May 1, 1914.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



419 



are considered better than European and we should have a good 

 market there if we go after it properly and then deliver the 

 goods promptly and packed as requested. The highest and most 

 costly class of merchandise of all kinds that the world produces 

 may be found in its retail stores, and the people have the money 

 to buy it. There are great opportunities for making money 

 there. The speaker told of a 30-year-old passenger on the boat 

 with him who was considered worth between $30,000,000 and 

 $40,000,000. He also spoke of an Italian immigrant who started 

 digging in the streets, then bought a push cart, and afterwards 

 a horse and wagon, peddling the wine wliicli he manufactured. 

 He now is worth between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000. 



The park system, subways and highways in Buenos Aires are 

 as fine as in any European capital. 



Rio Janeiro is another enterprising, modern city with an ex- 

 cellent harbor, one of the most picturesque in America. The 

 city has a suburb built by the president of Brazil which is a 

 model in every respect. Here working men's homes, picturesque 

 and comfortable, are rented at $6 and $8 a month. Immigrants 

 are especially favored, their expenses are frequently paid to 

 inland points where they are guaranteed employment, or, if they 

 desire, are given tools and seeds and a piece of land to cultivate. 

 On the steamer on which Colonel Kincaide sailed from that city 

 twenty foreigners who had started as immigrants in Brazil, de- 

 posited their savings with the purser and to his astonishment 

 those twenty people were taking from the country fiftj' thousand 

 dollars in gold. In many respects the United States can look 

 to Brazil for enterprise and progress. Sao Paulo is a city of 

 400,000 population and has an excellent export trade. 



What the United States needs is a better acquaintance with 

 the country. More Americans should visit both the East and 

 West coasts. Such trade associations as the Rubber Club of 

 America can help in this direction, and should give their support 

 to increase trade between the United States and our Southern 

 neighbors. The need is for direct cables. We should not 

 be obliged to send our dispatches twice across the ocean. We 

 should have American ships to take our goods there and bring 

 our purchases back. We should have, as other nations do, lega- 

 tion buildings for our consuls, so they would not be obliged to 

 hunt around for rents every time the landlord increases his 

 price. The United States could build a legation building in every 

 large capital in the world, for the price of one battleship. Were 

 we to have all these requirements, inside of ten years the United 

 States would control almost the entire trade of South .America. 



Colonel Kincaide was listened to with rapt attention, and at 

 the conclusion he was given a round of applause. 



President Hodgman then called upon Hency C. Pearson, of 

 The India Rubber World, who had just returned from a trip 

 in South America. He said that he had never been more fas- 

 cinated with any travel story in his life than the one to which 

 he had just listened. If his hearers were to go over the route 

 with Colonel Kincaide they could hardly know more about it 

 than had been given them so graphically this evening. Never 

 before had the speaker seen put into such small compass the 

 many facts of South America. We have been sending Americans 

 there and they have come back and told us something about it, 

 but they hadn't made any such full and accurate reports, nor 

 half so interesting. One point the speaker made was that we 

 Northerners are in some respects stronger in health and more 

 direct in business. We show this in our dealings with them and 

 they resent it. The Boston Chamber of Commerce sent down 

 a courteous and tactful man, and the result is a great benefit 

 for American commerce. We should send down there more such 

 men in the future. 



Mr. Pearson then spoke of the courtesy of the Boston Art 

 Club in allowing the Rubber Club of America to hold its meet- 

 ing and dinner on their premises and proposed a rising vote of 

 thanks — which was heartily given. President Hodgman then 

 read from a slip which had been handed him a report of the 



capture of Vera Cruz, which had been telephoned from a news- 

 paper office and after a few pertinent remarks declared the 

 meeting closed. 



This was one of the most successful and enjoyable meetings 

 the club has ever held and one which will long be remembered 

 by those who participated. 



THE RUBBER CLUB WANTS FURTHER STATISTICS. 



A FEW weeks ago the secretary of the Rubber Club sent a 

 ^~*- circular letter to the rubber manufacturers of the United 

 States, asking them for certain statistical matter to be used in 

 the formulation of accurate information about the industry, for 

 the general benefit of all connected with it. He has received 

 a great many replies, particularly from the larger manufac- 

 turers, but in order to make these statistics really accurate and 

 valuable they should of course be complete ; and as quite a 

 number of manufacturers have as yet not sent in the desired 

 information, the secretary has sent out a second letter, which 

 is reproduced below : 



To the Rubber Manufacturers of the United States: 



The response to our circular letter of January 23 last, asking 

 the rubber manufacturers of the United States to give us the 

 number of their employees and the value of their total produc- 

 tion during the year 1912 has been most satisfactory, many man- 

 ufacturers evidently realizing the importance of having reliable 

 statistics available in regard to the industry. 



There are some firms who have not yet responded to this re- 

 quest, and in order that the statistics when compiled may be com- 

 plete, we are sending out this second letter (with statistical blank 

 enclosed) requesting that you will assist us in this work. 



It is a fact that the statistics of the rubber industry have 

 never before been compiled even by the United States Census 

 Bureau, this industry having been classed in, to a great extent, 

 witli other affiliated industries. As a result the importance of 

 the rubber trade has never properly appeared before the public. 

 It was to supply this lack of accurate information that the Rub- 

 ber Club of America has undertaken this work which our officers 

 and Executive Committee regard as most important. We are 

 very desirous of completing this work w'ithin the next month 

 or so. and would ask that you give this letter your immediate 

 attention. 



One of the most serious problems that faces American rubber 

 manufacturers today is unintelligent competition, wliich largely 

 results from the lack of accurate information regarding exact 

 conditions in the industry. People would not invest their money 

 in industries where there is already a great over-production if 

 they knew the facts, or if they had any way of learning the 

 facts. Business is injured through this lack of information. 



Kindly note that any information you may give will be abso- 

 lutely confidential, as it will pass only into the hands of the 

 Secretary of the Club who has no other connection with the 

 rubber industry. The statistical blank bears a number so that 

 your name will not appear on your report. 



We trust this method will obviate any possible hesitancy on 

 the part of manufacturers in furnishing these figures. 



Upon request we will be pleased to furnish you with a copy 

 of the statistics when compiled. 



Verv trulv yours. Rubber Club of America, 



April 8, 1914'. ' H. S. Vorhis, Secretary. 



RUBBER HEEL WITH BALATA PLtTGS. 



The advantage that balata has over the standard grades of 

 rubber is its superior friction — its non-slipperiness — which 

 makes it particularlj' adapted to use in belting. This same 

 quality naturally suggests the use of balata in the making of 

 rubber heels, and a San Francisco inventor has taken out a 

 patent for a rubber heel with two plugs made of balata in- 

 serted at the back of the heel, which naturally touches the 

 ground first. As there is not much resiliency in balata, this 

 disadvantage is compensated by two cavities, one over each 

 plug, between the layer of rubber and the leather and forming 

 an air chamber. 



