The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-05-26

Crude Rubber
Supply Goal
i'm Borneo

Washington-Seyeral members Of
Congress have expressed the be
lief that the Allied military inva,
sion OF Borneo IS for the purpose
of obtaining a larger supply OF
crude rubber for the United states
war machine
Otherwise. il Is urged. the oper-
EtIon would have no particular mil.
itary- value
Charles p. Taft. who is in charge
Of several important economic prob
lens in the State Department. said
that the present supply Of rubber
IS the most critical shortage now
facing the nation He declared
that. with an additional 100000
tons Of crude rubber, the United
States could increase its tire pro-
duction % per cent with Its pres
ent manpower
On Jan. /, he pointed out. crude
rubber stocks had dropped TO $4,000
tons. which was 40 per cent below
the 100000 ton supply specified by
The BaruCh report on rubber as
the absolute minimum for safe or
Grafton OF American industries. I'M
provement of synthetic rubber,
Taft declared. has not reached r
point where military tires can be
made from il exclusively. II IS
necessary, be pointed out, TO mix
crude with synthetic in the manu-
facture Of such tires.
Watch the Army and Navy set
lie the question OF Pacific island
trusteeships in their own way.
Both armed services are about
champions OF American supervision
OF these islands and bases after the
war, and they are frankly opposed
10 any delegation OF authority TO
a world security organization.
One manifestation OF the service
viewpoint is the way the Navy is
constructing a first-clsss base at
Guam. With thousands of men
available and millions OF dollars
worth OF materials at its disposal.
the Navy is building base which
will be the new Pearl HArbor Of the
Pacific after this war
1t will be recalled that when the
Japs blasted Pearl Harbor there
were many red faces in Congress
due TO the failure 10 provide an APP
preparation TO make that island a
first-class naval base.
- othe Nay y ny TyrNS (haHc-
es. Guam is Adm. Chester Nimitr'
forward headquarters. thousands
OF men are stationed there and IL is
the focal point OF the Nays Pa
oific set-up. In other words. Guam
has become an accomplished fact
as far as the Navy is concerned.
And II is only crystaliZing its posi-
lion now so that when the war is
over the job will be virtually done.
Gen. Brehon B. .Somervell. who
once said to critics OF heavy pro-
curement OF material for the war
that you can't plan TO kill the last
Jap with the last bullet, ".may have
set a record as the man who guess
ed when the European war would
end. He was asked recently wheth-
or he had made a guess and how
much he had missed by.
Il made a guess but I only told
one man.. Somervell admitted.
What date did you pick" he was
asked.
May - he replied, adding. 81
only did so because it was my birth
day
According TO the unconditional
surrender terms. the cease fire"
order was issued TO be effective
one minute after midnight, Euro.
pean time, May .
To supplement- the supply Of
shots for the balance OF this year.
government agencies are bending
every effort TO increase the guam
tity Of fabric shoes, especially for
women.
Although leather shoe produc-
ton showed a slight increase. in
the first quarter OF the year, over
the last three months OF 1914. it
still was below production for the
corresponding period a year ago.
and the supply Of leather for up.
pers is still short for the rest OF
the year.
So WPB has taken steps TO up
the availability OF heavy shoe gab.
srdine and women may find them.
selves forced TO depend in large
measure on this type OF shoe for
the rest OF 1915.
As for children. special steps
have been taken 10 insure enough
leather for them and this is being
supplemented in the summer
months by fabric and rGbbersoled
play shoes.
WASHINGTON-AP-The cruis.