El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-27
RUBBER PLAYING
PART IN BATTLE
Tires on Armored Cars Are
Only One Of the Many
Uses for Rubber.

Rubber has been said to be the
fourth prime necessity in the world
war. Men, munitions. food and rub
ber-their lmI ftance ranks as they
are named The allies ouId be in
a serious plight without rubber in
its various forms, say officials OF
the B. +. Goodrich Rubber company,
manufacturers Of rubber goods for
every conceivable war use. The prog
ress Of the allies would be slowed up
almost to the point OF defeat and
thousands would suffer and die in
7 -ropean base hospitals, without the
aid Of rubber
America and her allies have a ire
mendous advantage over the enemy
by having an adequate rubber supply.
Thif advantage manifests itself in the
air, on water, in the front line
trenches and behind the lines in the
hospitals. Rbber is indispensable in
submarine manufacture; in alrplane
and dirigible balloon construction: m
the trenches the men must have
waterproof clothing and rubber boots
and the agonieS OF thousands or
soldiers are alleviated by various
rubber appliances.
Armored motor cars-the new
powerful weapon TO be used on an
extensive scale by the allies, and re-
Gently introduced on the western
front-wiu not be used to any ex-
ent by the Germans, because Of their
lack Of rubber. The success Of the
light armOred car lies in its ability
20 quickly and swiftly maneuver- It's
development would have been impOs-
slole without the use OF pneumatic
tires These armored cars. equipped
with rapid firerss are playing an i'm
portant part in checking the present
drive the Huns are making toward
Amlens. On being rushed to threat
ened parts Of the front they have
frequently held up large bodies Of
German troops. They furnish q rel
markoble steadying effect for the
British lines.
One Of these armored cars found
itself in a certain village filled with
German infantry. The crew was
killed with the exception Of the driver
no one gunner When the capture
Of the care seemed certain the gunner
ground, where he held off large num- !
bers OF the enemy until the driver
was able 70 turn the automobile
around. This done, the machine was
thrown into the car and the machine
sped away. Recent newspaper dis
patches say that one Of these Ca I
madam motor cars held back an en-
tire German battalion which was at I
tempting to cross a canal A battery I
OF the car seemed certain the gunner
gathered $50 infantrymen about it I
and held the enemy off until British I
tanks and guns were safely with ]
drawn, and then escaped themselves. !
Henry Ford, in recent announce
menrr stated his company is now I
ready TO turn out similar rubber I
tired monitors by the thousand.
While the Prussians' ambulances. I
ammunition and supply trucks are I
slowly rumbling along on steel tires Z
and newly devised spring wheels, I
American British, French and Italian I
and trucks are swiftly /.
carrying. out their missions on fleet I
rubber tires
French officers. captured by the 4
Germans and recaptured by the q
French, state that the Prussian Of !
ficer Immediately stripped them Of I
every scrap OF paper, includiur the ]
rubber from their shoes and clothing.
In trench raids, Fritz is ordered to I
thoroughly search the captured dug
outs for TOmmies' soccer football Z
bladder Il viii be remembered that ]
the principal item Of the Deutsch- l
lands cargo, on her return trip from
this country, was rubber.
Recently the 3. F. Goodrich Rub
per company issued a warning, in he
half Of the war trade board. to thou-
sands OF American druggists. and I
other rubber goods dealers. against I
selling rubber goods that might d.
-ectly or indirectly find thei- way
INTO the enemy's hands. Large guam
titles or dental dam. sheet rubber and
surgical supplies have been snug
5led out Of America and into Ger
many by sailors principally through 3
Holland and Scandinavia
Rubber has served miraculously in
the base hospitals on the western (
front American surgeons marvel at
The wonderful strides being made by .
he army medical sorps In these
hospitals the surgeon and his assist
lntS wear rubber gloves and aprons;
rubber blankets are used on the op-
Grating tables; many Of the iustru-
nents are made Of hard rubber: and I
he equipment Of the hospital in
sludes rubber syringes, hot water (
bottles. ice bags, air pillows, and
many styles OF surgical bandages.
1ne OF the most remarkable uses rub
Der Is being put to is the repairing
u facial wounds. The irrigation Of
wounds by perforated rubber tubing
las saved thousands Of lives. To miti-
gate shocks, Sammies' helmets are
ubber cushioned. Submarine battery
ars are made Of hard rubber. Rub
,er is aiding in the prosecution OF the
var in countless ways.