Evening star., 1926-02-21
RUBBER CRISIS REWARD
BELIEVED ON HORIZON
Many Believe 1t Will Lead to Develop.
ment of American Production Under
Own Flag at Lower Price.

tstion crude. which is estimated at
approximately 100000 tons for 1925.
the situation today would be painful.
All of which is just another way Of
saying that whatever prosperity the
car manufacturer and user enjoys to-
day In the way of tire sunnly Is due
to the foresight of those who. from
1910 on, have gone a long way toward
pre- pairing for the present demand.
The question now arises whether
there is sufficient recognition OF the
necessity for planning for the coming
worldwide demand for rubber. Ac-
cording to Secretary Hoover. the
United States consumes 70 per cent
of the worlds rubber. While a GER
consumption by reason of automobile
exports. the surface Of the world de-
mand for rubber has been only
scratched.
The time is coming when, with the
motoriZation Of the civilized countries
of the world, America will be but one
of the many rubber users. If Amer
lea, now the largest buyer, cannot
negotiate for rubber at prices favor
able to It's own manufacturers, what
would be the situation 20 years hence,
when this Nation would be bidding
against others for this valuable COM
modify?
Answer Is Logical.
Raising its own rubber under it's
own flag seems to be the logical Amer
lean answer to the present problem,
and some important progress Is being
made toward this end. One of the
largest rubber companies Is raising its
own rubber in increasingly large
quantity, while, another important tire
concern has acquired its land and is
in fair way toward building for the
future. Incidentally, the passing Of
the rubber restrictions Is releasing
larger and larger tonnage of crude.
and foreign rubber interests already
have begun the expansion which nee
essarily follows news Of shortage and
high prices. But this activity is under
other flags and in many instances sub
ject to foreign taxation and regula-
tions.
The Department OF Commerce esti
mates that, under favorable condi-
tions, an annual maximum output Of
1000 tons could be produced in the
Philippines. In the southern portion
Of the islands approximately 100000
acres are regarded as being favorable
for rubber raising. America now i'm
ports some 100000 tons, so the Philip
pines could be estimated, conserva-
lively, to take care of about one-fifth
of present American demands. This,
however. Is based upon the depart
ment's figures and not upon those Of
other observers who see in the Philip
pines the opportunity to take care of
world demand for hundreds of years.
Greater yield Is possible through
more intensive growing, scientific
practice and better methods of cutting
the bark from which the latex flows.
Also II Ia well to bear In mind that the
Philippines are but part Of the trop-
ical or sefni-tropical possessions OF the
United States.
When 1t Is considered what Ame1-
can genius has done for transporta-
ton within % years, the possibility Of
Amerfcan-grown rubber within the
next 10 years does not seem too re-
mote a possibility. There is the un
mistakable need for this vital step,
and experience always has demon.
strated that where there Is the need
there is an American way to meet it.
Copyright. 1s26l