144 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[December 1, 1919. 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE PNEUMATIC TRUCK TIRE. 

 Uliile the establishment of the pioneer .-Kkron to Boston ex- 

 press perhaps marks the turning point in the general adoption of 

 pneumatic equipment on motor trucks, it was by no means new 

 in 1917. Ill fact, the year 1908, nearly ten years earlier, marks 

 the first efforts to develop a pneumatic tire suitable for truck 

 sei:vice. The first tire produced was a 38 by 6 size of fabric 

 construction. In 1908, 1909 and 1910, quite a few of these tires 

 were applied to fire apparatus where the need for pneumatic 

 cushion seemed most necessary. These early tires were quite 

 satisfactory on fire trucks where the runs were short and the 

 service was not continuous. 



Starting with the six-inch tire in 1908, tires of seven, eight, 

 nine, ten and twelve-inch sections were developed within the 

 next few years. All of these tires were of fabric construction. 

 As in the case of the early six-inch fire-truck tires these other 

 sizes did fairly well in the fabric construction for short hauls 

 and intermittent service. But when they were used for long 

 hauls and under severe conditions, it was found that the intense 

 heat generated caused the tires of fabric construction to disin- 

 tegrate too quickly. 



LARGE CORD CONSTRUCTION. 

 Now came an improvement of scarcely less significance than 

 the adoption itself of the pneumatic tire. The principle of cord 

 construction developed steadily through the years and was made 

 practical for the more powerful gasolitie passenger cars. The 

 progress made in this direction pointed to the possible solution 

 of the problem of pneumatic tires for trucks. 



Finally the development of the cord tire was merged with 

 the pneumatic truck tire in 1916 and the cord pneumatic truck 

 tire was produced. This tire stripped away the limitations of 

 the fabric type and made possible the use of pneumatics in the 

 most severe service possible, as proved in the ISOO-mile round 

 trip between .Akron and Boston. 



Since the introduction of the pneumatic cord truck tire in 

 1916, and its thorough demonstration in 1917, the use of pneu- 

 matics has expanded rapidly. All tire manufacturers have 

 adopted as standard the final sizes developed in 1914, including the 

 36 by 6, 38 by 7, 40 by 8, 42 by 9, and 44 by 10. 



Thus, through some eleven years of development work, there 

 has been provided for the truck industry and the public an im- 

 provement which bids fair to revolutionize motor truck transpor- 

 tation throughout the world. The cord tire has demonstrated 

 that its great cushion and traction will enable the motor truck 

 to do things heretofore impossible on solid tires. It is opening 

 up new fields of usefulness for the motor truck and well in- 

 formed men now look fo*" a more rapid development in the 

 truck industry than we have had in passenger cars, now that 

 trucks can enjoy the same tire advantages that passenger auto- 

 mobiles have had. 



PEACE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS. 

 THRIFT CLUBS IN RUBBER FACTORIES. 



America has made tremendous strides in thrift during the 

 four years in a continuance and increase in the practice of 

 consistent savings is what the country needs above all else to 

 bridge the present crisis, pay the nation's debts, and bring high 

 prices down. Reckless spending by the individual is the greatest 

 danger confronting the United States to-day. Hard work, com- 

 mon sense economy, wise buying and systematic saving on the 

 part of everybody are required to avert national disaster and 

 convert our war liabilities into peace assets. 



To this end the Treasury Department is engaged in a great 

 campaign to spread the gospel of saving and safe investment 

 through the increased sale of Thrift and War Savings Stamps 

 and Treasury Savings Certificates. It is asking employers of 

 labor everywhere to encourage the organization of War Savings 

 Societies and will also cooperate with manufacturers' repre- 



sentatives in forming organizations for accident prevention to 

 be known as Accident Thrift Clubs, the two purposes often be- 

 ing served by a single organization. Organizers are being sent 

 into factories to help select officers, provide program material, 

 furnish the initial stimulus and arrange systematic savings 

 schemes for employes according to their incomes. This salu- 

 tary movement is making headway in many rubber factories, 

 and firms wishing to institute it among their own operatives 

 should communicate with the Savings Division, War Loan Or- 

 ganization, United States Treasury Department, Washington, 

 District of Columbia. 



A NATIONAL THRIFT WEEK. 

 The Savings Division of the United States Treasury Depart- 

 inent has announced plans for a National Thrift Week begin- 

 ning January 17, 1920. The purpose of the week will be the 

 endeavor to start the country off in the New Year with a sound 

 financial program for every individual and household. Two 

 ends are sought ; first, that the condition of the individual be 

 improved, and second, that the financial and industrial strength 

 of the nation be increased by the great sums of capital which 

 will accrue through the practice of steady saving and safe in- 

 vestment on the part of citizens. The program for National 

 Thrift Week, as at present tentatively planned, is as follows : 



National Thrift Day, Saturday, January 17, 1920.— To 

 enlist the Nation in a campaign to "Save first and spend 

 afterwards," making the present insure the future by reg- 

 ular saving to finance future opportunities or needs, and 

 investments, preferably in loss-proof government se- 

 curities. 



Thrift Sunday, Sunday, January 18. — Sermons in all 

 American pulpits on the relation of economic life to re- 

 ligious well-being, and the need of sharing with others. 



National Life Insurance Day, Monday, January 19. — 

 To emphasize the importance of protecting one's family 

 with life insurance. 



Own-Your-Own-Home Day, Tuesday, January 20. — To 

 show why desirable and how possible to own a home. 



Make-a-Will Day, Wednesday, January 21. — To urge 

 men to make wills, and in so doing impress upon them 

 the necessity of making provision for the future. 



Thrift-in-Industry Day, Thursday, January 22. — To 

 emphasize the need for factory thrift, and the economic 

 value of cooperation between capital and labor. 



Family Budget Day. Friday, January 23. — To show the 

 importance of using the budget plan in family finance. 



Pay-Your-Bills Day, Saturday, January 24. — To empha- 

 size the moral obligation to pay debts. 

 Manufacturers of rubber goods and employers of labor in all 

 allied lines can benefit themselves as well as the whole country 

 and their operatives by cooperation in inculcating these princi- 

 ples in thrift, and by the sale of Savings Stamps and Treasury 

 Savings Certificates through their oflices. Investigation would 

 probably show a large number of oersons who would gladly 

 take a definite percentage of their weekly salaries or wages in 

 these interest-bearing Government securities. 



CENSUS FOR MANUFACTURERS. 



The schedules to be used in tabulating information for the 

 approaching Fourteenth Decennial Census of the industrial re- 

 sources of the United States will be mailed to every manufac- 

 turing establishment in the country during the month of Decem- 

 ber so that factory owners and managers can familiarize them- 

 selves in advance with the questions to be answered when the 

 records of business for the calendar year 1919 have been com- 

 piled. 



In addition to the general schedule a supplemental schedule 

 will be sent to the 68 principal industries as classified by the 

 Census Bureau. This supplemental schedule will allow detailed 

 statistics of output to be set forth under the heading "products 

 manufactured." All information gathered is strictly confidential 

 and is to be used for general statistical purposes only. 



