The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-20


 All over the U. s. A, there Is n surplus Of sawdust and wood scraps from saw mills. In some areas, its disposal Is Q problem, But in Germany, some thirty plants arc in operation turning sawdust not only into alcohol, but yeast and cattle feed.
 This same process has been test- ed at a U. s. Forest Service pilot plant at Marquette, Wis, and re- gently plans were all set to open Il commercial plant at Willamette, Oregon. The Vulcan Copper & Supply company was scheduled to do the job and J. Alfred Hall, borrowed from the Forest Serv- ice by WIPES office of production research and development, actual ly had gone out to oregon to in- spect the proposed Willamette site.
 But now something has hap- pcncd. The alcohol division of WIPE Is reported to be quietly throwing monkey wrenchcs into the works.
 For two long years, WIPES al- cohol division has blocked the saw dust alcohol method for the ob. vlous reason that the big alcohol companies are entrenched with the Cuban molasses method. Their plants are near tho Atlantic sea- board, where molasses is readily accessible. They don't want com petition from the lumber regions of the South and Northwest, But finally, because of the desperate alcohol shortage, they were over- ruled and the Willamette plant was authorized
 However, queer things happened. When the Willamette application was sent by registered mail to WIPE, 1t was Host" WIPE refused to act without the "orlginap ap- pllcation, so valuable weeks were wasted arguing.
 Then, m engineer named Levy, who had had experience with the sawdust method in Ger many, was brought here from England. This time, the Will llainettc application papers were ready. But another hitch de- VelOped. WIPE suddenly found some of Lcvy's credentials unsat- isfact0ry, demanded an FBI ln- vestIgati0n. The FBI cleared him, but still the WIPES alCO- hOl division iS holding things up.
 N0TE-Hard.hitting Senator Walgren of Washington wrote an article on the subject for the Washington Star, exposing the whole delay and the reasons why. But the Star found 1t too dyna- mite-laden. Meanwhile, the ale cohol shortage continues and vast sawdust piles are rotting away. McCORMACK'S BLARNEY
 When the citizens of Boston paraded on March l7th, they prob- ably didn't know that Rep. John Mccormack of Massachusetts, the House majority leaders, had to turn on some fancy blarney at %he White House to get an Army band and soldiers for the par- ade.
 Secretary Of War Stimson at first rejected McCormack's re- quest for the troops, informing the genial majority leader that they couldn't be spared for civ- llian celebrations. So 1t looked like the parade was "out'.
 However, Mccormack decided to play one last card with the President.
 MT. President" said he, as Q recent legislative conference at the White House was breaking up, there's another small mat. ter of interest to my district that I'd like to take up with you"
 What is lt this time, John?" grlnned Roosevelt. Do you want to enlarge Boston liar. bOr?"
 "No." replied Mccormack, 'T'm not after Q Federal prOpect. But March 17th will soon be here and the people of Boston have three special reasons for cele- brating the day. It ls, of course,
 St Patrick'S Day. It is also Evacuation Day. Those are two reasons. Do you know the third?"
 When Roosevelt confessed tha he didn't Mccormack explaine rouguistly: "WelI, March I7th 1 also your wedding anniversar, Now. what I'm after Is some sol dieFs for . parade, so we can Ob serve such . prominent date with fitting ceremony: The War De-