198 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



furnish both crude rubber and rubber goods on condition that 

 no rubber or rubber goods are sold to Germany and Austria- 

 Hungary. The central European powers, for their part, offer 

 to furnish what surplus goods and materials they can spare after 

 their oWn needs are satislicd, and in exchange demand the sup- 

 ply of the merchandise of which they are deprived through the 

 Allies' blockade. 



The delicacy of the position in which Switzerland is placed 

 can easily be imagined. 



It is believed that the problem has been solved by the organ- 

 ization of an import trust known as the "Societe Suisse de Sur- 

 veillance feconomique," or "S. S. S.," as it is briefly termed. 

 This import trust has been chartered by the Swiss Federal 

 Council to supervise the importation of merchandise and its 

 distribution in the country and, under certain conditions, its 

 re-exportation. 



The "S. S. S." (Swiss Association for Economic Supervision) 

 will attend to the importing of raw materials, partly manu- 

 factured materials and manufactured goods, for the account of 

 third parties, and distribute these imports for use or manufac- 

 ture in Switzerland, according to rules and conditions agreed 

 upon at the time of the importation. 



In deciding what quantities and kinds of merchandise should 

 be imported, the "S. S. S." will be guided by information drawn 

 from the statistics of Swiss imports for the years 1911. 1912 and 

 1913, which will be obtained from the Federal -Council of our 

 republic. In other words, the imports for 1911, 1912 and 1913 

 will serve as standards for determining the present needs of 

 our country. To receive merchandise from the "S. S. S." the 

 several trades and industries of Switzerland will, have to organ- 

 ize responsible syndicates or associations which will have to 

 guarantee that the merchandise furnished will be used as di- 

 rected by the rules and regulations of the "S. S. S." 



Raw materials imported by the "S. S. S." and goods manu- 

 factured from these raw materials will be allowed to be freely 

 re-exported as follows : 



1. To the countries from which the raw materials were ob- 

 tained for importation into Switzerland, or to allies of these 

 countries. 



2. To neutral countries, as long as it is guaranteed that they 

 will be consumed in these countries. If, however, the neutral 

 country to which the merchandise is destined cannot be reached 

 from Switzerland, without passing through the territory of a 

 nation or nations at war with the country which furnished the 

 raw materials to Switzerland, license to export will be withheld 

 unless the latter country gives its consent to the transaction. 



3. No merchandise can be re-exported to countries at war 

 with the nation that furnished the raw materials for making it. 

 Exceptions to this rule are merchandise in which the chief 

 value is not the material imported. Thus, machinery and ap- 

 paratus into which imported copper does not enter to the ex- 

 tent of more than 15 per cent of the total value, may be 

 exported freely. Electrical machinery and apparatus can be 

 freely exported on condition that the value of the copper it 

 contains does not exceed 30 per cent of its total value. 



Farming products that are purely Swiss and all other mer- 

 chandise containing nothing but native materials can be ex- 

 ported freely, if not under embargo of the Swiss government. 



Reports and statistics of the dealings of the "S. S. S." have 

 to be furnished monthly to the governments agreeing to furnish 

 merchandise through its intermediation. 



The metal, textile, chemical and foodstuiTs industries are al- 

 ready planning syndicates to avail themselves of the services 

 of the "S. S. S." 



The Swiss manufacturers were very an.xious to see the 

 "S. S. S." in general operation," for conditions were very trying, 

 especially in the rubber trade and industry, where shortage in 

 both crude rubber and rubber goods was creating much incon- 

 venience. All kinds of tires were scarce and prices were rapidly 



becoming prohibitive. The lack of motorcycle tires was most 

 severely felt because motorcycles are very extensively used in 

 Switzerland. 



RUHHKR FOOTWEAR. 



It is winter now, the season during wliich quantities of 

 rubber boots and shoes are needed in Switzerland. Russia, Ger- 

 many and Austria-Hungary formerly furnished us large consign- 

 ments of rubber footwear, but cannot supply them as long as this 

 war lasts ; and French and English manufacturers have all they 

 can do to supply their own military and civil needs. We are told 

 that America cannot deliver rubber goods to us on account of an 

 agreement with Great Britain. 



Some time ago an important rubber concern here attempted to 

 place a big order for rubber goods in America and was informed 

 by cable that all shipments of rubber and rubber goods from 

 America are prohibited unless they be addressed to England, 

 to her possessions or to her allies. This cable was given wide 

 publicity here and was variously discussed by all our press organs. 

 The following is a list of Swiss rubber and gutta percha manu- 

 facturers which may be of interest to your readers : 



Tannerie Maennedorf, Staub & Cie., Maennedorf ; solid rubber 

 truck tires. 



Ausler & Cie., Feuerthalen ; pneumatic tires. 



P. Buchet, Geneva ; pneumatic tires. 



Chapins, Geneva ; pneumatic tires. 



Charles Faure, Geneva; pneumatic tires. 



."Mbert Muffert, Geneva ; pneumatic tires. 



Dubied & Cie., Convet; tire studs and rivets. 



Aubert, Crenier & Cie., Islettaz ; electrical cables. 



Suhner & Cie., Herisau ; electrical cables. 



Ziiricher, Draht & Kabelwerke, Zurich ; electrical cables. 



H. Weidmann, Rapperswill ; rubber insulators. 



A NEW WATERPROOF CLOTHING FACTORY IN AMSTERDAM. 



At .\msterdam, Holland, a factory is being erected for the 

 firm of L. A. & F. L. Kattenburg. manufacturers of water- 

 proof garments and wholesale clothiers of that city, Rotterdam, 

 and Manchester, England. The foundation stone of the new- 

 factory was laid on December 1, 1915, by Alfred Kattenburg, 

 Jr. The building will be 270 feet in length, with three stories 

 and basement. It will furnish room for 800 to 90O operatives, 

 and the site allows space for doubling the size of the building. 

 In addition to up-to-date show rooms, offices, etc.. the pro- 

 visions made for the comfort and health of the employees are 

 of the most modern character, including commodious dining 

 rooms, well-equipped kitchens, dressing rooms, etc. The estab- 

 lishment is one of the most important in the Netherlands en- 

 gaged in the manufacture of rubber garments and raincoats. 



SWEDEN PROHIBITS RUBBER EXPORTS. 



Sweden has prohibited the export of the following articles: 

 Manufactures of soft rubber, excepting belting and boots and 

 shoes ; manufactures of hard rubber, ebonite, etc., or combi- 

 nations with other materials; rubber toys and parts of toys; rub- 

 ber in solution or in paste form (but not rolled into sheets •r 

 further manufactured), with or without compounding ingredi- 

 ents ; also artificial soft rubber. 



Following upon this action, the temporary suspension by the 

 Rubber and Tin Exports Committee of the issue of licenses for 

 shipment of rubber goods to Sweden has been, to a certain ex- 

 tent, removed. The India Rubber Manufacturers' .Association 

 has been informed that the Exports Committee cannot undertake 

 to discuss the conditions under which applications for licenses 

 will be dealt with, but they will consider any individual applica- 

 tion on its merits. 



LARGE TIRE ORDER PLACED IN JAPAN. 



According to a clipping from a Yokohama, Japan, newspaper, 

 orders aggregating 1,000,000 automobile and bicycle tires have 

 recently been placed in Japan. 



