Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-11
THE RATTAN SUP
PLY OF THE PHIL
iPPINE ISLANDS

Washington, May 10-One of the
Disadvantages which American indus
try has suffered through the European
war has been the cutting off of sup
plies of reed used in the manufacture
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 it's export
and American manufacturers have
been in many cases unable to continue
operations because of 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
| After the war broke out greater at
tention was attracted toward a supply
said to exist in the Philippines. An
investigation was instituted by the
| United States Department of Com
merce and it was discovered that eX-
tensive supplies of good grade of
rattan We're growing in the Philippine
forests but that no organization for
export existed and there were many
difficulties in the way of gathering
: anu preparing lliS rattan anu SSIuIUS
4 it to this country. The whole subject
is comprehensively handled in report
from the Manila correspondent of the
Bureau Of Foreign and Domestic Com
nerce of the Department of Com
merce, Mr.. John r. Arnold, which is
4 just being issued by this Bureau Mr..
Arnolds conclusion is that while there
I are several grades Of rattan which are
Of no value for manufacturing pur-
poses there are considerable sup
plies Of the better grades in most of
/ the provinces of the islands. The mat
/ ter OF getting il to Manila and ex-
porting il regularly is the principal
problem in the situation 10 be solved
and this problem is viewed from sew
eral angles in the report. Mr.. Arnold
says that possible plans of establish
, ing an export industry are "a an ar
rangement for gathering rattan by the
existing firms handling lumber or
other forest products; 90 purchase
of supplies from the present conces-
SlonaTies who are now engaged in
buying comparatively small quantities
from the natives for local uses; and
| t3| the establishment of an organi-
cation devoted exclusively to the
! handling of rattan. The last named
project seems to be the only one that
is feasible, but this will take consider
able capital and a careful and intel
, lsent study of the field. The margin
| OF pront is such that the Crganiza-
ton of such a concern is practical
bic. 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 a few
months.
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
ojces Of the Bureau in Washington.
and also at its branch Offices in New
York, Boston. and other pints where
there are manufacturers interested in
| Philippine rattan. After they have
made the rounds of these offices they
will be sent to chambers of commerce
and private firms requesting them
The bureau has also prepared circu-
lar outlining its activities in connec-
ton with the rattan investigation, and
copies can be obtained on request The
publication on Philippine rattan is en-
titled Rattan Supply of the Philip
pines" Special Agents Series No. IS,
and can be obtained from the Superin-
tendent Of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington. D. c., or
from the branch offices of the Blu
reau Of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce at 20 cents a copy