Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-11
RATTAN CROWN
IN PHILIPPINES
COMES INTO USE
Cutting Off Of Supply From
Hamburg, Germany, May
Be Met With Product Of
American Possessions.

SPECIAL coRsesFonosHea 70 noRNiNo JoussAll
washington May 9.--Ono OF the
disadvantages which American Indus
try has suffered through the Euro
pean war has been the cutting off OF
supplies OF reed used IN the manufac-
ture OF furniture. baby carriages, etc,
This formerly came In large part from
Hamburg Germany, but the German
government at the beginning of the
war placed an embargo on Its export
and American manufacturers have
been in many cases unable TO continue
operations because of n lack of raw
material The rattan from which reed
Is made grows In the East indies and
WAS formerly imported largely into
Hamburg and there cut into cane and
reed
Supplies i'm Philippines.
After the war broke out greater
attention was attracted toward sup
ply said to exist in the Philippines. An
investigation was instituted by the
United States department Of COM
merce and IL was discovered that ex-
tensive supplies OF a good grade of
rattan were growing In the Philippine
forests. but that no organization for
export existed and there were many
and preparing the rattan and sending
II to this country. The whole subject
is COMPLEMENTARY handled In n re-
port from the Manila correspondent
OF the bureau of foreign and domestic
commerce OF the department of COM
merce, Mr.. John Il. Arnold. which IL
jus1 being issued by this bureau. Mr.,
Arnold's conclusion Is that while
there are several grades OF rattan
which are of no value for manufac-
turing purposes. there are consider
able supplies of the better grades In
most of the provinces of the islands,
The matter of getting IL to Manila and
exporting II regularly Is the principal
problem In the situation 10 be solved
and .his problem liz viewed from sew
eral angles In the report. Mr.. Ar
mold says that possible plans OF es-
tablishing an export industry are "a,
an arrangement for gathering rattan
by the existing firms handling lumber
or other forest products; CD, pur-
chase OF supplies from the present
concessionalres who are now engaged
In buying comparatively small guam
titles from the natives for local uses,
and 90. the establishment OF an or
ganization devoted exclusively to the
handling of rattan. The last-named
project seems 70 be the only one that
is feasible, but this will take consid.
cradle capital and careful and in
telligent study OF the field. rhe mar
gin OF profit is such that the organi-
zation of such concern Is practi-
cable, but there appears to be no pros.
pect of getting the industry going at
once or making extensive supplies OF
Philippine rattan available TO Ameri-
can manufacturers within few
months.
Samples Now Available.
An agent of the bureau OF foreign
and domestic commerce travelling In
the orient has forwarded samples OF
Philippine rattan and these will be
made available for inspection at the
offices of the bureau in Washington,
and also at its branch offices in New
York, Boston aud other points where
there are manufacturers interested in
Philippine rattan. After they have
made the rounds of these offices they
viii be sent TO chambers of commerce
and private firms requesting them.
The bureau has also prepared a cir
cular outlining its activities In connec-
ton with the rattan investigation, and
copies can be obtained on request. The
publication on Philippine rattan Is
entitled Rattan Supply of the Philip
| pines special agents series No. 95,
and can be obtained from tho super.
intendent Of documents, government
printing office Washington, d. c., or
from the branch offices of the bureau
of foreign and domestic commerce at
twenty cents copy.