U.S.A. AFFAIRS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1943, Page 6

U.S.A. AFFAIRS

RUBBER OUTPUT

WASHINGTON, May 17

“The rubber problem is not yet jsolved, but it is in the best shape it 'has ever been,” said the Rubber Director (Mr. W. M. Jeffers) in an interview. “As a result of savings and also a greater production of synthetic rubber and a greater importation of crude rubber than had been expected, rubber stocks at the end of 1943 will be 142,000 tons, which is 40,000 tons more than was originally estimated.”

Mr. Jeffers added that 27 units for the manufacture of synthetic rubber were operating or ready to operate. The remaining 54 projected units ■would be operating before the end of 1943, producing in 1944 more than 750,000 long tons of crude rubber.

WAR CASUALTIES

RUGBY, May 18

United States war casualties total 81,966, states an official .Washington announcement. The Navy Department gave the names of 1044 naval officers and men held prisoner by the Japanese, disclosing for the first time that at least a few men survived the fate of the heavy crU.ser Houston, which disappeared during the Battle of the Java Sea. The complete casualty total, arrived at by combining the Navy Department’s reports, included: Dead, 13,296; wounded, 16,965; missing, 36,406; prisoner of war, 15,288. A War Department report of March 17 shows Army casualties totalling 56 942. Of these 6076 were killed, 12’,277 wounded, 24,345 are missing,

and 14,244 are prisoners of war. Of the wounded 4047 have returned to active duty or have been released from hospital. The Navy Department report of May 17 shows casualties totalling 25,013 made up of 7220 dead, 4688 wounded, 12,061 mssing, and 1044 prisoners.

COAL DISPUTE

WASHINGTON, May 17.

A War Labour Board statement charged Lewis with being solely responsible for the stalemate in the coal contract negotiations. Lewis had challenged the sovereignty of the United States. The issue now confronting the nation is wether he is above and beyond the laws applying to all other citizens. The coal controversy like all wage disputes came under the jurisdiction of the War 'Labour Board by Presidential order.

RUGBY, May 17. Mr. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America, has announced that he will extend the truce in the wages dispute until May 31, says a Washington message. He has thus acceded to the request of the Secretary of the Interior (Mr. Ickes) to forestall a stoppage of work.