Evening star., 1944-07-26
Rubber Office Is Firsl
Agency 10 Close
| Doors Voluntarily
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

~y SNAvAAA1 - Anew 4OlNa
The Once of Rubber Director,
which organized and built q new in
dustry in two years to keep the Ma
tion's war machine on wheels, was
in the process of liquidation today,
the first war agency to close its
doors voluntarily.
Rubber Director Bradley Dewey
announced that the goals set by the
Baruch report of 1912 for produc-
ton of synthetic rubber were
realized and that he was mo longer
needed" IN insWashington. Mr.. Dewey
teamed With dynamic William M.
Jeffers to. ebull through" the pro-
gram in the first years to save the
country from impending disaster,
and in the past year guided the
baby synthetic industry over re-
manning rough spots unaided.
Remaining work of the rubber
Office will be transferred to the War
Production Board under a rubber
division. The broad authority given
by President Roosevelt to enable
Mr.. Jeffers and Mr.. Dewey to make
success Of the rubber program will
be rescinded. Mr.. Dewey's resigna-
ton Is effective September !, by
which time he expects to wind UP
the affairs of his Office.
Byrnes Indorses Action.
Mr.. Dewey said problems still con-
fronting the rubber program consist
of manpower shortages in heavy tire
plants and shortage of tire cord.
He added these problems can best
be handled within WPB by the
Production Executive Committee.
Formal approval of the change
was given yesterday at meeting
Of the full WPB. Earlier, War Mo-
bilization Director Byrnes indorsed
the action in letter to Mr.. Dewey.
Mr.. Byrnes said the rubber director
had made wonderful contribution
to the war effort" and that the sue
cess of the rubber program lis due
to the untiring efforts of you and
your associates"
Bernard M. Baruch, whose report
two years ego called rubber the Ma
tion's most critical problem and
recommended establishment Of the
rubber Office. praised the work OF
Mr.. Dewey highly.
The country was particularly
fortunate in having a hard hitting
clear-headed. unafraid William
Jef1ers aided and then succeeded
by Bradley Dewey who possesses
the rarest of qualities-executive
driving power and practical SCI
ence." Mr. Baruch said.
The program now rests in the
manpower and raw materials stu
alton over which the rubber director
has no control.
Rare Combination.
That lies entirely in the hands
/ of the War Production Board and
Manpower Commission, where all
programs must follow the priority
established by them. Wisely and
energetically done, the problem will
be finally and definitely solved
Jeffers and Dewey are the rare COM
bination which is found in America
and makes it tick. Well done VIC
say. and Thanks"
In Chicago, Mr.. Jeffers said Mr.
Dewey had followed through mag
niflcently" with the Job, the Asso-
ciated Press reported. so far as
the Baruch report is concerned, the
job is done. The responsibility now
rests entirely with the War Produc-
ton Board, where it properly be-
longs" he added.
Mr.. Dewey said synthetic plants
now are producing rubber at an an
nual rate about 250,000 tons above
the Nations importation of natural
rubber before the war. He pre-
dicted that greatly expanded
world demand Cor rubber after the
war will assure the future of the
new industry.
Il cannot see any capitalist plant
ing rubber trees and waiting seven
years for them to grow" Mr.. Dewey
said, ". against a future of un-
known labor costs-in competition
with chemists who have won every
battle they ever entered between
synthetics and nature"
For a period after the war syn
thetic rubber probably will be or 2
cents cheaper than crude rubber,
he said, and thereafter may run at