Februaby 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



249 



The Rubber Club's Seventeenth Annual Banquet. 



WHILE the diners may have talked among themselves of 

 recent achievements and present prosperity, our prob- 

 lems and opportunities after the war formed the chief 

 topic of the distinguished after-dinner speakers at the seven- 

 teenth annual banquet of The Rubber Club of America, Inc., 

 which was held in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, 

 New York City, on Monday evening, January 8. 



Before the banquet was served the diners gathered in an 

 adjoining room and in the congenial atmosphere of an informal 

 reception greeted their friends and renewed acquaintances. 



Upon entering the banquet hall one was immediately im- 

 pressed by a welcome departure in the decorations. Large 

 American flags predominated and were introduced in the simple 

 and pleasing form of sharp-angled trophy stacks at suitable lo- 



cations about the room, producing a tall, narrow effect in har- 

 mony with the architectural lines. At the head of the room 

 bung the Rubber Club banner, while the spaces between the 

 trophy stacks and also along the fronts of the two tiers of 

 boxes, occupied by the ladies during the after-dinner speaking, 

 were draped with large flags in a frieze-like effect interspersed 

 with blue banners displaying in true colors the coat of arms 

 of the several states in which the rubber industry flourishes. But 

 the crowning feature consisted of a great .Xmerican flag, 

 cleverly concealed, which suddenly unfurled to the inspiring 

 strains of the "Star Spangled Banner," and immediately created 

 • happy spirit of patriotic enthusiasm. 



Each guest found at his place an attractive program and 

 menu with a cover in lavender, green and gold embodying an at- 

 tractive design including the Rubber Club seal, a sprig of 

 Hevea leaves, the western hemisphere, and a man tapping a 

 rubber tree. 



After an invocation by The Right Reverend Frank DuMoulin, 

 Bishop-Coadjutor of the Diocese of Ohio, the diners enjoyed 

 an excellent repast and during the addresses that followed 

 manifested great enthusiasm as the salient points of each 

 speaker were brought forth. 



A TOAST TO THE LADIES, 

 At the conclusion of the dinner President Firestone called 

 attention to the fact that for the first time in its history the 

 Rubber Club enjoyed the honor and pleasure of having ladies 

 present to hear the after-dinner speaking. In proposing a toast 

 to "The Ladies," which was heartily drunk, he expressed the 

 belief that the distinguished guests of honor must realize "that 

 the gentlemen composing the great rubber industry have a dis- 

 tinct appreciation of the refined and the beautiful." 



PRESIDENT FIRESTONE'S ADDRESS. 

 President Firestone then continued with the following ad- 

 dress, announcing the birth of The Rubber Association of 

 America and touching briefly upon the Rubber Club's activities 

 of the past year and its growth in membership : 



As President of the Rubber Club I am very much interested — 

 and I want every member to feel interested — in both its fraternal 

 and business activities. However, as there are many of our mem- 

 bers here tonight who have not attended the annual meeting nor 

 taken an active part in it, I know that you will be much in- 

 terested in the business activities of the Club. I want to say just 

 a word in regard to the rubber industry and the Rubber Club of 

 America, from now on to be known as The Rubber Association 

 of America. 



The reason that your directors have recommended this change 

 in name to the members at the annual meeting was that it better 

 represents the true position of the organization. Originally, the 

 New England rubber men gathered together for social purposes 

 only. Out of these meetings grew the Rubber Club of America, 

 the purpose of which was not only to bring the rubber interests 

 together socially, but to promote the welfare of the rubber 

 industry. 



This so changed the nature of the organization that the name 

 Rubber Club became misleading, and as a result we have adopted 

 the title. The Rubber Association of America, which more clearly 

 describes this body. 



As our raw materials are received from foreign lands, and 

 many of our products are shipped to foreign countries, there is 

 every reason why the rubber interests must have a strong and 

 efficient organization to look after the interests not only of the 

 rubber industry but the entire commercial activities of the United 

 States, which are so vitally affected by our well-being. 



Rubber is the most important commodity in the world. It i* 

 not only of great importance commercially, but our happiness 

 and social welfare are to a large degree dependent upon it. You 

 will be surprised to know that the rubber manufacturing in- 

 dustry stands among the first few leaders in volume in dollars 

 and cents. 



During the past year your Advisory Committee has been very 

 active and held fortnightly meetings effectively dealing with the 

 questions which have been brought before it. The members of 

 this committee have given generously of their time for attend- 

 ance at these meetings. 



A committee on legislation has been closely in touch with 

 measures affecting the industry which have been introduced at 

 Washington. This committee, however, has had comparatively 

 little to do, as no tariff changes have been attempted. 



One of the most important efforts of the year was the forma- 

 tion of rules and a uniform contract to govern transactions in 

 crude rubber between importers and dealers and manufacturers. 



The committee has submitted a report which was sent to every 

 member and has now been adopted. 



An Arbitration Committee to assist in carrying out the rules 

 has been provided for. 



