580 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June 1, 1920. 



the Filipino Agricultural Congress— a semi-official body— came 

 out squarely for a change in the existing immigration laws to 

 permit entrance of labor from outside, but the American power 

 then in control did not help them. 



(D) The government changes since the Junes Law went into 

 effect are many : 



( 1 ) Philippine Assembly equals our Congress. 

 Philippine Senate equals our Senate. 

 Philippine Cabinet equals our Cabinet. 

 Philippine Council of State equals our Cabinet plus 

 Speakers of both houses with the President pre- 

 siding. 

 (2) National budget covering all appropriations based on 



the English system. 

 (3t Municipal and government ownership which is ef- 

 ricieiu and yields profits instead of adding taxes to 

 the people. 

 (.4'! A national development company ($25,000,000 capi- 

 talization) with 51 per cent of stock government, 

 and 49 per cent public, administered by business 

 men, to develop the latent resources of the Islands 

 by subsidiary companies. 

 (5i They have a Philippine commercial agency in the 

 States with offices now in San Francisco and New 

 York. I understand J. J. Rafferty has ju.st been 

 named Philippine Trade Commissioner for the 

 United States. (It is on this that you can make a 

 hit that should count — that unless the Philippine 

 officials can change their laws to permit rublicr de- 

 velopment on a business basis [large leased land 

 areas and cheaper and plentiful imported labor] — 

 they had better stop trying to interest rubber in- 

 vestment altogether. This may get action.) 

 (E) The patriotism of the Filipino people in organizing a 

 division for use at the front, their efficient government organiza- 

 tion from a practical operating view-point, their foresighted pub- 

 lic works development, their appreciation of the w'ork done by 

 Americans in giving a gratuity (above all contractual obliga- 

 tions) to Americans who have served faithfully and well, are the 

 creditable things that may be referred to — the sugar for the be- 

 ginning and the ending of your article. 

 Faithfully, 

 Manila. P. I.. 1920. C. F. H. 



OF PIONEER STOCK. 



To THE Editor: 



DEAR SIR: To introduce my sister and myself, allow me to 

 mention that our father, L. Otto P. Meyer, a naturalized 

 American, was well known in the rubber world. In former 

 years you sometimes bought short articles about his inventions, 

 as in No. 5 of your paper of the year 1894, February 15. page 

 133. 



Our father died at the age of 88 years. Although his patents, 

 the employment of tin-foil and tin molds, as also the improved 

 process of the water-hardening, afforded the American manu- 

 facturer the only effective protection for 21 years, and even to- 

 day form the basis for the manufacture of vulcanite, he died 

 in very' poor circumstances, leaving a widow in delicate health, 

 who also died a few years ago, and we, his two maiden daugh- 

 ters, both artists (lady painters). Our father told us shortly 

 before his death, "If ever in life you should need the help of a 

 friend. I am sure that among my American rubber friends there 

 will be some one who will aid you." I am not aware who of my 

 father's friends or acquaintances are still alive ; I therefore ad- 

 dress these lines to you. 



We are both born Americans, painters by vocation, and, al- 

 though we have lived here many years, we are generally treated 

 by the Germans as foreigners, which makes it more difficult for 



us to earn money. We therefore would be happy if we could sell 

 some pictures in America. We have at hand originals and good 

 copies of the Dresden Gallery. As the German money stands 

 very low, it would be for American purchasers a good bargain. 



Please excus-. my troubling you, but the terrible times we have 

 gone through have induced tis to apply across the ocean for 

 help and we would bo \ery happy if we could receive an order 

 from you. 



Yours respectfully, 



Ostbahn Strasse, X, ni, Edx Meyer. 



Dresden. April 4 1920. 



WHY NOT AMERICAN RUBBER FACTORIES IN MALAYSIA? 



To THE Editor : 



r^EAR SIR: — With .America imp<jrling thousands of tons of 

 '-^ rubber a year— one company alone is using 35,000 tons— it 

 would seem worth while for more American rubber manufacturers 

 to built plants in eastern countries. The principal sources of sup- 

 ply are Singapore and Malaysia and in order to furnish the needs 

 of the United States, vast industries have grown up in these 

 countries. What was formerly a mere jungle is to-day a busy 

 center of industry. The distance between the source of supply 

 and the American manufacturer is so great that much time and 

 money is lost in the process of transportation. Cheap coolie 

 labor in China is another factor which would enable the Ameri- 

 can manufacturer to turn out rubber goods at a much lower 

 price were the rubber grown on American plantations in the 

 Orient. 



Representatives of the Interchurch World Movement who are 

 making an economic survey of the East report that native 

 Chinese are making fortunes in Malaysia, through the demand 

 of the United States for the raw material. Sons of coolies, who 

 went to the Straits a generation ago to work on the plantations 

 are to-day owners of rich holdings and the chief business men 

 of the place. The English Government offered five acres each 

 to coolies who would agree to cultivate the jungles. In conse- 

 quent great centers of civilization have sprung up where for- 

 merly only wild animals were to be found. The rubber planta- 

 tion yields a big profit for the energy expended upon it. 



Interchurch World Movement of North America, 

 45 West 18th street, New York City. 



AS TO RUBBER HEEL PATENTS. 



To THE Editor : 



r^EAR SIR: Arc there any patents covering the use of a 

 "-^ concave surface for the portion of a rubber heel that at- 

 taches to the shoe? If so, will you be good enough to cite them 

 for me? 



Los Angeles. March 10. 1920, P. A. McAviny. 



Heel patents in general run into thousands. To scan them all 

 would be something of a task. Of course there^are the Trufford 

 patents that are suggested by your question. Then, too, as far 

 back as 1897 the idea of recessed heels was indulged. Witness 

 the pneumatic heel brought out by Anderson of Boston. There 

 was also the Spider-grip heel, made with a rand so it could 

 be attached directly to the heel-seat by a heeling machine. There 

 was, furthermore, the Ferguson heel that, to quote the printed 

 description, had "a sort of hollow or air-chamber next to the 

 shoe which causes the rubber heel to adhere to the leather, on 

 the same principle of suction which enables a fly to keep its 

 footing on a ceiling or wall. 



You might look up the following also : 



1896. Anderson No. 582,336 



1897. Warner 594,108 



1897. Hanline 615,167 



1898. Morrow 623,803 



1899. Morrow 630,726 



1899. Ferguson 638,228 



1900. Herbst No. 658,441 



1902, Hilton 736,394 



1904, Hammer 817,355 



1906, Kearney 866,867 



1906. .•\nderson 869,764 



1907, Leighton 906,807 



There are many others, as this is by no means an attempt at a 

 complete list. The Editor. 



