Novi Mm r 1, 1914 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



61 



with a vast aggregate ot nine n illion bales, or nearl) I 

 thirds of the entire crop, unsalable in their svarehou 

 it is hardl) to be wondered at, under these conditions, 

 thai the southern contingent al Washington should ■ 



rnment relief. It will stand out as one of the most 

 notable achievemi i t G ingress that w ith 



so much sympathy for the southern situation it withs 

 the great temptation of shifting the planters' burden to 

 the shoulders of the Government — which certainly would 

 have been a very bad precedent in paternalism. Further 

 attempts by the southern members of the Senate and the 

 House may be made for government assistance, but i 

 bale that goes abroad from our ports during the nexl few 

 weeks will make this attack on the Federal Treasury less 

 likely to succeed. 



Last year Germany bought 2,785,000 hales of our 

 cotton, with a value of $182,000,000. It is not to he 

 expected, of course, that there will be any such demand 

 on the part of that country this year, hut if Germany 

 were to take one-half of last year's purchases, and the 

 other European countries follow in like proportion, the 

 planters' problem, if not solved, would certainly be much 

 nearer solution. 



But the great lesson which the South must learn from 

 its present condition is the necessity of curtailing its 

 cotton proclivities, at least for the next year or two. until 

 demand has overtaken supply. Too much of a good thing 

 is a bad thing. Xo section can enjoy robust health when 

 its functions are deranged by a great mass of undigested 

 material, be it cotton or what not. 



degree. The onl) way that the planters can eliminate 

 wild rubber is to produce something better as well as 

 cheaper. The Brazilians can drive out plantation rubber 

 onl) b) producing wild rubber cheaper as well as better. 

 Samples, circulars, propaganda, missionarj visits, will 

 nplish half as much as even coagulation, clean 

 smi 'king, and standard brands. 



\l A MEETING OF I 1 1 K MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION of 



Xew York, held < ictober 15, the manager of the 

 foreign trade department of the National City Bank 

 of that city, described the steps that had been taken 

 by his institution toward the establshment of branch 



banks in Smith America, lie stated that the staff for 

 the bank to be established in Buenos Aire- had already 

 been selected and was on us way to that city; that 

 suitable quarters had been secured, and that the bank 

 would be in active operation during the present month. 

 This is the first American bank ever established in any 

 foreign country. 



Few people outside of banking and exporting circles 

 have any appreciation of the significance of this new 

 enterprise and its particular significance as pertaining 

 to South America. The great obstacle in the way of 

 increased commerce between North and South Amer- 

 ica has been the necessity of financing all such opera- 

 tions through European banks. This necessity will 

 now be entirely removed. 



RUBBER PROPAGANDA. 



WHEN crude rubber is scarce and high, manufactur- 

 ers seek substitutes and new compounds. \\ hen it 

 is plentiful and low, producers talk restriction of product 

 and new uses. The) also become rubber educators. The 

 planters in the Middle East, for example, are considering 

 extensive missionary work among rubber manufacturers 

 to show how much superior plantation rubber is to an) 

 other. The producer- up the Amazon also plan to institute 

 a "propaganda" among manufacturers to impress upon 

 them the fact that Brazilian Para is best and should there- 

 fore always have the preference. Indeed the South Amer- 

 ican boomer- go further. They seriously consider ad- 

 dressing the great consuming public and urging them' 

 to demand that what they buy be made of "the best rub- 

 ber in the world." 



No doubt these missionaries will be welcomed, listened 

 to respectfully and given every opportunity to demon- 

 strate their claims, but it is doubtful it these efforts will 

 increase the ise of one or the other sort- in the slightest 



For fifty years the Chamber of Commerce of New 



York has enjoyed an unbroken series of successful 

 annual banquets. This year, because of the great war and 

 the widespread distress and suffering, there is to be none. 

 Member- of other prominent associations have taken the 

 same action. This, of course, entails self denial on the 

 part of feasters, orators and listeners, but as a practical 

 expression of sympath) it i- excellent, for America 

 to feast and rejoice while Europe starves and mourns 

 might smack of callousness. The Rubber Club of America 

 has been canvassed by it- secretary for an expression of 

 opinion regarding its banquet slated for January 5 next. 

 The members were asked to state their preference, 

 whether to hold the dinner or to omit it and donate 

 the amount that the dinner would have cost to the 

 American Red I ross. Responses have not yet been 

 received from the entire membership, but nearly two- 

 thirds have replied, and of that number the senti- 

 ment is so overwhelming in favor of omitting the dinner 

 and contributing the amount to the Red Cross and 

 other humane agencies which are seeking to mitigate 

 the horrors of the war in Europe, that it has been defi- 

 nitelv determined to abandon the dinner. 



