Evening star., 1943-11-28
Tire Outlook Still GLOOMY
For NOneSSential Drivers
BY Frank Carey
Associated Press Writer,

Associated
Prevention of transportation crisis
Tor the Nation next year, due to Short
age of tires, hinges on five "M's"-mus-
Gle, military, machinery, materials and
moderation.
That's the outlook Of Rubber Director
Bradley Dewey and the tiremaking in
dustry.
First of all, what will we need in the
way of new tires to keep buses and
trucks from begging down and to keep
all essential passenger-car drivers on
the road?
Well need production of between 400
900 and 65O,00O truck and bus tres per
month-almost double the number now
being rationed monthly for trucks and
buses.
Well need at least 80 100000 new tires
by the end of next year for essential
passenger-car drivers - six times the
number being made this year. However,
that comparison must be viewed in the
light of the fact that production of new
tires for paSsenger-car use did not get
we'll under way until the last quarter
of this year.
Such will be the requirements, rub
Der experts contend, because inventories
of tires built in peacetime have now
virtually disappeared. and because two
years of wear and tear on existing tires
have taken heavy toll.
Nonessential Driver Out.
The nonessential driver doesn't enter
this picture at all, Rubber Director
Dewey says in his latest report:
The nonessential driver will not get
new tire in the visible future and can
stay on the road only if he reduces his
driving to bare necessity and recap his
tires on time" (Only those who drive
minimum of 6O1 miles a month are
now eligible for new tires)
How Gomez" Joe Nonessential Driver
may ask. Il thought we'd got going on
this synthetic rubber program, and that
once we had lot Of that there would be
tires for guys like me-"
Mr.. Dewey replies:
We've got lot of synthetic rubber
right now, and there's more to come. but
availability of synthetic rubber does not
Immediately assure an adequate number
OF tires or other rubber products. Trans
lating the rubber into tires to meet de-
mands like those we have now involves
problems of manpower, plant expansion
and component materials-which still
have to be overcome"
Some 80 companies of the rubber in
dustry, in Nationwide advertising
campaign designed to make all drivers
conscious of the necessity for conserving
rubber, give an answer in one sentence:
The rubber shortage is behind us, but
the tire shortage is still here!"
Tire Allotments Cut.
The Office of Price Administration re-
Gently underscored the shortage of new
tires by pairing ration allotments for
trucks in November by 80 per cent and
those for passenger cars by IA per cent.
Now what are the chances of produc-
ing the minimum requirements of those
Wno rate tires next year?
Deputy Rubber Director l.. D. TOMB
kins says this:
Well be able to produce the 10000 900
passenger-car tires IF:
l. Military demands do not exceed
those already foreseen for ls44-de-
mands which call for the processing of
l2l 500 more tons of synthetic and
crude rubber than were processed for
military needs Of this year.
2. Presently planned expansion of
re-manufacturing facilities materalizes
according to schedule and the manpow-
er, equipment and materials to work
the plants are provided in time
3. Demands for tires for trucks and
buses do not exceed those already esti-
mated for 1914.
Tompkins says control of the demand
for truck and bus tires depends on the
extent to which operators of trucks and
buses conserve the tires they already
have.
Other IFS Exist.
Furthermore, he declares, there are
other big "ifs" in connection with
the provision of new tires for trucks
and buses.
l. If, again, military demands for
large-size tires do not exceed present
anticipations
g. If sufficient rayon cord to reinforce
the tires is provided on time to overcome
present Scarcities
3. If a present shortage of building
equipment for such tires-yulcanizers
4o;,,
overcome.
A representative of the rubber indus
try, for example, pointing to these same
factors, declares that even if all goes
we'll and according to schedule, the in
dustry will probably not produce more
domestic needs.
However, he says, this would not nee
essarily bring wholesale breakdown in
civilian transportation
There might be some cases of break
down. he comedies, but I feel conf
dent that we'd be able to get along. But
1t should be emphasized that production
of Is per cent will depend upon all fac
tors materializing according to our
hopes
He sees a ray of hope in what has
been accomplished so far in production
OF synthetic tires for passenger cars.
BY the end of this year, 100000 of
them will have been produced-and pro-
ductlon, remember, was carried on
largely during the last quarter of the
year. Most significant is the present
rate of production.
Right now, approXimatelv (ff nnn