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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[Septembkr 1, 1920. 



his theories. The outcome of this daring but apparently success- 

 ful innovation is being watched with much interest by the entire 

 industrial world. Goodyear Industrial University was also a 

 child of his brain. It is not surprising, therefore, that he is as 

 well liked and respected by those working under him as by his 

 business associates. 



Mr. Litchfield is a member of The Rubber Association of 

 America, of which he was a director in 1917; a member of the 

 Society of Automotive Engineers, before whom in 1915 he read 

 a scientific and practical paper on "The Size and Inflation of 

 Pneumatic Tires" that is still the standard treatise on that sub- 

 ject : and a member of the Rotary Club, Akron City Club, and 

 Akron University Club, and a Knight Templar. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN OHIO. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



FA. Seiberling, president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 

 • and C. B. Raymond, vice-president of The B. F. Goodrich 

 Co., recently reviewed the outlook for Akron, the rubber center 

 of the world, for the official publication of the Akron Chamber 

 of Commerce, and pointed out that the present lull in the trade 

 is transitory and that the future appears brighter than ever be- 

 fore. The industry is based upon solid foundations and the fact 

 that the number of automobiles in the United States and the 

 world will be doubled within a few years makes these predictions 

 safe. 



C. B. Raymond said: 



"We are facing facts. Akron business men foresaw months 

 ago that these conditions were coming. They are prepared, and 

 being prepared, will be able to weather the storm. 



"Legislation for the special benefit of some, regardless of re- 

 sults to others; extravagance of the Government; crymg de- 

 mands for decreases in prices ; reckless legislation lookmg towards 

 the decrease in prices have brought their natural results. People 

 stopped buving. Manufacturers were compelled to curtail. 



"Akron will suffer less than many other cities. People may not 

 be buying automobiles. But their old cars are running and are 

 using up tires. . . , t ■ • ,_i l 



"The pendulum is bound to swmg back. It was inevitable the 

 present conditions should come. It is inevitable better conditions 

 will return." 



F. A. Seiberling said, in part : 



"The business situation in this country is acute at this time, 

 while adjusting to the shock of restricted credits applied by the 

 Federal Reserve Banks and the effects of the railroad strike. 

 Within a few months this extreme pressure will be removed, 

 but the orderly process of deflation of war values will move 

 quietly and steadily on the equilibrium. 



"So far as Akron is concerned, we have reached bottom in the 

 production of tires. Abnormal stocks over the country are 

 being steadily absorbed and the curve of production within a few 

 months will be steadily upward. 



"Eight million cars are now running in this country ; within five 

 years this number will approximate fifteen million cars — all with 

 tires, the major part of which must be furnished by Akron. The 

 rubber industry is on a solid foundation, unsurpassed by any other 

 industry in this country. 



"This is the time for sensible optimism. Everyone who is con- 

 scientiously desirous of doing his duty to himself, to Akron, to 

 his country, will, in a time like this, stand by the guns, keep faith, 

 do more work, and keep cool." 



George D. Bates, vice-president of the First-Second National 

 Bank, said : 



"It is the Federal Reserve banking system backed by the great 

 banking institutions which is responsible for heading the nation 

 from a wild orgy of spending back to the safe and sane path 

 which will ultimately lead to the greenest pastures in which this 

 country has ever found itself. 



"Business was rushing wildly on. The end could only be a 

 terrible precipice. Quietly the word went out credits must be 

 curtailed. Inflation must stop. Expansion not absolutely neces- 

 sary ceased, and over night the great country was headed from 

 certain ruin back to the road leading to prosperity." 



AKRON NOTES. 



.'Mthough a general scarcity of coal has been evident through- 

 out Ohio because of an Interstate Commerce Commission order 

 compelling the sending of large amounts of coal to the North- 

 west via the Great Lakes, Akron has a good supply on hand and 

 when that is exhausted the mines owned by the Akron com- 

 panies will be able to supply the deficiency. Since the strike of 

 last year the companies purchased and have operated mines in 

 the coal fields. 



The building of aircraft will not be deterred in Akron be- 

 cause of a fire of unknown origin which burned three machines 

 in their hangar at the Wingfoot aviation station owned and 

 operated by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The hangar has 

 been repaired and new machines are being assembled to take the 

 place of those destroyed. One of the machines, the D-1, recently 

 described in The India Rubber World, belonged to the govern- 

 ment at the time it was burned. No one was injured in the fire 

 and the losses were covered by insurance. 



Theodore E. Smith, editor of the "India Rubber Review," 

 Akron, has been appointed a member of the Honorary Advisory 

 Council of the Fifth International Exhibition of Rubber, Other 

 Tropical Products and Allied Industries, to be held in London, 

 England, in June, 1921. 



The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, recently took an 

 inventory, giving employes a week-end vacation of two days, 



Mark L. Felber, formerly editor of "The Press," has been 

 appointed editor of "The Firestone Non-Skid," Firestone Park, 

 Akron. 



C. H. Sorrick and J. F. Cast, manufacturers' sales manager 

 and assistant manufacturers' sales manager, respectively, of the 

 Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, have qualified for admission 

 to associate membership in the Society of Automotive Engineers. 



In a letter sent to the tire trade early last month, The B. F. 

 Goodrich Co. guarantees present schedules until November 1, 

 stating that in the event of any unforeseen condition arising which 

 would enable a general reduction in present schedules prior to 

 November 1, they will stand back of their guarantee by protecting 

 Goodrich dealers on all stocks on hand unsold at the time of 

 such reduction which were purchased between the present date 

 and November 1. 



Frank A. Seiberling, president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber 

 Co., Akron, has been elected president of the Lincoln Highway 

 Association, succeeding Henry B. Joy, who is leaving the United 

 States for a year. This is Mr. Seiberling's second election to the 

 office. 



The Miller Rubber Co., Akron, has sold its dipped goods de- 

 partment to The Seamless Rubber Co., New Haven, Connecticut, 

 due to increased demand for automobile tires. The company will 

 continue to make its remaining lines of druggists' sundries and 

 all other present lines of products. 



The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.'s athletics have been in 

 charge of Paul P. Sheeks as athletic director for a number of 

 months. He was responsible for the first undefeated foothall 

 team at Wabash College. 



Arthur H. Leavitt, who last autumn resigned from the sales 

 department of The B. F. Goodrich Co., Akron, to accept a posi- 

 tion as assistant sales manager of The Akron Rubber Mold & 

 Machine Co., has been appointed general sales manager for The 

 Amazon Rubber Co., Akron, thus resuming connection with the 

 tire business. 



CLEVELAND NOTES. 



The McGraw Tire & Rubber Co., Cleveland and East Palestine, 

 Ohio, has promoted C. E. Pumphrey to the position of general 



