Evening star., 1945-05-14
Civilians toG
50 Pei. Increase
In Tire Rations<
1,500, 900 Allotted .
During May; A-Cord
Holders Won't Benefit

A so per cent increase in pas
senger car tire rations for this
month was announced today by
the War Production Board, which
said this adds 100000 tires to
the number to be distributed to
civilians.
The improvement in rations, at
tributed directly to the lowered mill.
tary demand in the wake of victory
In Europe, will provide civilians with
l 500, 900 castings during May. While
this is 100000 more than the alloca-
ton for April, it is 100, 900 below that
of March.
The OPA said there was little
likelihood Of A-card ration holders
getting new tires, as a result of to-
days order, since ration boards now
have large backlogs of applications
from B and c card holders.
At WPB it was stated that as
newly increased manufacturing
schedules go into effect tires will
be released in increasing numbers"
Production Schedules Up.
In this connection, w. James
Sears. director of WPB's rubber
bureau. disclosed that the production
schedule for rubber companies has
been increased from 100000 tires
in the April May-June quarter to
5000, ,000 Mr.. Sears said production
schedules for the August September
quarter now are being studied care
fully, and that as soon as these
studies have been acted on by WPBs
Requirements Committee, the re-
suits will be released
The official said the Rubber Bu-
reau had never believed that 1000
600 passenger tires a month were
sufficient to maintain essential
travel for any period of time How
ever, greatly increased military re-
quirements forced a reduction in
passenger tire production.
Still Need to Conserve.
Although every effort will be
made to manufacture as many pas
senger tires as possible after the
demands for military and essential
civilian truck and bus tires have
been met, there is still a great need
to conserve and care for every tire
that is now in SERVICE" Mr.. Sears
said.
Only B and C gasoline ration
| holders now are eligible to obtain
new tires, and those whose tires
cannot be recapped must obtain
authorization for new tires through
local ration boards.
/ Meanwhile, the Defense Investi-
eating Committee today pursued its
inquiry into the shortage of carbon
black, which is necessary in the pro-
duction of synthetic tires.
Former Rubber Director Bradley
Dewey described the reduction of
the amount of carbon black used in
synthetic rubber as "a terrible
thing"
Billion Dollars i'm Industry.
This country has put almost a
billion dollars into synthetic rubber,
and the performance of synthetic
tires means lot to our country
he told the committee.
THE people should know how
good synthetic is. We shouldn t
save little carbon black at the ex-
pense of doing those things"
A WPB official testified last week
the tread wear of tires for Army
jeeps and civilian motorists had
been reduced between 20 and 80
per cent by an order issued in
February calling for a reduction in
) the ratio of carbon black used. This
order was modified in April to i'm
prove the quality of jeep tires.
Mr.. Dewey said he had resigned
his post as rubber director thinking
"a single authority" the War Pro-
duction Board, could more effec-
lively carry out program for ex-
panding production of the essential
component of synthetic rubber.
He declared that last June, a
month before he resigned, he had
been shown production schedule
by WPB officials calling for an in
crease of 100,00o,000 pounds in the
production rate of carbon black by
early 1945. WPB officials have
! testified this goal was not met.