Document V39jenb58OxEwpVG1Mb2vaj2K

copy E. I* du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc, Wilmington 98, Delaware Organic Chemicals Department . . February 20, 1956 Mr. E. L* Shea, President Ethyl Corporation 100 Park Avenue Hew York, H. Y. Dear Mr. Shea: During, the past year in Los Angeles County, a man named Chandler Phillips, an ex-Shell Oil employee, has been gain ing in stature as a "rabble rouser'* against automotive exhaust as the prime source of smog, He places great emphasis on TEL and lead products as health hazards, During the year, the caliber of his audiences has increased from local Glendale groups to rather in fluential service clubs throughout the county. Exhibit A is a resume of one of Phillips1 talks be fore a Klwanis luncheon. Exhibit B contains representative press notices Phillips has received. Exhibit C is a press rebuttal of Phillips1 claims by the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control Officer. In November, while our Mr, D. H. Conklin was on the West Coast, Shell Oil*s Eastern Vice President and Western Manager of Public Relations asked to discuss Chandler1s activities with him. They outlined his growing stature and stated they had no one on the West Coast who could answer Phillips* TEL allegations. We agreed to mate Dr. 3 . L. Rankin, Medical Advisor to the Petro leum Chemicals Division, available for discussion on his next trip to the Coast, scheduled for middle January. Between November and middle January, the scope of Dr, Rankin1s visit m s Increased by the Shell people to include visits to the Air Pollution Foundation, Western Oil & Gas Associa tion, Los Angeles County Medical Society, State Department of Public Health, and Public Health Committee of the State Legislature A copy of the report covering Dr, Rankin*s visit is attached as Exhibit D. A copy of a transcript of a television broadcast re ferring to recent activities of Mr, Chandler Phillips is attached as Exhibit E. HE 0005021 Hr* S. L. Shea 2 February 20, 1956 It seems to me that the TEL industry should not permit the unfounded and inaccurate statements by Hr, Chandler Phillips to go unchallenged. It is our feeling that competent and proper authorities in California should be given complete and factual Information on TEL and other lead compounds in the atmosphere. The possibility of a widespread acceptance of the Inaccurate statements being recklessly thrown about by Phillips resulting in adverse legislations toward TEL, represents in our1 opinion, quite a threat. Vie have concluded that the most accurate and mean ingful information which could be supplied to the proper auth orities in California for such release as they might want to make of them could be supplied by Dr* Kehoe of the Kettering Laboratories as the best qualified man in the country on this subject. Me have concluded that the best approach to the problem would be to discuss the natter with Dr. Kehoe to determine if he has adequate and factual information which would disprove the statements by Mr. Phillips* If he has such data and if there is not objection to his release of same, it would be our idea to discuss the matter again with the proper group in Southern California to determine how they would like such data presented and to ask them to contact Dr. Kehoe directly and to make necessary rrrangements with him with the understanding that we would by contribution to the California group, provide the funds to cover any expenses or fees involved. Noting a reference to a statement in the attached that the California group had contacted the Ethyl Corporation on this matter, we first wanted to be sure that any idea which we were promoting was not in conflict with some action you had under consideration. 'Hie Idea has been advanced that this really is an industry matter and consequently that the two mem bers of the industry might want to participate in whatever action is taken, Hie Ethyl Corporation participation in the development of data, etc., may already be of a considerable order-of-nagnitude and if so, we are quite ready to assume this further responslbilit as outlined. I would appreciate very much your comments on this matter and in due time, the return of the attached file. Sincerely yours, /s/ J. F, Daley J. F. DALEY GENERAL MANAGER JFDiim attachment tfile KE 0005022