Evening star., 1943-05-04

you all about that. I don't know
anything about chemistry, but I
know this much-that the method
is no good
Col. Bradley Dewey, who has
charge of the synthetic program,
then took the stand to say he had
sent three experts to the Midwest
to investigate the new rubber proc
ess, and that they found claims for
the process were not valid.
Senator Ball, however, who was
not satisfied with the explanation,
said he would 60 further into the
matter.
Mr.. Jeffers was asked if any at
tempt had been made by Mr.. Nelson
to Change the power and scope of
the rubber director He replied
there had been two such attempts,
though each time the Nelson direc-
tive restricting his power was sub
sequently recalled.
Mr.. Jeffers then was asked if Mr..
Nelson had Invested himself" of all
axhority over rubber, as suggested
IN the Baruch report.
well, the answer to that is yes
and no-mostly yes," replied Mr.
Jeffers with a smile.
Uses Report as Bible.
Pointing out that he had adopted
the Baruch rubber report as his
bible, Mr.. Jef1ers said the report
approached the necessity of provid-
ing tires or providing rubber for the
civilian economy with great under
standing" In defending his action
in making more new and recapped
tires available for motorists and
civilian trucks, Mr.. Jeffers declared
I'VE responsible for rubber con-
slider these additional millions just
as militarily essential as the man
in uniform.
THE farmers truck and tractor
which must have rubber, are just as
much vehicles of war as is the SOL
diers' tank.
And the tires for the car pooled
to carry workers to and from the
war plants are just as necessary as
the tires which carry the biggest
bomber down the runway"
Essentials Must Be Met.
Mr.. Jeffers went on to say that
"the housekeepers car, in which
she travels to get supplies from the
butcher and the baker for her fight.
ing men on the home front, is jus,
as essential as the wholesaler who
uses rubber tires to make deliverie.
to the camp or ship"
How else can these essentials be
carried out, except on rubber?" Mr
Jeffers asked.
That's the way our country grew
and expanded. I didn't create tn,
problem: I was merely told tt
solve it."
Mr.. Jeffers said that the Arm,
isn't just the men in uniform,
but men and women in war plant
and "in the thousands of smalle
subcontracting plants" who nee,
rubber just as much as the Army.
He said the men who helped hin
In the rubber program had broker
many bottlenecks and because O
their demand for more plant equip
ment had brought about the ne,
War Production Board method O
scheduling production which ha
made more critical machinery avail
able for all the must" programs.
In answer to earlier testimony @
Mr.. Ickes, Mr.. Jeffers said the for
mer had overlooked the followin
factors:
l. THE demands we made in fol
lowing the Baruch report insistin
that the rubber program be .givel
higher priorities played a-large par
in the reorganization of WPB an
has brought about the presen
scheduling procedure directed b
Vice Chairmen Charles E. Wilson
and Ralph Gardiner, which is bene
fitting all programs.
2. THE Secretary of Interio
claims that he lost 1000 ,000, 900 bar
rels of high-octane gasoline. Ha
he taken into account the additiona