Its what they made rope out of back then. Kansas was a state where a great deal of it was grown...but the majority of the plants were male...so smoking the leaf was a waste of time...though possession of it could get you busted.
Without it there would have been very inferior cordage and ropes for the Navy. And yes, I HAVE seen the film "Hemp for Victory", which the US government now deny was ever made. I have a copy.
For full details, please read THIS book, probably the best and least biased I have come across.
For full details, please read THIS book, probably the best and least biased I have come across.
http://books.google.co.uk/boo...