March 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



277 



The Rubber Club's Sixteenth Annual Banquet. 



<<|-^REPAREDXESS' was the keynote of tlie gathering, the 

 I talk of the diners and the principal topic of the excellent 

 after-dinner speakers at the sixteenth annual banquet of 

 The Rubber Club of America, Inc., which was held in the Myrtle 

 Room of the Waldorf-Astoria, Xew York City, on Wednesday 

 evening, february 2. 



Most of the same leaders in the rubber industry who have at- 

 tended the previous dinners were present, but the number of 

 diners was increased to 288. nearly 100 more than assembled in 

 the same place in 1914. Many of the members had come from 

 long distances to attend the function, whose influence was to weld 

 closer friendships and promote mutual good will. 



The diners met in a reception room and many reunions of 

 friends were witnessed before the banquet was served. On 

 entering the banquet hall, decorated with American flags, the 

 guests found at each place souvenirs in the form of a silk Ameri- 

 can flag and a silver pencil, and also an attractive programme 

 and menu on the front of which was handsomely embossed an 

 American flag. 



After an invocation by the Rev. George R. Van De Water, 

 D. D.. the diners enjoyed an excellent repast and enthusiastically 

 participated in popular and patriotic songs. 



TOASTS TO THE DEFENDERS. 



After the dinner Ex-President Hodgman proposed three toasts : 

 one to the President of the United States, another to "our first 

 line of defense, the United States Navy," and the third to "our 

 next line of service, small but willing to grow, the United States 



Smith Island Oyster. 



Cream of Celery aux croutons 



Medallion of Sea Bass, a la Joinville 



Fresh Mushrooms under Glass 



M net boot loo mub oj o good tbnitr—Ce%v, 

 Lamb, Colbert Sauce _ 



Roasted Philadelphia Squabs on Toast 



fryhody 11 !/«<"( rooiUd maaodajh »by not o ' ifiuh' el 



Borhbe of Chestnuts glacte 



RECESSIONAL 



GEORGt B. Hu 

 Ex-Frcsident. 



.\rmy." riicse ueie drunk with nuich enthusiasm ainid great 

 applause. 



He then read a cablegram of kindly greeting and good wishes 

 from the chairman and council of the Rubber Growers' Associa- 

 tion and a telegram from Dudley Field Malone, collector of the 

 Port of New York, regretting that official business had called him 

 from the city. 



MR. HODGM.\.VS ADDKI -.- 



Ex-President Hodgman con- 

 tinued with the following atl- 

 dress to the assembly ; 



Since out last banquet two 

 years ago, history has been in 

 the making at a rapid rate, 

 more so than ever before in 

 the memory of man. When we 

 met together before, the whole 

 world was at peace ; now over 

 one-half of it is plunged in war. 



In these days of the sup- 

 posedly higher civilization, it 

 almost seems impossible that 

 this should be, but we have 

 evidence on every side that it 

 is only too true, and our own 

 country, although remote from 

 tlie scene of actual hostilities, 

 cannot but feel the influence of 

 the conflict which is raging on 

 the other side of the earth. 



Our own industry, like many 

 others, has been affected, for 

 we have seen during the paft 

 18 months practically all of 



the raw materials which enter into the manufacture ot our 

 products increase in price, some to an unprecedented degree, 

 and there have been times when the uncertamty of procur- 

 ing the necessary supplies to run our mills has been very 

 acute. . , , . 



This all goes to prove that, in spite of the immense re- 

 sources of the United States, there are industries, such as 

 ours, which are entirely dependent upon foreign sources for 

 the essentials which enable us to make our livelihood. While 

 this is a situation which in the nature of things cannot be 

 remedied, it certainly furnishes much food for thought. 



In the crisis which arose in the latter part of 1914, when 

 it seemed possible that we might be deprived of the greater 

 part of our supply of crude rubber, because of the activities 

 of the Rubber Club of America this peril was averted, which 

 clearly shows that an organization such as ours 'S a real 

 necessity, and not only in a crisis like this, but in many 

 other ways can serve and foster the industry whicli we 

 represent. 



While the United States has been, and we fervently hope 

 will remain, at peace, yet we cannot but give serious atten- 

 tion to the lessons which the great conflict in Europe has 

 taught us. To the vast majority of the people, two years 

 ago. the thought of such a war was impossible, almost un- 

 believable, but nevertheless the war did come, and has de- 

 veloped into the most stupendous conflict of the ages. .As 

 the unbelievable has once happened, who can now predict 

 that it may not happen again, and some time involve this 

 fair land of ours? 



With these facts before us, it behooves us as a nation to 

 awaken, and place ourselves where we will be able with 

 full confidence adequately to defend ourselves against a 

 foreign attack, and not subject ourselves to the humiliation 

 which in our present defenseless condition would be in- 

 evitable. 



I, therefore, fervently hope that the patriotism, which has 

 shown itself in crises in the past, may rise again to the same 

 lofty heights, and that we as a people, irrespective of party 

 or creed, may make it our absorbing purpose to let nothing 

 stand in the way of preparing ourselves to defend our coun- 

 try and our flag against the worst that may come. 



In this worthy cause the rubber industry of the L'nited 

 States should do its part, and I trust that the action taken 



