Executive Order 9246—Providing for the Coordination and Control of the Rubber Program

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes, particularly the Act of December 18, 1941, entitled "First War Powers Act, 1941" (Public Law 354, 77th Congress), as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, and in order to carry out certain recommendations made to the President by the Rubber Survey Committee for the purpose of assuring an adequate supply of rubber for war and essential civilian needs, it is hereby ordered as follows:

1. The Chairman of the War Production Board is authorized and directed to assume full responsibility for and control over the Nation's rubber program in all of its phases, including, but not limited to: technical research and development, importation, purchase, sale, acquisition, storage, transportation, provision of facilities, conservation, production, manufacturing, processing, marketing, distribution, and use of natural and synthetic rubber, related materials, and products manufactured therefrom.

2. There shall be, within the War Production Board, a Rubber Director, appointed by and responsible to the Chairman of the War Production Board for the administration of the Nation's rubber program.

3. In carrying out this Order, the Rubber Director may direct the Rubber Reserve Company and other subsidiaries of the Re-construction Finance Corporation, the Office of the Petroleum Coordinator for War, the Board of Economic Warfare, the Office of Defense Transportation, the Office of Price Administration, the Department of Agriculture, and such other departments, establishments, and agencies as he may deem necessary, to execute such aspects of the rubber program in such manner and for such period of time as he deems advisable, and full compliance shall be accorded such directives by the Federal agencies concerned.

4. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 and unless future directives issued thereunder shall otherwise provide:

A. The Office of the Petroleum Coordinator for War shall, upon and under the direction of the Rubber Director:

(1) Conduct or promote developmental research in the production and manufacture of butadiene from petroleum and natural gas products and recommend new production and manufacturing methods for the consideration of the Rubber Director.

(2) Serve as the agency of the Government in supervising, upon completion of construction, the operation of plants producing synthetic rubber raw materials made from petroleum and natural gas products.

B. The Rubber Reserve Company shall, upon and under the direction of the Rubber Director, serve as the agency of the Government in supervising the construction of all plants under the rubber program, including plants manufacturing butadiene from petroleum and natural gas products.

5. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the powers conferred upon the Price Administrator by the "Emergency Price Control Act of 1942."

6. Any provision of any Executive Order conflicting with this order is superseded to the extent of such conflict.

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

The White House,
September 17, 1942.