finally on its way to what may
be permanent solution Of that
particular problem through the ma
tional synthetic rubber program.
I feel that we should re-empha-
size at this time the fact that speed
in construction Of the synthetic
plants is still by far the greatest
need now and in the months to
come, so that the country may have
enough synthetic rubber on time
to meet military and vital civilian
needs. Furthermore, the several
hundred thousand tons Of critical
materials needed for construction
of these plants must be made avail
able promptly or there will be fur
ther serious delays.
Equally important Is the fact that
thousands of skilled mechanics, pipe
filters, electricians and construction
workers are required for this con-
struction Job, and 1t may be that
unusual measures will have to be
taken to assure their availability.
1912 Steps Reviewed.
A review Of what has happened
in rubber within the last years
would be high lighted by these five
developments in the Nations battle
to adjust itself to the loss of the
sources Of some 80 per cent of the
worlds crude rubber while meeting
vastly increased military needs.
First factor would be the cessa-
ton Of manufacture of passenger
car tires as of last December. When
you consider that in the average
pre-war years the demand for re-
placement tires alone was upwards
of 100000 annually, 1T is notable
that the Nations rubber borne
transportation system has been
maintained-thus far-without seri-
GUS breakdown.
Secondly, the Inauguration of
program of constructing large scale
Government-flnanced synthetic rub
Der plants to have a total capacity
OF $4,000 long tons. This is one Of
the most highly technical and COM
plicated engineering jobs of all time.
Another leading phase has been
stretching" of existing stocks Of
rubber and rubber goods through
mileage rationing. along with the
changing of specifications, elimina-
tion of luxury uses and use of larger
proportions of reclaimed rubber. 1t
is not only civilian products that
have been affected by this latter,
for 1t has been estimated that the
armed forces are using about 25
per cent less rubber than they
would If rubber supplies were any
where normal.
Scrap Drive Helps.
Fourth, the Nationwide ~pick.
up-the-rubber" scrap campaign Of
last summer. It yielded approxi-
mately 100000 tons and, with ths
scrap on hand and subsequently
collected. has increased the amount
of scrap rubber available for re-
claiming to approximately an 18.
months forward supply, whereas
ordinarily the stocks Of scrap were
kept only about three months ahead
Of consumption.
Fifth, the expansion Of cultivation
OF new sources of natural rubber
and of synthetic substances that
can take the place Of rubber In some
fields.
While it appears that only about
10000 tons Of synthetic rubber;
practically all from privately
financed plants, will be produced
this year-with Government plants
coming into big production in l943-
the technique of making and USING
synthetic rubber has made tremen.
dous strides in the last year. Even
now almost all essential rubber arti.
cles can be made from American
synthetic. including hundreds of i'm.
portant products used by the fight
ing forces.
The willingness of q vast majority
OF American car owners to volun-
tarily reduce driving speeds and
normal driving mileage to conserve
rubber and the public's acceptance
of essential civilian goods made
with the higher proportions Of re-
claimed rubber in frankly labelled
war quality" articles are strona
indications that the Americna peo-
pie recognize the urgency of o,1y