The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-11-02

Bradley Dewey, his successor In
Office. inherited a mess which may
not be cleaned out for nine months
Dewey loves his job and has given
every indication he will stick till II
transports done. He has said that
"if' everything that can be done
will be done, there will be no tire
shortage, no transportation break
down. But his conditions, his Ifs,
seem almost impossible to over
come.
ADS TO ADVISE
Within the next few weeks the
rubber industry-all the manufac-
turers of rubber goods cooperating
will launch q series OF advertise
ments which are intended to tell
the public just what the score IL
and sell the public on the need fol-
tire conservation Of the strictest
sort, the use Of every tire carcass
that can be found, even II 1t only
has q weeks service left In 1t. The
story which the rubber industry
has to tell In explaining Its present
dilemma will include, among other
things, these factors:
The Army, Navy and Lend-Lease
for United Nations war effort are
today taking more tires for ground
transport and aviation than the en-
tire rubber industry turned out In
pre-war times. The military des-
truction and rate of wear over
Ia lie ~ -.
and faster than wear by civilian
transportation rolling on hard sur.
faced highways.
The Army has a big stockpile Of
tires on which 1t has been drawing,
although there are no figures to
show whether new manufacture is
replacing the inventory as fast as
Withdrawals, Because OF higher than
civilian tires.
The rubber industry insists that a
shortage Of rubber working ma
chinery was foreseen, to meet
heavier demands. Originally the
War Production Board approved a
sos million expansion OF facilities to
remove bottlenecks In rubber fac
tory production lines. This was later
cut back to $72 million, when some
Of the rubber plants which had been
converted To making non-rubber
munitions were cleared OF that work
and reconverted to rubber goods
production. But the full benefits OF
this $72 million expansion cannot
be felt before the second half OF
1914. And even this expansion won't
meet all the shortages now anici-
pated.
Working the new synthetic rub
Der Is slower than working natural
rubber. The industry doesn't yet
have the know-how on synthetic,
though 1t Is gradually acquiring the
skill.
There Is manpower shortage,
the same as In every other indus
try. Demands are greater, skill OF
new workers lower.
LABOR SITUATION
On top Of this there are labor
management difficulties which,
without stirring up any discord act.
ually are not settled. One OF JEFF
fers' last acts before leaving Wash
ington was to call In representatives
Of rubber labor and management, to
present them with charges that la
Dor was lying down on the Job. This
labor officials denied, in turn put
ting the blame on bad management.
Labor and management officials In
the industry are now meeting on
company or plant basis to dissolve
their troubles and create better
understanding.
Everything for the future will de-
pend on how tires are conserved.
The nations tire capital today Is In
the carcasses now rolling, getting the
last mile out of every casing. re-
treading to the limit. Relaxation of
gas rationing would be fatal.