September 1, 1917/ 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



705 



of Munitions to minimize the disruption of normal business 

 life by the war: to eliminate the harmful results of uncon- 

 trolled prices, and to prevent a breakdown in the distribution of 

 the nation's output. 



As a forecast of what may eventually develop in America, the 

 workings of the Priority Branch under the British Ministry of 

 Munitions are of interest to the rubber industry, because among 

 the many industries affected are rubber trades and manufacture, 

 including footwear; waterproofing of fabrics; manufacture of 

 coal-tar and other chemical products ; textile trades and manu- 

 facture and machinery. 



The Priority Branch in England has for its function the 

 bringing about of harmonious actions between the conflicting 

 demands of the different departments of the Ministry of Muni- 

 tions, of the Admiralty, the war and other government offices, 

 the railroads, the mines and other quasi-public services and ap- 

 proved private industries, which are in more or less active com- 

 petition for their share of raw materials, manufacturing capacity 

 and labor. 



The committee meets every day and no priority can be granted 

 unless all present agree. One objection rejects an application 

 — but this decision is not final. The representative of the in- 

 terested department may withdraw the application and refer 

 the matter through the chief of his department to some one 

 representing the Minister of Munitions, who is the final 

 authority. 



A manufacturer instructed as to priority by the committee 

 can himself issue certificates to bring about similar priority on 

 materials of sub-contracts for his contract. 



All persons engaged in certain industries have their work di- 

 vided into three classes — A, B and C. A is war work, B other 

 work of national importance, and C is all work not comprised 

 in the other two. 



Class A comprises work or material wholly required as a 

 component part of any work or goods to be carried out or sup- 

 plied under 



(a) A government war contract which signifies: 1 — Any 

 contract placed by the Admiralty, the War Oflice or the Minis- 

 ter of Munitions ; 2 — .^ny contract for naval or military equip- 

 ment placed by an allied government by or with the consent in 

 writing of the Admiralty, the War Oflice. or the Minister of 

 Munitions. 



(b) Certified war work which signifies: 1 — Work on a con- 

 tract or order which the Admiralty, the War Office, or the 

 Minister of Munitions has certified in writing to be war or muni- 

 tion work ; 2 — Work which the Minister of Munitions has di- 

 rected to be treated on an equality with war work. 



(c) Merchant sliipping work certified in writing by the Board 

 of Trade to be munitions work. 



The priority branch grants priority in class as follows : 

 1 — Most urgent war work. 

 2 — Very urgent war work. 

 3 — Urgent war work and 

 4 — War work. 



In addition there is an emergency classification wliicli takes 

 precedence over all. 



The manufacturer is not compelled tu accept work from the 

 government and when a manufacturer accompanies an order to 

 another manufacturer with a certificate which would entitle 

 this order if accepted, to priority, the manufacturer to whom the 

 order is tendered need not accept the order unless he desires to 

 sell. There is, however, strong indirect pressure to accept pri- 

 ority orders because a priority order gives assurance that steel 

 and other scarce raw materials may be secured, that transporta- 

 tion will be afforded, and also that a plant engaged upon pri- 

 ority work will have an adequate supply of labor. 



The priority committee issues orders from time to time that 

 no scarce material shall be used except on Class A work or 

 Class A and B work. 



Reports are required of all stocks in Great Britain of certain 

 listed scarce material, and from time to time the Minister of 

 Munitions takes possession of all stocks of certain character. 



From time to time the priority branch requests of the manu- 

 facturer, a list of all of liis orders, giving customer's name, and 

 full particulars including what proportion of the work remains 

 to be done. 



WATERPROOF F.\BRICS FOR I).\LING .\RMY STORES. 



A new use has been found for waterproof fabrics. The Storage 

 Committee of the Council of National Defense is urging all 

 shippers to adopt every measure possible to minimize the need 

 for railroad cars, and their use for storage purposes. The ad- 

 vantages of motor trucks for short hauls are being emphasized ; 

 likewise the importance of creating additional storage facilities 

 at points of production to avoid congestion in manufacture, and 

 at points of consumption that railroad cars may be unloaded 

 promptly. 



That every car may be loaded to its maximum capacity with 

 the minimum of packing material, baling or compressed bulk 

 packing is developing great possibilities for saving transporta- 

 tion space. The Quartermaster's Department of the army is 

 already baling socks and blankets and satisfactory progress is 

 being made toward baling uniforms, shoes and even prunes. 

 The bales are covered with waterproof material which will later 

 be used for sand bags at the front. Its use makes possible the 

 employment of flat cars when box cars are not available. 



It would seem that several articles of rubber manufacture 

 would lend themselves to bulk packing, such as hospital and camp 

 sheetings and blankets, waterproof fabrics for all purposes, 

 leggins, ponchos and rubberized clothing of every sort, gas 

 masks, rubber springs, gaskets, washers and valves, sponges, 

 hot water bottles, ice bags and caps. 



STYLE CONSERVATION. 



The Commercial Economy Board of the Council of National 

 Defense has recently recommended that manufacturers reduce 

 the number of styles of their goods and that in place of elaborate, 

 fancy styles the output should be confined as closely as possible 

 to standards. The board has stated that in some lines this re- 

 duction could be as high as 25 to SO per cent without inconveni- 

 ence to customers. 



As regards the rubber business, interviews with leading manu- 

 facturers show that, as a rule, they do not consider any great 

 reduction of styles possible except with a resulting diminution 

 of business. Take, for instance, tennis shoes : While the leading 

 manufacturers do most of their business on three or four stand- 

 ard lines, there is a demand for finer goods on which the sales, 

 in comparison, are few but, in the aggregate, many. With the 

 leather shoe manufacturers putting a lot of style in their product 

 the rubber shoe producers find there is a demand for similar 

 "classy" shapes, witli high heels and canva-s tops, in rubber- 

 soled footwear. The United States Rubber Co. endeavors to get 

 out as few styles as possible with which to satisfy the demands 

 of its customers and the public. It is the opinion of the sales 

 manager that the proposition of the Economy Board is impracti- 

 cable, as far as tennis goods are concerned. 



Regarding rubber footwear, that is, overshoes of all kinds, 

 the same conclusion holds. Rubber shoes must fit reasonably 

 well the prevailing styles of leather footwear, and therefore the 

 makers of overshoes must make a larger variety than if leather 

 shoes were standardized. 



In rubber and other waterproof clothing the action of the 

 branch store managers at a meeting in Chicago early last month 

 indicates the situation. These managers advocated a material 

 reduction of models and styles to be introduced this season, and 

 in consequence of this recommendation the company vvill feature 

 standard models, patterns and styles, which make for economy 

 and the best value for merchants and consumers, which decision 

 is in accord with tlic company's policy of standardizing the rain- 

 coat business. 



