Evening star., 1923-04-01
BY BEN McKELWAY.


ITHE rubber crisis in the United
States may turn out to be a
cloud with a very silVery lin
ing for South America, for the
| southern republics of Brazil. Bolivia,
Peru, Venezuela and Colombia-all of
! them potential producers of fine-grade
! rubber-aTe sitting up and taking a
| keen interest in the situation which
| has made Uncle Sam look about for
| new sources of this valuable COM
| modify. If prices of rubber continue
| to rise it may mean the revival on a
large scale in South America of an
| industry which had its start there,
| but which has petered into insignifi-
canoe compared with the quantity
production from the far eastern plan
| tations. Those who have South
America interests at heart here are
charged with recommending steps for
developing new rubber sources shall
give South America a generous
amount 70 consideration. There are
disadvantages, but many believe they
are outweighed by the advantages of
developing the South American pro-
duction of rubber on scale never be-
fore attempted.
Brazil and Bolivia Profited.
Brazil and Bolivia had the rubber
supply pretty well in hand when rub
Der was selling around s2.92 a pound,
and the owner Of a flock of rubber
trees was a man of means and went
| around wearing a broad smile of con-
tentment which showed at every
| angle. That was back in 1909 and
1911, before the British and Dutch
ducing rubber systematically and
scientifically. But today, with rubber
selling under so cents a pound, the
| man with this same flock of rubber
trees on his hands sits on the banks
Of the Amazon and fishes. for he has
| nothing else to do. His rubber. though
finer in quality than the plantation
product, cannot be produced cheaply
enough to compete with 1t.
Development of the plantations was
the fatal blow to the South American
rubber, but there was a contributing
factor. This had to do with the way
rubber was collected. The native
rubber hunter marks out a hundred
or so trees. growing in a rough circle.
Every morning he starts out with a
knife and little cup and visits each
tree. attaching the cup so that the
juice. about the color and consistency
of rich cream, will flow into II from
gaShes in the bark. After one round
he starts out again and collects the
contents of the cups. bringing the
supply back to his hut. Then he
builds a fire with material which
produces thick smoke, and placing d
conical-shape covering over the fire,
with the small hole at the top. pro-
ceeds to smoke the rubber. This he
does by pouring the rubber. small
o. Of firr1a cti iaIr n
turning 1t round and round in the
smoke, adding a little rubber as the
stuff hardens.
What the Native Did.
Here is where lack of system and
the avaricious native rubber gatherer
helped to put South American rubber
on the shelf. Now and then. as the
ball of hardening rubber grew larger,
the native would surreptitiously drop
a stone, or stick or maybe add a lit
tie f1avoring in the form of some
| other easier gathered sap, into his
| ball of rubber-all of which made a
| larger and heavier ball. Then he
coated the exterior with beautifully
smoked rubber and took his ball to
! market. The rubber buyer bought
| 1t for its weight and sent it to
| America.
| In Akron. Ohio and other cities
| where rubber congregates, workmen
! would open the ball of rubber by
| saving ii or melting it or doing what
! ever they do to open rubber balls.
and there would follow deep -throated
curses and bellows of rage at the
discovery of sticks and stones and
| leaves from the banks of the Amazon.
| This practice. which is reported to
| have been carried on extensively, de-
! veloped a prejudice and suspicion
| against South American rubber which
! aided in it's downfall.
1 Example of Old Methods.
| This does not mean that all rub
| ber from South America contains
| Impurities but is cited to show the
| lack of system and the haphazard
[ way in which the industry in South
! America has developed. Although
1 the production of rubber in Brazil
| and bolivia has failed to increase.
| the timer quality of their rubber is
| superior to that of the plantations,
| and is consequently in greater de-
| mand for certain purposes. and rub
! Der is still ranked as one of the lead
| inh products of these two countries
| Those in favor of stimulating the
/