November 1, 1914.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



101 



Rubber Notes From Germany. 



S[NCE the declarati i war, rubber manufacturers h 

 been in manj cas< .■ ry busy on government contracts. 

 Technical articles, automobile tires and hospital supplies have 

 been the chief features of recent production 



While these government contrails have made some concern 

 very busy, their importance must nol b< overestimated. Al- 

 though intrinsically of impoi bey do not make up for 

 the lack of export trade they involve. < In the whole, the rubber 

 industry is suffering from the absence of its working force, 

 which has in many eases necessitated on short time, 



and in si urn 1 instances complete suspension. 



Another source of trouble has been the fact of the government 

 claiming the available stocks of benzine and benzole, in ordei 

 in provide for the prospective requirements of militarj motor 



traction. When this claim was first made, the details of the 

 existing stock were not known and there were well-grounded 

 fears of a deficiency. \m uch scarcity would have affected the 

 suppl) of solvents for the rubber industry Fortunately, it is 



now ascertained that there is a sufficient stock of tin se .uncles at 

 the disposal of the government to provide Eoi the requirements 

 of motor traction and the fears of rubber manufacturers have 

 been dispelled to such an extent that numerous plants arc in 

 operation which had been working on a reduced scale under the 

 apprehension of a dearth of solvents The government authori- 

 ties have facilitated the execution of their own orders by per- 

 mitting the use of the necessarj solvents bj the manufacturers 

 tor that purpose 



\t an early period of the hostilities, a suggestion was 

 made for the establishment of maximum prices for rubber, but 

 the conclusion was reached that in view of the present difficul- 

 ties attending transportation, such a course was undesirable. 

 The principal works are said to be supplied with enough rubber 

 for several months' consumption. 



ENGLISH OPPOSITION TO GERMAN PATENTS. 



A recent Paris report stated that the English government 

 had declared all German patents and trade-marks outlawed. 

 Further information showed that the above statement was not 

 strictly correct. The facts were that a law enacted gave the 

 Roard of Trade authority to make regulations for the total or 

 partial revocation, or for the temporary suspension, of patents 

 or trade-marks for the protection of subjects of a power at war 

 with England. The regulations issued by the Board of '1'rade 

 are said to leave it to the interested parties to impugn the patent 

 and trade-marks which protect natives of countries at war with 

 England, or which are opposed to English interests. 



For this purpose an application to the Patent Office is needed, 

 in which the applicant has to show thai hi has a serious intention 

 of operating the patent, or of marketing the goods protected by 

 the mark, and that his application is in the public interest. 



When these conditions have been fulfilled, the patent or mark 

 , HI. ukeil can be declared invalid or can be put out of force until 

 furthei notice \- the fulfilment of the conditions named pre- 

 sents no difficulties to the interested partus, tin's plan is re- 

 garded in Germany as being equivalent to the abolition of protec- 

 tion to I lermans bj England. 



I he question of retaliation has been occupying the attention 

 of the German government, representatives of which have been 

 in communication with the rubber indusl 



EXPORT TRADE WITH NEUTRAL COUNTRIES. 



German manufacturers, while recognizing the difficulties now 

 attending export trade with their former customers, have been 

 giving attention to the question of conducting such trade with and 

 through neutral countries, or with German houses in the markets 



they wish to reach I hey hope in this way to parry the attacks 

 "i I ngland in her "war to the knife" commercial policy, Ger- 

 many and Austria h; I preparations for warding off 

 the threatened 



feel thai hi is too 

 loiner of various foreign nations for them to risk with 

 i ence the loss of the G 



CAMPAIGN REQUIREMENTS IN RUBBER GOODS. 



the articli German manufac- 



turers for service in the war are "Bandage Packages" intended 

 carried by the soldier for his own use. They contain 

 erilized strip of wadding, attached to a muslin bandage 

 and covered with cambric. This outfit is sterilized and. according 

 to its composition, packed in paper, waterproof fabric or similar 

 material. It is fastened v ii oi with clips, hs prac- 



tical value is that a soldier might Meed to death if he had 

 provided himself with one, or if a comrade had not this "self- 

 bandaging" equipment. Pocket drug outfits also come under the 

 same head 



Inner soles of rubber and "(her materials are likewise worn 

 to a considerable extent, but half soles have the disadvantage 

 of creasing in the boot. For th< special use of reservists who 

 have exchanged a sedentary for a military life, rubber-sponge 

 soles have been much approved as preventing the dreaded 

 "horny skin" on the soles of the feet. Its durability renders 

 the rubber-sponge sole particularly suitable for use in war. 



Toilet bags (waterproof) forjn another group and are 

 meant to carry a piece of soap, a rubber sponge, a tooth brush 

 and other necessary arti> 1 



Waterproof clothing has bet. .me an important item of 

 military equipment, particularly in the form of waterproof 

 vests of rubberized material, as a protection against being 

 "drenched to the skin." The importance has been urged of 

 rubber goods manufacturers retaining their hold on the trade 

 in these articles and not letting outfitting houses take it out 

 of their hands. For saving uniforms, mantles have been 

 brought out which are specially adapted for that purpose, 

 being very light and thin. Another article is the "breast bag" 

 for carrying various articles, as well as the rubber drinking 

 cup. Thus in many objects of general utility, in addition to 

 medii al supplies, rubber contributes to thi i 



THE WAR AND THE GERMAN RUBBER INDUSTRY 



For three weeks after the declaration of war by Germany 

 fi eight traffic w a • prai tii ally suspended, onlj the requit 

 the army and navy, or those for maintenance of the railways, be- 

 ing transported. The removal of the prohibition improved thi 

 nation, in which improvement the mining industry largelj par- 

 ked. Prices for all raw materials have considerably ad- 

 vanced, increasi i i asbestos products, steam packing and 

 technical rubber goods being regarded as unavoidable in the neat 

 future Crude asbestos cannot enter Germany from its prini 

 sources (Canada and Siberia). Each factory having to depend 

 ■ii its irticle, it is predicted that the manufacture of 

 articles composed of rubber and asbestos will soon come to a 

 standstill. 



I he whole rubber industry is reported to be stagnant, many 

 plants being closed down. The export of balls, toys. etc.. has 

 almost completi ed, and it is thought that imports of 



rubber will be for a long time on a reduced scale. As 

 to coal and other raw materials than those above referred to it is 

 understood that the rubber industry is sufficiently provided with 

 supplies. The hands necessary for the manufacture of tires for 



