Evening star., 1950-11-21
Senate Group Blasts
'BIundering' in Sale
OF Surplus Plants
Continued From First Pageo

ss1sS
Continued From First Page.)
make certain that the entire out
put of the plant provides alcohol
only for the synthetic rubber pro-
gram.
GSA oringinally agreed to sell
the 81 million plant to the COM
pany for $1,750.000. The subcom-
mittee said the company's sole
stockholders are Lester S. Abelson,
Morton S. Abelson, Celia K. Abel
son. Oscar Getz and Martin w.
Bell. The Abelson interests own
several distilleries.
The subcommittee's criticism of
the Air Force centered mainly on
disclosures that sales of usable
surplus property were permitted
at Robins base in Georgia by the
Air Material Command at Wright
Patterson Field. Dayton, Ohio,
more than a month after the
Korean nghtlng started.
Those findings, the subcom-
nittee said. contract information
provided by Air Undersecretary
Mcclure on July 10 that subordi-
mates had reported suspension of
all disposal action. The subcom-
mittee added that while our first
inquiries were brushed off we later
received full cooperation from
the department and believe some
helpful reforms have been insti-
tuted'
Only Scratched Surface.
Senator Johnson, filing the re-
port with the Armed Services
Committee, said his subcommit-
tee has only scratched the sur
face. Reports will be out soon
on the Nations steel supply. agri-
cultural commodity stockpiling
and Alaskan defenses, he an
nounced.
LAS far as the Preparedness sub
committee is concerned" he de-
clared, policies that look good on
paper aren't enough. Wars aren't
won with memoranda. We intend
to see that future performances
live up to present promises"
The subcommittee acknowledged
some progress toward more re-
alistic attitudes" about rubber and
surplus property policies since
September. But it made such
further pointed observations as
these:
Progress in paper work, of
which there has been considerable,
is no substitute for progress in
performance, of Swhich there has
not been enough. Paper-work
preparedness is only flimsy pro-
lection against the threat we face.
Rubber Supplies Are Low.
"The subcommittee hopes the
GSA and Munitions Board are
going to work together more close
ly in the future. Neither the
President nor any congressional
committee can be expected to
baby-sit throughout the emer-
gency."
The subcommittee showed spe-
cial concern for industry supplies
Of rubber which. it disclosed, "are
far less than those on hand at
the time of Pearl Harbor." It
urged private industry to con-
struct or expand facilities for the
synthetic rubber program.
Stating that rubber prices have ,
shot from IT to rs cents a pound
since October. 1949 the subcom-
mittee said some groups in friend
" nations are "gouging,. the
United States.
/; Nationals of friendly nations,
made more secure by our mobiliza-
ton program. are obviously taking
advantage of the tight situation
created by our and their national
emergencies to sabotage the pre-
paredness effort by gouging un-
mercifully on their sales of rub
Der" the committee charged.
1 sPaper-work' Called Failure.
|; The Commerce Department,
according to the subcommittee
failed to follow-up impressive
paper work" in it's August Is or
der aimed at reducing non-mili-
tary consumption of rubber to
10000 tons and save approxi-
mately $4,000 tons month.
But the order, generally
speaking, favored the larger COM
panies and operated unfairly on
the smaller ones" the subcom-
mittee complained. I'm this state