| Show Scalps at Stake Staken I In n Latest Rubber Feud WASHINGTON April 24 UP p- p Two separate sets o of referees stepped into the fiery gasoline- gasoline rubber war production fight Saturday Sat Sat- sat sat-I amid assertions that when its it's settled the loser should be I handed his hat I IThe The issue Is the synthetic rubber rubber ruber rub- rub ber er program hurting the allied air offensive by slowing production of aviation gasoline The principals I Undersecretary of War Var Robert P. P Patterson to whom that charge was first attributed Petroleum Administrator Harold L. L j. j Ickes who promptly seconded I him im and I Rubber Director William M. M Jef- Jef termed fers-termed ers termed the maddest Irishman Irishman Irish Irish- man in all the United States who emphatically denies the charge harge Moving into referee are mem- mem Moving in to referee are mem- mem ing ng committee and Bernard Baruch Bauch Ba Ba- ruch uch whose committee authored he the the rubber program which Jeffers runs uns Recommending that whoever is wrong should r resign sign is Jeffers himself and S Senator Gillette D. D Iowa owa who also aIM is ready to referee referee ref- ref ree if ne needed ded I Should Resign As the Truman committee anno announced an an- no it its investigation is under underway underway underway way into the accusation that allocation allocation al- al location of vital materials to the rubber program h has s slowed prOduction production pro- pro of vit vital l Octane gasoline gas- gas olin line Gillette said If the charges made agai against st Rubber lubber Director Jeffers are true truen in n substantial part he ought to resign from his office or be forced to o do so If Jf th they y cannot be substantiated substantiated sub sub- ted in principal part those responsible for making the allegations allegations allega allega- should be ready to offer their resignations While indicating that a rubber- rubber investigating agriculture subcommittee subcommittee subcommittee which he heads hed would stand by while the war investigating ng ing ing- ing committee commutes e delves into the Ine me dill cia ais- ais ng ing ing- ing committee commutes e delves into the Ine me dill cia ais- ais Gillette declared the nation is a entitled to know the answers to o several important questions One he said Is whether there theres is s any truth in the charges that the war department has built huge plants for the production of essential essen- essen ial munitions and war materials which are now in disuse e Chairman Truman D. D Mo said his committee will 11 hear testimony testimony mony many Tuesday of W P B Chairman Donald Nelson and nd Ickes Jeffers Patterson and Undersecretary of the Navy James V. V Forrestal willbe will willbe willbe be summoned the following day Ickes Patterson and Deputy Petroleum Petroleum Pe Pe- Administrator Davis were called into a huddle late Friday by War Production Board Chairman Chairman Chairman Chair Chair- man Donald Nelson Nelon and the undersecretary's undersecretary's undersecretary's un un- un- un war department office office of of- fice lice said he was eager to cooperate cooperate coop coop- erate crate In any investigation Quiet Inquiry From Froni Baton Eaton Rouge La where he is inspecting synthetic rubber plants Jeffers said his answer was still No No still an emphatic no to the charges Previously his aids aide had termed him boiling mad and he was said to have told associates that either he or Patterson should get out of town when the scrap was settled It was one of his aids who described described described de de- de- de scribed Jeffers as the maddest Iri Irishman hman Meanwhile it was learned that Baruch has started a quiet inquiry of his own into the effect of the rubber program on all must war programs and there were hints his nis committee might be reconvened to restudy the entire rubber situa situa- tion |
