464 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1. 1915. 



EXPLAINING HIGH PRICES TO GERMAN 

 CONSUMERS. 



VER^ naturally, the war has caused a great rise in the 

 price of rubber goods in Germany, and the purchasing 

 public lias become quite aroused over the matter and has shown 

 a disposition to bold the dealers responsible. In order to assisl 

 the dialer in explaining the situation to bis customer, the 

 "Gurrimi-Zeitung" has prepared a circular, which dealers can 

 -cure in quantities for distribution to their retail trade. As 

 this circular gives some further light on the rubber industry 

 in Germany today, it is reproduced below: 



WHY \KK RUBBER GOODS SO EXPENSIVE? 



"War. especially when it lasts a long time, results in a rise- 

 in the puces of all commodities. This is due to the gradually 

 growing scarcity of raw materials, decreased manufacturing 

 facilities and to the curtailment of production, especially on 

 account of shortage in skilled labor, which has to be replaced 

 by less efficient help. Increased selling and delivering expenses 

 are also responsible. These causes especially affect the rubber 

 branch and increase the price of the finished article. 



"\\ hen the war broke out. Germany had only a small stock 

 of crude rubber and, through England's joining in the struggle, 

 importations of rubber were stopped almost completely. Then. 

 for military purposes, the army placed its hand on all crude 

 rubber available, allowing only a very small quantity for private 

 use. The same applies to other raw materials used in the 

 manufacture of rubber goods — cotton, hemp, fabrics, coloring 

 materials, chemicals and especially solvents, like benzine and 

 turpentine. Then the price of coal rose tremendously. All 

 this naturally had its effect on the price of rubber goods. 



"The curtailment of production is further due to the fact that 

 a great number of trained employes and workmen were called 

 to the colors, and no skilled help was available to take their 

 places. This deranged deliveries and contributed to increase 

 the cost of production of rubber articles. 



"The cost of selling and delivering was increased through 

 the shrinkage in communications by rail, the shortage in labor. 

 in horses and wagons for handling freight and the increased 

 cost of traveling. 



"Under these conditions no one can consider the general 

 increase in prices as unreasonable, for it is quite impossible to 

 produce and deliver merchandise at former prices. In this con- 

 nection it is proper to mention the fact that the shortage in raw 

 materials has made the production of many articles an absolute 

 impossibility. These articles being now only obtainable in sub- 

 stitute qualities, consumers will be obliged not only to get used 

 to the increased prices which in the circumstances cannot be 

 avoided, but they will have to resign themselves to substitute 

 qualities, which alone can be produced under present condi- 

 tions. There is not only war bread, but also war rubber. 



lubber manufacturers are doing all in their power to satisfy 

 the needs of the consumer and prevent the stoppage of the 

 rubber trade. Their efforts cannot be successful if consumers 

 make impossible claims. Consumers must recognize the justice 

 there is in the increased prices." 



SUBSTITUTES FOR RUBBER GOODS. 

 A partial improvement in conditions has recently been 

 ted bj the German rubber industry, especially in branches 

 manufacturing for the army and navy. The automobile in- 

 dustry, which is closelj allied to the rubber business, has turned 

 its attention to manufacturing aviation motors, the demand for 

 whirl] has been constantly increasing since the war began, and 

 much overtime and night work is being done in this line. The 

 manufactun of cables and insulated articles is fairly good. 



The scarcity of crude rubber and the fact that most of it is 

 b(M by tiie Government and allowed to be used only for army 

 needs, have obliged manufacturers to abandon altogether the pro- 

 duction of many articles. Some of these articles — rubber belts. 

 rs, jar rinys. penholders and advertising novelties, which 

 are no longer manufactured from real rubber, are being turned out 

 in substitutes, and the Geman rubber industry is growing uneasy 

 us future in this line of manufacture. It is feared that the 

 will become used to the substitute articles and will not 

 readily be brought back to the purchase of real rubber goods. 

 These fears have been increased by the fact that when the re- 

 strictions were placed upon the use of rubber some of the larger 



merchants attempted to purchase all the existing stock of rubber 

 goods in the empire. This situation is considered as very danger- 

 ous to the industry, and all rubber manufacturers have been 

 advised to hold their stock in rubber goods and distribute it as 

 widely and equitably as possible among all their customers, so 

 that these goods may not be monopolized and fall into the hands 

 of a few dealers. 



THE GERMAN RUBBER SHORTAGE. 



The shortage of rubber in Germany is reported by a press cor- 

 respondent at Copenhagen as being so acute that the government 

 has arranged a special campaign for the collection of rubber 

 articles throughout the empire. Wagons are to be sent through 

 every district to collect all articles of rubber, even down to the 

 baby soother. A report was received several months ago — as 

 mentioned on page 226 of our issue of January — to the effect that 

 new rubber articles other than those coming under the head of 

 absolute necessities were being scrapped for military use. 



Another indication of the extreme need of rubber in that coun- 

 try is contained in the report of a firm in Holland which re- 

 cently received from Germany motor cars equipped with wooden 

 \\ he< Is without tires. 



WAR AND RUBBER. 



The extraordinary conditions under which warfare is being 

 carried on in Europe have created a great demand for atomizers, 

 an apparatus that is produced in a great variety of forms by 

 surgical rubber manufacturers. The excessive dampness of the 

 trenches renders the warmest clothing of little value in protect- 

 ing the soldiers against diseases of the respiratory organs; and 

 atomizers alone are effective in keeping the passages i the throat 

 and nose in a healthy condition. 



Many German rubber manufacturers are devoting the leisure 

 that is forced upon them by war conditions to the study of 

 problems for which they had no time during active business. 

 They are giving careful study to their methods of manufacture, 

 with a special view of making all possible savings in material, 

 time and labor. Further, they are giving unusual attention to 

 the use of waste materials. 



THE LEIPZIG FAIR. 



The Leipziger Messe, or sample exhibition, at Leipzig, Ger- 

 many, usually held during the last week of February and the 

 last week ni August, opened tins \ ear March 1, and continued for 

 5 days. The buyer for a large New York store, who visited the 

 fair, is quoted as stating that instead of the usual 200 to 300 

 American buyers, there were but 12 in attendance on this occa- 

 sion; that because of lack of labor and materials many manu- 

 facturers have given up exhibiting, and that the toy trade is in 

 bad condition. In a rubber factory visited, he reports that he 

 was unable to buy rubber balls or rubber goods of any description, 

 but discovered a gelatine ball which has been developed since the 

 war. 



GERMAN SURGICAL RUBBER MANUFACTURERS INCREASE PRICES. 



Certain decrees of the German war department having made 

 it impossible for manufacturers in that country to continue 

 making a number of surgical rubber articles, the German As- 

 sociate 'ii of Surgical Hard and Soft Rubber Manufacturers 

 recently resolved to increase the prices of all the rubber goods 

 they produce — the resolution taking effect March 20. The prices 

 of all hard rubber articles and of all articles made of rubber 

 in conjunction with other materials were uniformly advanced 

 50 per cent. Soft rubber goods and seamless rubber articles 

 were advanced 75 per cent, in price. 



AUSTRIANS INCREASE PRICES OF RUBBER GOODS. 



Following the decision of the "German Association of Hard 

 and Soft Surgical Rubber Manufacturers."' increasing the prices 

 of German manufactured surgical rubber goods from 50 to 75 

 per cent., Austrian rubber manufacturers have increased their 

 prices for same articles from 50 to 60 per cent. 



