# WW2 Rubber Shortages **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 7, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ww2-rubber-shortages/249088 "2004-06-07T13:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ww2-rubber-shortages/249088/1 "2004-06-07T13:00:00Z")
Link to [column on gas rationing in WWII](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_382b.html) – CKDH * * * For those of us too young to remember the war and the rationing it entailed, wartime cartoons and old movies provided our only clues as to what went on. I remember an old Abbot & Costello movie from 1944 or so, in which Lou Costello found a huge wad of cash with a rubber band wrapped around it. He picked up the wad excitedly, tossed the cash away, and beamed “Oh boy, rubber! Good rubber!!!” - A joke that was hugely popular at the time (though hardly anyone would get it now): The year is 1943, and a man has been driving around the back woods of Vermont. He’s running low on gasoline, and is starting to panic. At last, he comes upon a remote, isolated gas station. He pulls in, and hands his A card to the attendant. The attendant looks puzzled, and asks “What’s this? Ain’t you got any money?” The driver replies, “What’s that? Why, it’s a rationing card.” Attendant: “Rationing for what?” Driver: “Why, because of the fuel shortage.” Attendant: “What fuel shortage?” Driver: " Well, because of the war, of course." Attendant: “What war?” Driver: “The war against Adolf Hitler, damn it!” Attendant: “Who’s Adolf Hitler?” Driver: “Sigh… look, forget the gas, okay? Just give me four new tires.” ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ww2-rubber-shortages/249088/2 "2004-06-10T03:55:11Z")
And here I saw this thread title and thought it was gonna be about “rubber” shortages. What **did** they do about it, anyway? Bet **that’s** not in an Abbott and Costello skit… 😃 [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_382b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_382b.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ww2-rubber-shortages/249088/3 "2004-06-10T04:35:19Z")
I was born in the summer of 1943. Upon my mother’s arrival at the hospital (some 35 miles from home) she was told that she was in false labor and should return home. Because of gas rationing, the rubber shortage, a heat wave and my mother’s extremely thrifty nature, she refused to depart until I was born. It saved 70 miles of wear on thin tires. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ww2-rubber-shortages/249088/4 "2004-06-10T05:58:48Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > And here I saw this thread title and thought it was gonna be about “rubber” shortages. > > What **did** they do about it, anyway? I just watched the History Channel’s “Modern Marvels” show on rubber tonight (June 9th) and they organized huge recycling drives, and more importantly, launched a massive R&D program to develop synthetic rubber to be a viable substitute for natural rubber. They also did research into other latex bearing plants such as Guayule.