K. REPORTS ON
"
INDUSTRIAL
MOBILIZATION
News of the nation's activity in marshaling its resources to meet the international emergency
N ATIONAL Production Authority has issued a new regulation, M-2, to cut consumption of natural rubber, total new rubber, and latex during November and December to below pre-Korean levels. Total new rubber consumption will b e chopped to 84% of pre-crisis use. Total natural rubber use will be limited to 75% in November and 63% in December of last year's levels. Latex consumption will b e brought i n line with last year's figures. The new restrictions aim at making available for defense needs larger supplies of natural rubber and come on top of a three-month period when total new rubber consumptionnatural and synthetic—reached record levels. According to Earl Glen, head of NPA's rubber division, pre-Korean consumption of total new rubber ran about 100,000 tons per month. In June, July, and August, it averaged 110,000 tons. The new order aims to cut natural rubber consumption down to 52,000 tons in November and 4 5 , 0 0 0 tons in December. (Estimated September consumption stands at 66,000 tons.) Glen said receipts of imported natural rubber had averaged 75,000 tons in the last six months. Stockpilers will have at their disposal the difference between these two sets of figures, although there are n o government commitments to buy up any specific quantities. M-2 is purely an interim order; its restrictions apply only to November and December consumption. I t replaces R-l, which up to now, has covered rubber allocations, and places under NPA jurisdiction the allocation of synthetic output, formerly a duty of the Office of Rubber Reserve. Specific provisions for required use of synthetic rubber are, under M-2, substantially the same as they were under the old order, with percentage requirements for GR-S unchanged. However, its restrictions on natural and total new rubber consumptions' are entirely new provisions. Total new rubber consumption (including all synthetic, and all natural except latex and guayule) is limited to 84% of the amount a user would have been allotted under the old R-l order. Limits on natural rubber (exclusive of natural rubber latex and guayule) provide consumers with only 75% in November, and 63% in December, of base monthly natural rubber consumption. The base is one twelfth of a user's actual consumption during the year ending last June 30. This, then, amounts to a cut-back on natural rubber to 15% and 63% of average monthly pre-Korean use. Latex restrictions, retroactive t o take i n the whole fourth quarter of this year, provide that consumers shall not use more natural rubber latex than they did before last June. Latex importers must offer at least 10% of their imports to the Government for stockpile purposes. NPA will allocate synthetic rubber quarterly, and notify the Office of Rubber Reserve of such allocations. They will then issue purchase permits on t h e basis of NPA figures. Allocations of GR-S will be based on each person's total new rubber consumption, including natural rubber latex, but excluding butyl, during the year ending last June 30. V O L U M E
2 8,
NO.
44»
. O C T O B E R
3 0,
Butyl allocations will be made on a somewhat similar basis. All limits, restrictions, and allocations are subject to adjustments made either under the old R-l order, or by NPA. C o l u m b i u m - b e a r i n g Steels E a r m a r k e d by N P A For Defense Use O n l y
The entire production and use of columbium-bearing stainless steels will be reserved for defense needs under NPA order M-3. Ferro-columbium and ferro-columbium-tantalum are in short supply and are required for the defense program. The order requires that producers and distributors of ferro-columbium and ferro-columbium-tantalum fill only orders with DO priority ratings. Such ratings may be applied only to orders for defense use by the armed services and the Atomic Energy Commission. The order also prohibits the use of ferro-columbium bearing steels in any application or process where ferro-columbium-tantalum bearing steels may b e substituted, and further prohibits the use of either of these two alloys if any other substitutes can be used. Officials explained, in releasing trie order, that principal uses of these alloys are i n high combustion chambers and in processing certain chemicals. Beverage M a k e r s to Supply A l c o h o l for Butadiene
Beverage alcohol makers will begin around the first of December to furnish the Office of Rubber Reserve with alcohol for use in butadiene plants the agency has announced- Officials were unable to quote figures on quantities beverage producers -will be able t o supply, but said that this operation will not interfere in any way with production of beverage alcohol. The agreement was reached at a recent meeting between 14 representatives of the industry. Some 70 producers are expected to participate i n the program to supply more alcohol to the synthetic mbber program. ORR announced at the same time that it is partially reactivating the two alcohol butadiene plants that have been in stand-by condition at Louisville, Ky. and Kobuta, Pa. According to a recent government report o n synthetic rubber production facilities, the Louisville plant has a design capacity of 60,000 tons of alcohol, and the Kobuta plant, 80,000 tons. Officials indicated that the quantity of alcohol now contracted for will b e adequate to supply current needs for butadiene production. A r m y Discusses Procurement With Top Industry Leaders
The role of the chemical industry in the Army Procurement Program was one of the subjects discussed at a recent meeting between industrial leaders and army officials and procurement officers. Officials refuse to discuss details of the conference beyond saying that the talks centered around ways and means
1950
3783
INDUSTRIAL M O B I L I Z A T I O N
of insuring a continued flow of material to fill greatly increased needs of the procurement program, with special emphasis on how industry can best cooperate with the Army t o w a r d that end. T h e Army, a n n o u n c e m e n t of the conference states, received valuable suggestions from the industrialists, and the business men, in turn, were given a better understanding of Army procurement practices. Among t h e group of top leaders in industry were Crawford EI. Greenewalt, president of E. I. d u Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., and C. E . Wilson, president of General Electric. Under a procurement program that will be four or five times greater next year than it is today, the Army is eager ti> acquaint industry with procurement methods and practices. One important phase of the over-all procurement pictuu-e, is t h e Defense Department's Production Allocation Program. It involves planning with privately-owned indust r y to pre-determine and allocate plant capacity for wartime prodiaction. The program is voluntary on the part of management a n d has, the Army points out, the advantage of s e t t i n g up pre-determined production schedules which can l>e iinplemented in case of emergency. E&uilding Curbs R e c o m m e n d e d b y N P A
NPA limitations on new construction projects aimed at raice tracks, amusement parks, dance halls, etc., are in preparation, Administrator Harrison told construction industry representatives at a recent meeting. Construction curbs will be necessary in the near future, hie said to reduce use of critical materials. Incdustry representatives proposed t h a t constructors, themselves, be allowed to impose voluntary conservation measures, and suggested that nondefense construction by federal, state, and local governments be cut. Recently-imposed c r e d i t restrictions, they felt, would sharply reduce the numb e r o f homes built, resulting in a further saving of critical materials. N P A reported a growing feeling that curtailment of home construction would he unfair, if building of amusement facilities is still allowed. S t e e l Warehousemen A p p r o v e N P A Plan T o Keep Stocks at Fair Levels
A. system for maintaining steel warehouse inventories at l e v e l s necessary to meet emergency defense requirements ^received unanimous approval of the Industrial Steel Products Warehouse Industry Advisory Committee at a recent meeting with N P A . T h e new system will also provide for meeting n e e d s * of small business firms which normally get t h e i r steel supplies from the warehouses. Monthly warehouse allotments by steel producers, in proportion t o available civilian supply, a r e provided under the proposed regulation. I t also sets ceilings, in terms of both total inventory a n d individual products, on D O priority orders t h a t warehouses may be required to accept. This method will ensure e q u a l distribution of defense orders among t h e warehousemen and prevent disruption of supplies to small business firms d e p e n d e n t on warehouses for their needs. Electronics Engineers A d d e d to Labor's Critical List
T l i e first additions to the list of critical occupations since it w a s drawn u p last August h a v e b e e n announced b y Labor Secretary Tobin. Electronic technicians will now be qualified to apply to t h e Defense D e p a r t m e n t for deferment if they are members of National G u a r d or reservists. T h e original listing w a s drawn up to assure that manpower in critical jobs is available to meet the needs of defense industry. 37M
The inclusion of the occupation of electronic technician, the announcement says, is intended to cover only those highly skilled workers who are engaged i n fabrication, installation, repair, a n d manufacture of electronic apparatus a n d equipment used in communication, measurement, a n d control systems, including radar, sonar, guided missiles, fire sighting, and control systems. Blackmiths and hammersmiths are also new additions to the list. The original critical list included chemists, specifically analytical, biological, organic, physical, and inorganic chemists, as well as pharmacognosists and pharmacologists, as described in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles of the U. S. Employment Service. Chemical engineers were listed, as well as civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mining, petroleum, sanitary, a n d chief marine engineers. A m o n g other professions listed are physicist, geologists, botanist, bacteriologists, and plant pathologist. NSRB A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e on M o b i l i z a t i o n P o l i c y
Industry, labor, and agriculture have a voice in N S R B planning through an advisory committee recently established b y Executive Order. T h e group, called the National Advisory Committee on Mobilization Policy, meets in W a s h ington every other Tuesday to discuss national mobilization policy with NSRB representatives. The Executive order giving t h e group official status requires that all government agencies cooperate with the committee to furnish it w h a t e v e r information it needs to carry out its duties. Three members from industry, three from labor, three from agriculture, and three representing the general public serve on the group. T h e three industry members a r e Marion B. Fulsom, treasurer of E a s t m a n Kodak Co. and chairman of the Board of t h e Committee for Economic Development; Otto A. Seyferth, U. S. C h a m b e r of Commerce president and director of W e s t Michigan Steel F o u n d r y Co.; and Claude Adams P u t m a n , NAM president and president of the Markham Machine Co. Among public m e m b e r s is George H. Mead, Dayton, Ohio, past president of American Pulp and Paper Association. M E A Sets U p A d v i s o r y C o u n c i l on P o w e r
A 30-man Electric Utility Defense Advisory Council has been set up by Interior Secretary C h a p m a n to advise him in the field of electric power in matters concerning the Minerals a n d E n e r g y Administration, defense agency in Interior. T h e council, representing all segments of the electric utility industry, is scheduled to meet for talks this week with representatives of the Army, N S R B , F P C , a n d other government agencies. Appointments
.
.
.
Charles E . Kohlhepp, president of Wisconsin P u b l i c Service Corp., has joined the NPA as consultant to assist with organization of t h e program bureau. During W o r l d W a r II, he served on t h e W a r Production Board. Roger J. Coe has been appointed executive director of the Committee o n O r d n a n c e of the Research a n d Development Board, according to a Defense D e p a r t m e n t announcement. Mr. Coe, a m e m b e r of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, leaves his position as assistant chief engineer of N e w England Power Service Co., Boston, Mass., to take the defense job. C H E M I C A L
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
