THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



255 



The Rubber Trade In Germany. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE opening up of the route through the Balkans to Turkey 

 and the Orient eclipses all late events in its importance to 

 our commerce and industry. Our industries are suffering 

 from lack of orders as much as from lack of raw materials and 

 the clearing of the road to the Orient will enable us to obtain not 

 only the needed raw materials but will permit us to reach a market 

 for the sale of our manufactured products. The importance of the 

 event escapes no one and this explains the joyous celebrations 

 that marked the announcement of our latest victories. 



Before our troops had cleared the way our Balkan Association 

 was organizing and by the time this letter reaches you we will 

 again be trading with the Orient. Our rubber industry, closely 

 allied as it is WMth other industries, will be able to supply practi- 

 cally all demands and will therefore participate in this prosperity. 



Our rubber manufacturers can only produce a limited number 

 of articles from crude rubber, but they are able to make almost 

 anything in "war qualities," that is to say, in qualities containing 

 no crude rubber, but only reclaimed and substitute stock mixed 

 with the necessary fillers and vulcanizing ingredients. Though 

 not as elastic and durable as standard quality rubber goods, these 

 "war qualities." under the circumstances, are satisfactory sub- 

 stitutes that answer the purposes for which they are used. 



Some articles cannot be made in "war qualities." Surgeons' 

 gloves, for instance, must contain pure rubber, because no sub- 

 stitute will stand the high heat necessary in sterilizing. "War 

 quality" jar rings recently caused large quantities of preserves to 

 become useless by letting air into the containers. All this is 

 unfortunate but the fact remains that our rubber manufacturers 

 are producing thousands of serviceable articles which, without 

 their intelligence and initiative, would not be available at all. 

 COMMERCI.\L EXPANSION PLANS. 



Of late various commercial and industrial organizations have 

 been holding meetings to discuss developments of great impor- 

 tance. The Commercial Treaty Association, which represents 

 practically all the commercial and industrial interests of the 

 empire and has for its object the advising of the government in 

 making commercial treaties, met on November 26 in Berlin. 

 The action taken was not made public and, therefore, cannot be 

 reported. All that may be said is that the commercial conces- 

 sions to be exacted from our enemies were discussed at length 

 and that the association has sent confidential representatives to 

 Russian Poland, Holland, Turkey, the United States, .Argentina, 

 Uruguay, the Far East, and other places of commercial im- 

 portance. Their duties are strictly commercial in character and 

 involve nothing political or military. 



Other meetings of less importance were held by the Union of 

 German Bicycle Manufacturers and by the Association of German 

 Cycle & Motor Vehicle Dealers. 



Automobile and automobile tire interests here and in Austria- 

 Hungary are giving much attention to the possible danger of an 

 .American motor car invasion following the war. It has been 

 seriously suggested that German and Austro-Hungarian automo- 

 bile and tire manufacturers combine together to produce a stand- 

 ard model motor car to compete in price as well as in quality with 

 anything America can produce. 



Our manufacturers recognize that quantity production is the 

 secret of .\mcrican low-priced automobiles and that, to compete, 

 they mu.st find means for following the "American system." 

 CHRISTMAS PRF.PAR.ATIONS. 



We are now preparing for our second "war Christmas." Most 

 of the gifts went to the men at the front. The majority were 

 useful presents, among which, judging from show windows, rub- 



ber goods were prominent. Many of our large stores had elabo- 

 rate window displays of "Christmas in the Trenches." Rubber 

 goods were much in evidence. Garments, footwear, ground 

 cloths, cushions, tobacco pouches, sponges, sponge bags, folding 

 wash basins and bath tubs, combs, etc., all in "war qualities" of 

 rubber are shown as desirable presents. 



One war novelty attracting much attention is a combination of 

 elastic bands and an elastic fabric cap, all impregnated with 

 powerful chemicals. These are known as "vermin guards," and 

 are intended to be worn ne.xt to the skin to prevent vermin enter- 

 ing underneath the clothing and scattering over the body of the 

 wearer. Soldiers say that these "guards" are much more practical 

 and more effective than the powders and salves heretofore used 

 for the same purposes. 



TRADE NOTES. 



Edward Pohlman, of Varel, Oldenberg, has founded a transmis- 

 sion belt factory to be known as the North German Transmis- 

 sion Belt Works. 



The North German Cable Works, Neukolln, reports 10 per 

 cent, profits. 



The B. Pollack Co., rubber manufacturer, Walterhausen, has 

 declared a 6 per cent, dividend. 



The German Cable Works, Alt-Boxhagen, near Berlin, reports 

 a satisfactory year and has declared a 6 per cent, dividend. 



The Humboldt Machine Works, Cologne-Kalk, recently held its 

 annual meeting of shareholders at which 9,813,000 marks ($2,- 

 335.494) capital was represented. A 7 per cent, dividend was de- 

 clared and ordered paid immediately. 



The Imperial Chancellor has ordered the sequestration of the 

 property of the .Msatian Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co., Stein- 

 bach, Alsace. 



PERSONALS. 



Dr. Konrad Delbriick, formerly collaborator of Dr. Hoffmann, 

 at the Bayer Chemical Works, Elberfeld, w'ell known for his 

 work relating to the production of synthethic rubber and the 

 production of acetone by direct refining, has been killed at the 

 front. He was 31 years old and just previous to the war had 

 erected for the Bayer company a large acetone distilling plant. 



The iron cross for bravery was recentlj' awarded to Captain 

 of Reserves Osterwald, manager Excelsior Rubber Works, Han- 

 over, who is now at the front. 



NOTES FROM AUSTRIA-HUXGARY. 



The proposed increase of 25 per cent, in domestic postal rates 

 is being bitterly opposed by manufacturers and traders through 

 their organizations. 



The latest reports from Vienna tell that many bankruptcies are 

 occurring among cycle manufacturers and dealers. 



Hugo Goldschmidt and Marcel Herczeg, directors of the 

 Semperit .-Vustro-American Rubber Works, have organized a new 

 company at Vienna, the Sembusto Elastic Tire Co., which will 

 not conflict with the Semperit company. 



The Hungarian Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co. recently 

 issued new stock, which increases its capital from 4,500,000 to 

 6,000,000 crowns ($913,500 to $1,218,000). The new stock has 

 been offered to the present shareholders. 



The Japanese are now extending their planting activities in 

 the Ulu Selangor district. Y. Hasegawa, of Kuala Kubu, has 

 recently acquired a large acreage in Ampang Pechah Mukim 

 with a view to planting rubber. 



