May 1, 1915] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



421 





Published on the 1st of each Month by 



THE INDIA RUBBER PUBLISHING GO. 



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 CABLE ADDESS: 1RWORLD, \'EIV YORK. 



HENRY C. PEARSON, Editor 



Vol. 52. 



MAY I, 1915. 



No. 2 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS ON LAST PAGE OF READING. 



A GERMAN CRITICISM OF THE AMERICAN RUBBER 

 TRADE. 



THE agreement entered into in January between the 

 British Government and the Rubber Club of Amer- 

 ica acting in behalf of the American rubber trade, under 

 which the embargo on rubber exports from London was 

 lifted, comes in for some criticism by our < ierman con- 

 temporary, the "Gummi-Zeitung." In its issue of March 

 19 it expresses the following editorial opinion: 



"We are surprised that the otherwise liberty-loving 

 Americans have accepted this British control over their 

 independence, and are thus helping their strongest com- 

 petitor to injure Germany. No one can any longer 

 describe this way of doing business as 'neutral.' This 

 pact with our most bitter enemy makes it clear to us that 

 America not only has but little friendliness in her feel- 

 ings towards us, but that she actually sanctions the Eng- 

 lish methods of warfare. In any event this submission 

 to outside control is absolutely unworthy of an inde- 

 pendent industry. We feel a sense of shame for the 

 American manufacturers who accept it and even appear 

 to be proud of doing so. The (ierman rubber industry 

 would do well to engrave in its memory the conduct of 

 these American 'colleagues.' " 



We are nol disposed to quarrel with our contemporary 

 over the expression of its views. It is quite natural that 

 iman paper should look at the matter from a < ierman 

 viewpoint. Ii would be rather more than human for a 

 writer scanning the horizon from Berlin not to have 

 omething of a bias. Nevertheless, in view of this charge 

 that the American manufacturers have submitted to im- 

 proper dictation, it seems quite in place briefly to recite 

 the facts — which are plain and obvious and which indi- 

 cate no unfriendliness Eor any country, nor carry with 

 them any suggestion of sanction of the methods of war- 

 fart- pursued by any country. The case is a particularly 

 simple one : 



England bail the rubber and could put whatever con- 

 ditions on its release she chose; and she naturally deter- 

 mined upon such conditions as would make it impossible 

 for her enemies to profit by its export. England was 

 surely entirely within her rights. In a like situation Ger- 

 many would have exercised equal caution. Under the 

 circumstances, the conditions imposed were altogether 

 justifiable. 



Now, as to the American manufacturers. They needed 

 the rubber which was piled up in London and were will- 

 ing to comply with any reasonable and proper terms in 

 order to secure it. If they had refused, the embargo 

 would have continued and would have worked great 

 injury to American manufacturers while in no way help- 

 ing the (ierman manufacturers. The question, in reality, 

 was not one of neutrality at all. The question was sim- 

 ply one of taking the necessary means — as long as no 

 impropriety was involved — for getting the material 

 that was indispensable net only to the continuance of a 

 great American industry but for the general welfare of 

 the American public. 



If Germany controlled any product indispensable to 

 any .American industry and it- export to our shores were 

 possible, American manufacturers would be equally will- 

 ing to enter into a compact not to permit any part of such 

 product or any article manufactured from it to give aid 

 ami succor to the Kaiser's enemies. 



A KIND OF THEFT TOO LONG CONDONED. 



A BILL was recently passed in Albany which should 

 ■* * be the signal for the placing of a similar law on the 



statute 1 k of every State in the Union, for it prohibits 



the commercial use by anyone not properly entitled to it 



if .i family i >r firm name to which someone else has given 



reputation and value. Certainly every honest merchant 



