April 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



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Vol. 54 



HENRY C. PEARSOr*. Editor 



APRIL 1. 1916 



No. I 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS ON LAST PAGE OF READING. 

 PREPAREDNESS AND RUBBER, 



' I 'HE mobilization of American industries for pur- 

 •*■ poses of defence — this, on paper, is without doubt 

 an excellent plan. It gives work for more commis- 

 sions, shows us where we are weak and where strong, 

 and guessing frankly, that is the end of it. 



As for the ability of existing rubber plants to supply 

 what our army and navy may need in peace or in war, 

 that is easily gotten at. A competent government 

 clerk with an able-bodied mimeograph could get the 

 whole story in a week. The result would be the 

 assurance that for the great essentials, rubber 

 blankets, coats, boots, hospital supplies and tires, 

 existing factories are fully prepared to swamp the 

 war department at the very shortest notice. 



Preparedness in manufactured rubber goods is 

 solved. Not so, however, with crude rubber prepared- 

 ness. Any eventuality that cuts off our supplies from 



the Far East and from the Amazon would effectually 

 stop the manufacture of all rubber goods. A com- 

 mission to solve the problem of our supply of crude 

 rubber, to report in favor of a government-owned 

 supply of crude rubber sufficient to last a year, with 

 another of rubber scrap to last two years, or a plant 

 equipped to make 1,000 tons of synthetic rubber a day ,_^^ 

 would be a heap more interesting. And who shall^;.^ 

 say that it would not be more practical? ai\r k- 



THREE HUNDRED MILLIONS IN RUBBER. 



nPHE preliminary report of the census of the rubber 

 ■•• manufactures sent out the middle of last month 

 gives some striking figures as to the magnitude of 

 this important industry. It is a matter of congratu- 

 lation that those in charge of the census adopted, at 

 least in part, the suggestions offered by The India Rub- 

 ber World in 1911. Previous census figures gave but 

 three groups for this industry, namely: "belting and 

 hose" ; "rubber boots and shoes" ; and "rubber goods 

 not elsewhere specified." 



It was suggested that it would be valuable to the 

 trade, were separate figures given for automobile and 

 cycle tires, solid tires, druggists' rubber sundries, hard 

 rubber, reclaimed rubber, cements, coated fabrics (in- 

 cluding mackintoshes, clothing, etc.), and dental and 

 stamp rubber. While not all these suggestions were 

 adopted, in place of the three headings, we have thir- 

 teen. Rubber tires, which hitherto were included in 

 "goods not elsewhere specified" are now given the 

 prominence their importance warrants, as nearly one- 

 half the entire product of rubber manufactures. Sepa- 

 rate totals are given for automobile casings, inner 

 tubes, solid tires, and motorcycle, bicycle and aero- 

 plane tires. Boots and shoes, belting, hose, packing, 

 clothing, druggists' and stationers' supplies are the 

 other divisions, after which comes "all other manu- 

 factures of rubber," and "all other products." 



These latter divisions are most comprehensive. They 

 probably include hard rubber (sheet and rod), battery 

 jars, insulating apparatus, carriage cloth, dental rub- 

 ber, stamp rubber, notions (such as dress shields, etc.), 

 cements, shoe findings (soles, heels, inner soles, sole 

 fillers, etc.), sporting goods, general mechanical goods 

 (such as deckle straps, couch rolls, etc.), mats and 

 matting, and brewers', plumbers' and bottlers' supplies. 

 Undoubtedly manufacturers of these lines would like 

 to have them separately enumerated, but perhaps this 

 is asking too much, and \ve should be thankful that 

 we are getting far more details this j^ear than ever 

 before. 



The figures for insulated wire were given in the 

 census of previous years, but are not separately given 

 in this preliminary report. It is safe to say, however, 

 that this branch of manufacture has grown propor- 

 tionately, owing to the substitution of electric power 



