Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-29
NEW SUPPLY WILL
KEEP RUBBER PRICES
DOWN DESPITE WAR
Best Trees of Brazil Can
Now Be Grown in Ceylon
and Sumatra-Quality Is
Just as Good.

One of the most exciting and mo-
mentous changes in the world Of COM
merce, in some ways like that (which ac-
companied the rise of synthetic indigo in
Germany. and the simultaneous ruin Of
the indigo industry of India, is taking
place in the worlds rubber markets.
The price of rubber is falling. and is
certain to fall still more, until some
famous trade currents with South Amer
lea are Choked off, and manufacturers
will have to devise new uses Tor rubber
to keep the price from going too low.
When the European war broke out the
Price OF rubber jumped to Sl.l5. and
makers of auto tires raised their prices;
but all these rises have now disap-
peared. a few years ago everybody
began to worry about the increasing
price of rubber, says Benjamin Baker. in
the New York Eyeuiug Post. The rapid
increase in the use of automobiles seemed
to promise, through the consumption of
rubber for tires, a rapid and burdensome
increase in the price of rubber. Syn
thetic" rubber was talked of as the only
salvation from ntOerably high prices.
ENperimerters everywhere sought for
WAYS Ia make an artificial rubber. Syn
thetic rubber VAS finally made by the
chemists of a great Massachusetts rubber
goods factory, and the processes were
victory has been of the highest value TO
that factory in a better knowledge OF
how to manage natural rubbers But the
making OF artificial rubber on CONNER
cial scale will not be attempted for
long time to come, if at all.
GROWN IN CEYLON NOW.
The impending change, which will cover
much more than mere rubber itself, is due
10 the successful growing Of the hevea,
the best rubber tree OF Brazil, In planta-
tions on the Malay peninsula, in Northern
Sumatra and in CeyIou, The best plan
tation rubber Is the equal of the best Para
from Brazil, Best Para sells at C5 10
Sc cents a pound, This Para rubber con-
tains about two per cent. of dirt and six
teen % eighteen per cent of water. Dry
and clean Para, therefore. costs the
manufacturer about 7S cents a pound.
Against this are set the best plantation
smoked sheets, with no dirt, and less than
two per cent. OF water, at a price of 81
10 II cents a pound. The difference H.
more than twenty cents a pound In favor
of the plantation rubber. The advantage
as against other Brazilian rubbers than
the best Para is even greater.
Where does this leave the rubber trade
and the solvency of Brazil? Apparently
az the opening Of large, dark hole,
whose aspect has already caused great
anxiety 70 holders OF Brazilian securities
The rubber trade is the mainstay Of Bra
zn's prosperity, along with that in coffee.
Roth showed last year an alarming fall
In price. I'm 1919 for the first time, the
total NJ the worlds plantation rubber ex-
ceeded the total Of all wild rubber. II
has been an axiom Of the rubber trade
that when the price ~ rubber fell to
. sd a mound the Brazilian industry
would meet a crisis. The price has now
reached and even gone below that fgure
-, -FEE= bag ayfI
has been none too reliable Al It's best.
This new blow at one of its chief sup
ports affects not only the holders Of all
sorts of brazilian securities but heavily
clouds the UrnsDects OF an increased
American trade with that country.
DISLIKE FALLING PRICES.
4 somewhat amusing feature Of the
plantation rubber situation IS the fear
that the increased production will lower
prices faster than will DE agreeable TO
those interested in the profits from the
plantations. About II per cent. Of the
Malav and CevlOH rubber is sold through
a committee In London. and this COM
m!ttre evidently sees a further and great
fall in the price Of rubber which Is not
TO its liking II wll therefore give an
announcement 10 the devising of new
uses for rubber, so that an increased
demand may counteTact 10 some extent
the effect of the increasing production.
In 1910, only four years ago, the planta-
tlon production was less than 20 600 tons
against Brazirs production for that year
Of 3s.54I tons, which is a fair average
for the Brazilian output for the past
eight wears For this year. however the
estimated product OF the plantations Is
50 600 tons. which Is 10 be set against 35-
500 OF wet Brazil which Is only about
28 900 tons OF dry Brazil. The plantation
figures foT the next four years are esti-