THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June 1, 1920. 



Activities of The Rubber Association of America. 



RATES TO PACIFIC COAST PORTS AND TRANSCONTINENTAL 

 INTERMOUNTAIN TERRITORY. 



AT THE March meeting of the Traflfic Committee, considera- 

 tion was given to a complaint now before the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission, with respect to a proposal of the 

 carriers to revise rates from all territory east of the Missouri 

 River to San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane, Nevada and Arizona 

 points, etc., which if accomplished would result in substantial in- 

 creases in rates on articles of rubber manufacture from shipping 

 points east of Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. It is felt 

 by the Traffic Committee that this proposed revision of rates would 

 result in disadvantages to the members of the Association who 

 market their product at far Western points, and for this reason 

 the Committee has presented objections to this proposed action 

 of the carriers. The Traffic Department and the Committee's 

 commerce attorney appeared in this case for the Association at 

 the hearings held before the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 in New York on May 7 and Chicago on May 10. 



CASH PAYMENT OF FREIGHT CHARGES. 



The Interstate Commerce Commission held a hearing in Wash- 

 ington in order to obtain the views of the shippers and the 

 railroads with respect to the cash payment of freight charges, 

 with the idea of formulating rules for the guidance of the rail- 

 roads based on the revisions of the new Transportation Act, 

 providing that the carriers shall be responsible for the collection 

 of correct freight charges on and after July 1, 1920, with such 

 exceptions thereto as may be permitted by the Interstate Com- 

 merce Commission. 



During the period of Federal Control, the United States Rail- 

 road Administration discontinued granting limited credit that had 

 been accorded shippers under certain conditions by the individual 

 carriers, and required the payment of freight charges by those 

 formerly receiving credit, within forty-eight hours after the pres- 

 entation of freight bills. 



The Traffic Department was represented at this hearing in 

 Washington and presented a proposal on behalf of the rubber 

 industry, asking that the Commission prescribe rules permitting 

 an extension of the credit time to seven days from date of 

 presentation of freight bills ; each month to be divided into four 

 payment periods. It is understood that this request is predicated 

 upon the Commission requiring satisfactory guarantee being fur- 

 nished the carriers by the shippers. 



RUBBER ASSOCIATION BULLETIN SERVICE. 



The Rubber Association of America maintains an information 

 service through "Bulletins" for its members by which it calls their 

 attention to matters that may concern them. During the past 

 month bulletins have been sent out covering the following sub- 

 jects that are important to the question of industrial relations: 

 "Saving Banks Deposits in the United States" ; "Expenditures of 

 Trade Unions in the United States" ; "Sharing Savings in Produc- 

 tion with Labor" ; "Report of Second Industrial Conference" ; 

 and the following report tm physical examination. 



THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IN INDUSTRY. 



The Conference Board of Physicians in Industry has just com- 

 pleted a study of physical examinations in twenty-eight corpora- 

 tions who together employ over 350.000 men and women. The 

 returns indicate quite clearly that while the physical examination 

 in industry is comparatively new, employers and employes have 

 recognized its value. Of the twenty-eight plants studied, physical 

 examinations were introduced in one as early as 1900; in two 

 others between 1900 and 1910; in six others between 1910 and 

 1914, and in the remaining nineteen, during or since 1914. In 



only (ine instance, that of a textile mill employing 2,700 persons, 

 was the physical examination discontinued. The reason given in 

 this case was "labor conditions." 



In general, employes welcome the examination. The number 

 of those objecting was found to constitute a fraction of 1 per cent 

 and was regarded as too small to tabulate. The reason given by 

 employes who objected to examination invariably took one or 

 both of two forms : "red tape" and "opposition to exposure." 

 Employes who object to examination are frequently those who 

 fear that such an examination will disclose some defect or a 

 diseased condition. 



In the plants studied, it was found that of all employes ex- 

 amined, the average number of those rejected was four in every 

 hundred. In six plants employing women, the physical ex- 

 amination was made by a woman physician. In another plant, 

 women workers could upon application have a woman physician 

 examine them. In the other plants, women were examined by 

 male doctors. With but five exceptions, the results of the physical 

 examination are used as a guide in placing employes within the 

 factory. In these five cases the examinations are made for special 

 reasons only and are not required of all applicants. The time 

 required by the physicians to make the examination was found to 

 vary from three to forty minutes, the average ranging between 

 six and ten minutes. 



The benefits claimed for the physical examination in the replies 

 received, are that they protect the employe, his fellow worker, 

 and also the employer. Employes are not permitted to engage 

 in an occupation in which they would be a menace to themselves, 

 to others, or to property, .\ccident hazards are thereby reduced, 

 labor turnover is reported as being lessened, and employes, on 

 the whole, as being more satisfied. 



Through the general bulletin service, rubber manufacturers 

 were informed that Trade Commissioner Sanger has completed 

 his report on advertising methods in Argentina, Uruguay, and 

 Brazil, and it is now ready for distribution. Copies can be ob- 

 tained for thirty cents currency by applying in person to any 

 of the district or cooperative offices of the Bureau of Foreign and 

 Domestic Commerce, or by addressing the Superintendent of 

 Documents, Washington, D. C. 



Copies of the "Memorandum on the Rubber Industry Prepared 

 by the War Service Committee of the Rubber Industry of the 

 U. S. A." and the addendum of authorities for the statements 

 made in that memorandum were sent to all firm members of the 

 association. 



A list of export business opportunities was sent to firm and 

 affiliated members. 



EXCELSIOR RUBBER PASTE. 



A new softening ingredient to assist the incorporation of 

 ground rubber waste in rubber mixings has recently been intro- 

 duced to the American rubber trade by its English manufac- 

 turers. It may be employed to the extent of ten per cent of 

 the batch and is said not only to facilitate the mixing operation 

 but to improve the finished material. 



PROOFING FORMULA. 



The following formula for a proofing mixture is proposed by 

 Perkin and Mandleberg: cauotchouc 25 parts, dry alumina 60, 

 asbestos powder 7. litharge 6, and sulphur 1 part. 



This mixing is dissolved in naphtha and applied by a spreader. 

 Vulcanization is effected by steam heat. {"Le Caoutchouc et la 

 Gutta Percha.") 



