THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[October 1, 1919. 



BOOTS AND SHOES. K.ltc of Duty 



tNot Incliul- 



XaritT ing Surtaxes). 



No. Per Kilo. 



^70. Rubbei shoos 2.50 



TIKES. 



247. Tires lor carriages and carts 0.75 



DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES. 



245. Tcethmg rings, with or without nipples 1.25 



250. Sponges, rubber 2.50 



J6j. Nipples 0-25 



687. Rubber cushions for invalids; hot water and ice bags; bulb 



syringes; abdominal bands, bandages, irrigators, syringes of 

 all kinds, elastic stockings, pessaries, sounds, ligatures, 



cupping gUsses, suspensories 125 



512. Atomizers and perfume sprayers 1-25 



OTHER GOODS. 



i4{i. Tortable bath tubs, rubber, and accessories 1.25 



245. Washers, rings, with core of cloth, billiard .strips, horseshoe 



pads, and parts of coffee cleaning machines 0.75 



248. Manufactures of rubber n. o. s. 2.50 



249. Rubbci, lined or not, for clothing 2.50 



251. Rubberized capes and raincoats 2.50 



253. Rubber bands for footwear 2.50 



256. Rubber floor mats 1-25 



238. Rubber erasers 1-25 



2o5. Arulicial plants, of i.ihl>-i 2.50 



268. Tubeii, more than 15 niinnmins (ali..ut0.6 inchl in diameter 0.75 



269. Tubes, less than 15 imllmuui- ni ,lKinu-ter 2.50 



513. Colds, cotton, wool or linen with admixture of rubber 5.00 



342. Waterproof fabrics of wool and rubber 2.50 



5:;o. Waterproof cotton, cloth and vubber, for the manufacture of 



biO. Garterrind suspenders' of' all' k^.nds! '. .'. lO.OO 



901. Wire, insulated or not, for electrical installations 0-ii 



971. Fountain pens, with only the pen point of gold 2.50 



Imports into Venezuela are dutiable on gross weight, i. e., inclusive of 

 the weight of the containers. In case the containers consist of articles 

 specified in the tariff under a higher tariff classihcation than that of the 

 contents, they are assessed for duty under their own classification. 

 All dutiable imports are subject to the following surtaxes: 

 Two surtaxes of 12!^ per cent of the duty each, authorized by the decree 

 of April 25, 1901. , , , , J c 



A surtax of 30 per cent of the duty, estabhshed by the decrees of 

 February 16, 1903, and June 4, 1912. A surtax of 1 per cent, based on the 

 duly i.icrcas.-d by the other surtaxes, imposed by the decree of December 

 29, 19111. 



PEACE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS. 



PRICE STABILIZATION APPROACHING. 



DUE to the continued operation of the factors which resulted 

 in the present high prices, stabihzation of prices at new 

 levels is approaching, in the opinion of "Commerce Monthly" the 

 magazine of the National Bank of Commerce in New York City. 



It is the conviction of the business world that high, or at least 

 rising prices, are evidences of a satisfactory situation, in that 

 they stimulate increased productive and cominercial activity. 

 Although the physical adjustment of American production to 

 post-war demands has been more rapid than the most optimistic 

 could have hoped, production has not yet expanded to what 

 must be its normal post-war level. 



There is now no fundamental reason to deter production, and 

 not until it has increased to its new peace-time proportions can 

 we rest in the assurance that as far as its effects on our eco- 

 nomic life are concerned, the war has passed into history. Not 

 only is production essential, but capital must be accumulated at 

 a rate rapid enough to ofifset the destruction which took place 

 during five years. The consuming pubHc must recognize that it 

 cannot continue indefinitely the scale of expenditure which fol- 

 lowed as a reaction from the self-denial of war, but thrift for 

 personal benefit is as essential as thrift for one's country. When 

 every individual capable of gainful employment is producing to 

 capacity and spending conservatively, our economic adjustment 

 will be complete. 



UNDER-PRODUCTION THE FIRST CAUSE OF HIGH PRICES. 



In the report on the causes of the hi,gh cost of living pub- 

 lished by the Council of National Defense, curtailment in the 

 production of nearly all commodities except raw food products 

 heads the list, and stimulation of production is the first remedy 



suggested to improve the situation. That this is assuredly 

 putting matters in their right order is indicated by the facts 

 presented regarding the condition of most industries, and notably 

 with respect to the cotton and footwear situation, both closely 

 identified with the manufacture of rubber goods. 



When the war ended the world's cotton supply was below 

 normal and supplies of cotton goods were also low. This year's 

 cotton acreage, however, was about 9 per cent less than for 1918; 

 present prospects indicate a small crop, and producers are ex- 

 pressing gratification because of the high prices they can com- 

 mand in consequence. Meanwhile more spindles have been idle 

 during the first five months of 1919 than during the correspond- 

 ing period of 1918, despite adequate supplies of raw cotton for 

 this season's requirements and the release of labor by demobiliza- 



Turning to footwear, it is found that the production of boots 

 and shoes for the first quarter of 1919 was about 60 per cent 

 below that for the last quarter of 1918, the actual diflference 

 amounting to some 75,000,000 less pairs. 



Such underproduction, due to various causes, notably labor's 

 demand for less work and more pay, has been largely respon- 

 sible for the rising scale of prices. Prosperity has but one pos- 

 sible basis, however, and that is adequate production of neces- 

 sities of life, a condition invariably assuring prices fair to all. 



PAMPHLETS ON AMERICANISM. 



On "Constitution Day," September 17, many large corporations 

 distributed to their employes hundreds of thousands of copies 

 of a leaflet entitled "The Birthday of Our Constitution," which 

 had been prepared by the National Industrial Conference Board, 

 of which Frederic C. Hood, of the Hood Rubber Co., is treasurer. 

 Like the leaflet "Our Country," which proved so successful on 

 July 4, it was issued as a lesson in practical patriotism in the 

 belief that if our Constitution and system of government were 

 understood and the benefits derived under them by every citi- 

 zen were known, there would be a better appreciation of in- 

 dividual rights and duties and many radical and even revolu- 

 tionary ideas would be rejected. It is likely that similar leaflets 

 will be published for distribution on future appropriate occasions. 



MISUSE OF F. O. B. QUOTATION. 



The National Foreign Trade Council is calling attention to 

 the abuse of the term "F. O. B. Port," its detrimental effect on 

 American foreign trade, and urging that the correct interpreta- 

 tion of the term at home and abroad be observed by all ex- 

 porters. Free on board ship was the original meaning of the 

 term and that is the genera! interpretation among foreigners. It 

 is essential to the best practice for American exporters in 

 making an "F. O. B. Port" quotation to have it mean "F. O. B. 

 Overseas Vessel," but if they mean anything else they should 

 make it clear what services, such as cartage or storage, will be 

 charged to the buyer's account. 



HOMES FOR WESTINGHOUSE EMPLOYES ON EASY TERMS. 



The Wcslinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., East Pitts- 

 burg, Pennsylvania, has resumed its home-building program 

 which was postponed during the war, and forty-eight houses 

 are now under construction on a plot of 109 acres in Wilkins 

 township along Ardmore Boulevard. It is estimated this tract 

 will furnish homes for six hundred families. Sidewalks and 

 paving will be laid, and gas, water and electricity installed. The 

 houses will be of brick and hollow tile construction with con- 

 crete cellars and cement porches. They will be mostly of five, 

 six and seven-room houses designed to meet the needs and the 

 pockelbook of the man in moderate circumstances and will be 

 sold at cost on easy terms to the employes of the company. A 

 number of the dwellines also will be for rent. 



