Evening star., 1926-01-07

The proposed congressional inquiry
into the high price Of rubber main
tanned by the world monopoly of this
product under approval of the British
government Is viewed with some un-
certainty by the public. There is no
agreement as to what can be done.
and there is some tendency to believe
that any interference with the world
market would have no beneficial re-
suits.
Perhaps it all means" the Gin
cinnati Times-Star Republican) sug-
gests, that we are about to awaken,
in part at least, from that dream of
| unprecedented affluence which came
to America at the time of the armi-
stice. Then all the world was i'm
pressed by the power and wealth of
the United States. Our word had a
tone of finality in international af-
fairs. After all, it Is industry and
raw materials, not money, that make
nations wealthy. When our own
great supply Of raw materials is
matched by the monopolies OF other
countries in vital materials, like crude
rubber and wood pulp, we shall not
feel as rich as we did in 1919. But
that may not be a bad thing, even
for US, in the long run"
r. + \ +
Against this point Of view, how.
ever, is that of the Seattle Daily
Times independent Republican,.
which saws that "canny Britishers
| tive era in rubber is nearing an end,
and also whether the insiders are re-
tiring from the field while their pock-
cts are we'll filed" The Times be-
lieves that 'If the bubble is bursting
/ the little fellows as usual, will be
| left holding the sack, consisting of
shares in companies organized over
night to capitalize popular enthusiasm
| for rubber, engendered by the large
and rapidly acquired profits of the
established concerns"
The existing situation reminds the
Wichita Beacon independent Repub
| lican) Of the fact that British bust
ness men do not have tradition Of
10 centuries Of world commercial su.
premacy for nothing" and the Beacon
suspects that they have learned q
thing or two and are going to try to
| put their knowledge to work in these
DAYS when Great Britain is hard uI
and needs money with which to pay
its war debts" The Little Rock
Ark, Democrat Oemocratic). with
the same point Of view, declares that
IF the British are squeezing us a
bit on rubber prices, that is merely
our temporary hard luck" and that
I'VE have the satisfaction Of knowing
| that we have squeezed them a time
or two; that, in lowbrow language. II
! is merely a case Of dog eat dog
| The Democrat adds that "the average
man is going to buy a new set Of tires
| whenever he needs them regardless o1
| the British monopoly"
| X \ +
Calling attention to the position OF
| the American market as practically
| the only one for many commodities
produced abroad" the Detroit News
independently states: after all. it II
merely another product Of an un
balanced world. The only remedy
that can help in the long run is fol
American statesmen, as well as those
abroad, to direct their thinking te
those measures which will tend to re
store legitimately the balance that Il
Is now attempted to restore by 6
species Of economic banditry."
Some questions are asked by the
st. Louis Post-Dispatch independently
i"Wiu the congressional inquiry threat
] en- - meet this extoru0n With n