The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-10
ENG[ [AND'S RUBBER
 ESTR|CT|ON ACT BRINGS PROTESTS
Head of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Active
 Among Opposition

WAsHtNGTON, D. C., April 9.- Several members of the Rubber As sociatioa of America have been quoted quite extensively in the newspapers as opposed to the pro Fosed survey of new sources of rub Der supply by the United States eGverEnlc at.
 One manufacturer even went so far as to state that "the recent de cisior of the government to spend $100,o00 for an investigation of the crude rubber situation means a waste of that much of the peoples money"
 The Department of Commerce is very enthusiastic about the proposed investigation and Secretary Hoover has stated that the British mono poly has ight arp on the crude rubber supply of the world.
 Harvey S. Firostone, president O. the Firc+tone Tire and Rubber com, panN who IS leading the activities in the movement to launch q protest with the British government as result of the English rubber restrfc- tion act, says
 "The American people can place no faith in the plantation interests be hind the British rubber restriction law that auy spirit of fairness to the consumer will be considered Or that the plantation interests will seek to maintain prices within req SOIL but on the other hand the last penny will bc extracted from the rubber manufacturers for the benefit of a small group of plantation share holders in London, and that unwar- rented tax sill be paid by the users Of automobile tires and other rub Der products.
 o o O
 Rubber has advanced about loo -itlft tf went into effect last November and even on the basis of the present price . rubber estate should show returns of loo per cent per annum, and this very liberal profit is fig ured in the face of the rnreasonae and eXtravagauet overhead charges which are unjustified and have no rlace in any indusFy under present conditions. which call tor the utmost economy in production.
 Cable advices received in Wash ir eton from representative or inc Firestone Tire and Rubber compa- : ny in the Far East indicate short age of rubber for 1923. This repra- sentative says:
 "The probable production of ruo- Der during 1923. provided the pres ent basis of restriction is main tained will he about 310.000 tons. II the consumption in America ana Cdnad1 m IIZo eNuSlS ltdl VI ''. and present indications seem to JUS tify such an assumption-then Can ada and America will require 900 tons. The rest of the world VIII need more than l00.000 tons. There fore an actual shortage of rubber is certain.
 "It looks very much as if the rub ber restriction act Is entirely m ths hands of tho Rubber Growers as soeialion, and that the London Colonial secretary was sllnpiN tne mouthpiece through WhlSh ttea' or ders were transmitted.
 @,rhe situation is most dangerous says Mir. Firestone. and calls Tor immediate and concerted acton pS the rubber manufacturing lndusirs whose very existence is threateneo. This situation emphasizes more than ever the necessity of speeding lip nlans for growing rubber under the American flag and in south Amer ican territory.
 Fred T. r. Warehouse or the fred Wsterhouse company, crude runher commission merchants of sInsapofe who was in Washington few daEs ?co conferring with Secretar3 Hcover. gave out statement m which he asserted that if the present rate of rubber consumption IS man tained and the restriction leElsia- : tion is continued in force as IT now e+ands. there is certain to be snort aee of crude rubber within the Neai.