December 1, 1920 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



159 



within a year — accentuated each year that has followed, with 

 prices dangerously near the cost of production; indeed, the sur- 

 plus was. at that very time, being accumulated, as will be seen 

 by reference to Table I and Graph A herewith, of the world 

 production, consumption and surplus nf rubber from 1912 to 1919, 

 inclusive. 



The preceding table and graph clearly show that the educated 

 "estimate" or "guess" of manufacturers and dealers is substan- 

 tiated, at least, so far as the world's position is concerned. If 

 the figures quoted are correct — and they come from the best of 

 authorit} — each j-ear, from 1912 to and including 1919, has pro- 

 duced more rubber than that particular year has consumed, the 

 surplus or "carry-over" from year to year accumulated at the 

 end of 1919 being apparently 224,405 tons. 



-Applying a similar analysis upon the importations to, and the 

 consumption of rubber in the United States, further confirmation 

 is had of tlie "views" and "estimates" made by dealers and manu- 

 facturers, as will be seen by reference to Table II and Graph B. 

 Here it will be seen that a surplus has been gradually accumulat- 

 ing, year by year, since 1912, and that it amounted to 83,350 tons 

 at the end of 1919. 



T.^BLE II 



United .States Imforts. Consumption, and Surplus Stocks of Rubber 



(In long tons) 



(Reference to Graph Bj 



Iniports Consumption Surplus 

 (a) 



Deficit 



I91j 58,927 



19U 76,817 



1915 ■..; i:.',560 



1916 148.827 



1917 .;....'. 173.928 



1918 145.51" 



1919 239,260 



Totals 86,510 



Accumulated surplus 83,350 



3,160 



3,160 



(a) I'nited States imports are taken from The India Rubber World, 

 November 1. 1920. page 144. 



(b) United States consumption; from "The Rubber Industry." prepared 

 by the War Service Committee of the Rubber Industry of the United States. 



UNITED STATES IMPORTS CONSUMPT 

 AND SURP1U5 OF RUBBER 



ION 



Further analyzing the position of the United States with re- 

 spect to the present year. 1920, it will be seen from Table III, and 

 Graph C that imports of rubber in 1920, although in total amount 

 falling but slightly below 1919 quantities, have, since September, 

 declined greatly from the amounts imported in the latter part of 

 1919. In October, 1919. these imports totaled 28.888 tons, drop- 



ping to 10,693 tons in the same month of 1920, the lowest record 

 for any single month for the past two years. The amounts given 

 for November and December, 1920, are estimated by taking the 

 best consensus of opinion of the trade. 



Table III 



United Stalls Imports or Crude Rubber 



(From The Rubber Association of America) 



(In long tons) 



(Reference to Graph C) 



1920 



January 21,351 



February 32,994 



JIarch 31,650 



April 23,675 



May 27,338 



June 14,881 



July 15,884 



August 13,564 



September 11,636 



October 10,639 



November 9,600" 



December 8,400" 



Totals 

 "Kstimatcd. 



221,612 



1919 

 7,235 

 17,456 

 28,223 

 28,146 

 16,348 

 16,319 

 17,965 

 11.067 

 14,036 

 28,888 

 15,674 

 24,675 



226,032 



UNITED STATES IMPORTS OF CRUDE RUBBER 

 (FROM THE RUBBER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ) 



O O Ci) 



o z o 



Tile Ruliber .Association of .America, through a series of ques- 

 tionnaires addressed to ruliber manufacturers, made an endeavor 

 to ascertain the amounts of crude rubber used in the years 1917, 

 J9I8 and 1919 in the various departments of manufacture. Its 



Table IV 



United St\tes Crude Rubber Consumption in the Divisions of 



Manufacture 



(In millions of pounds; OOO's omitted) 



(In thousands of long tons; OOO's omitted) 



( k^'fcrcncc to (iraph D) 



1917 



1918 



Tire and tire sundries. 

 Other rubber products. 



I'ounrls 

 247.021 

 105,654 



Tons 

 110 

 47 



1919 



Pounds Tons 



389,104 174 



77,830 35 



Totals 352,675 157 371,012 165 466,934 209 



Note: The above figures for 1917 are taken from reports compiled by the 

 United States Government during the war. See The India Rubber World, 

 May 1, !91P. These are taken as correct. Since, however, the reports 

 issued by The Rubber .Sssociation of America of a limited number of 

 replies to their questionnaire for similar data covering the same period in- 

 dicate but 87 per cent ol the government totals, the returns of the asso- 

 ciation for the ye.-rs I9IS and 1919. also covering a limited number of 

 replies to their questionnaire, have been taken as 87 per cent correct, and 

 the hgures in the above table adjusted accordingly. 



