Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-25

The Rubber Club OF America, which
includes In It's membership the leading
rubber manufacturers and importers Of
the United States. has given out the
Following statement OF the serious sit
uation which tho American rubber in
dustry faces on account Of the British
embargo on crude rubber:
situation OF the utmost gravity
conNonts the American rubber manu-
facturing Industry as a result of the
absolute embargo placed by the British
government on the expectation OF crude
rubber from Great Britain and her coll
onies. Roughly speaking. this means
inc cutting Off OF over 50 per cent OF
the normal supplies OF crude rubber
required BY the Industry In the United
States. Unless England consents TO
at least q partial removal OF this en-
barge at an early date, 1t will mean
many Idle men In rubber manufactu
centres. and substantial increase In
the price OF all articles manufactured
OF rubber. from automobile tires to
rubber bands
The reason for Great Britain's drastic
action is to be found In her determine
ton to prevent Germany and her allies
absolutely from obtaining any of the
crude rubber grown on the great plan
tationS in the British colonies Of Cey-
Ion and the Federated Malay States
states.
The Importance of rubber in tho
present war IS evident from the extern
sive use Of automobiles for all kinds
OF transport, as we'll as rubber foot
wear, ground sheets, clothing and bal
loon fabrics.
Germany Is willing TO pay almost any
price to obtain crude rubber and Il Is
only natural that Great Britain should
take every precautlon to prevent rub
her from reaching her enemies Never
al L., f.Is
Der industry that her interests would
be thoroughly protected by guarantees
against the re-exportation OF rubber,
which both manufacturers and import
crs are willing to give. Under the cir
cumstances II seems that Great Britain
Is placing nm unnecessary hardship on
rubber manufacturers in this country.
Rubber Treatment ms Contraband.
During the early days of October,
England began to treat crude rubber
p rs contraband OF war, and about the
same time placed an embargo on all
shipments OF rubber from her colonies
to any but English ports. This meant
that all direct shipments from Sin
sapore and Colombo to New York were
stopped But rubber still came on from
London as before. On November "a
England extended tho embargo to apply
to all Shipments OF crude rubber from
all English ports to any countries eX-
tcPi inoSe OF neT RlllcS. since mat
time no plantation rubber has been
shipped TO the United States.
1t was supposed that the British
government would Issue special licenses
to American manufacturers by which
they could obtain their necessary sup
plies. as In the case OF the embargoes
on some other articles. especially MS
SONS manufacturers had contracted to
deliver rubber goods TO the British
government.
A special committee of rubber manu-
facturers and'importers has been work
Ing with the State Department at
Washington on this problem. and the
state Department Is thoroughly alive
to the Importance of the situation.
Owing, however, to the uncompromis-
ing attitude Of the British government,
nothing has been accomplished, and
the industry and the consuming public
faces very serious situation.
Unlike tho majority of our Ameri-
can industries, the rubber industry Is
entirely dependent upon crude rubber
imported from foreign countries In
fact, the rubber Industry Is probably
the largest business In this country
wholly dependent on raw material
brought from abroad. This makes the
cutting off of her principal source OF
supply doubly serious.
England and her allies cannot use
moro than one third OF the worlds to-
tai production of rubber. On this ac-
count, and also because the rubber
growers in the Far East are largely
dependent on the United States market,
1t has caused no little wonder that the
British government has refused to lot
supplies come forward to manufao-
turers In the United States upon their
giving proper guarantees against re-
expectation. If this attitude Is per-
sisted in tho only reasonable inference
Is that England Is trying to use this
kind of pressure to obtain concessions
to which our government cannot ac-
cede.
Present Sources OF Supply.
At the present time the only sources
or supply FOR American manufacturers
are South America, Mexico and Africa
The Brazilian rubbers are normally
considered more expensive, apd the Afri-
can and Mexican rubbers are Of infe-
rior quality. Six or seven years ago the
greater part Of the crude rubber used
I'm this country came from Brazil, On
account Of the increased consumption,
due largely to the manufacture Of au-
time has been Increased by the addi-
tion of the cultivated rubber Of tho Far
East. until at the present time go per
cent of the crude rubber used In Ameri-
can factories comes from the British
empire. During this time consump-
ton has fully kept pace with the In
creased supplies.
in the United States at the present time
is about 10000 tons annually. OF this
amount about $4,000 tons Is plantation
rubber, which normally sells from
about A6 cents to 65 cents a Mound
Already the embargo has forced the