Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17

of in the old days" The Springfield,
Mo-, Leader, however, advises extract
ing the hay fever"
America, the great consumer of rub
Der, declares the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette. may become a producer of the
material after years of buying In foreign
markets, sometimes at artificially con-
trolled prices. The Edison search for a
plant of prolific growth in all parts of
this continent, from which rubber might
be extracted, has been unrelenting ever
since the British growers sought to
maintain prices under the Stevenson
valorization plan. Even when the prof.
ect broke after the Dutch interests
failed to restrict production, and when
American manufacturers made extensive
use of reclaimed material, Edison did
not stop. He showed from time to time
that many plants contained rubber but
not in commercially feasible qualities"
But the Kalamazoo Gazette feels that
more popular interest would have been
manifested in Edison's process several
years ago"
ANY one who has had experience
with goldenrod in the garden, particu-
larly in trying to get rid of it," accord
ing to the Santa Barbara Daily News,
will bear testimony to the effect that
1t Is vigorous and persistent plant. 1t
spreads by roots and shoots, and is re-
produced through falling seeds In this
country there are some rs varieties. 1t
can be produced in limitless quantities.
So far as raw materials go, If rubber
can be made from this plant, the United
States in single year could be made
independent of the rest of the world.
In fact, if the estimate of probable cost
of rubber from this source is approx
mately correct, the rubber plantations
of the Orient could not compete with
the American supply"
TESTS are said to show records the
Evansville Courier, that rubber can be
produced at about 16 cents a pound.
which is under the present low price
In the market. If this is true and II
the rubber is of good quality. the Amer
lean people have within their control,
for peace or war, limitless supply OF
this most essential commodity. The
American farmer has a wholly unex-
pected source of farm relief. 1t may
become one of the best paying crops.
The rubber industry will boom. Tires
and other rubber products will be
cheaper for everybody
The cost of is cents is viewed by the
indianapolis News as "a bar against
capital entering the field at present.
The expense of getting rubber ready
for commercial use,' continues that pa
per, lis now less. Furthermore, new
oANoo "a AdAIO III tllC OAOOpLCS dLC DCllk
developed Whether such sources of
supply will continue to be adequate IN
the face of what promises to be a ris-
ing demand. 1t is impossible to say. In
any case, Mr.. Edison seems to have
found an insurance against a shortage
and an antidOte for monopolistic
prices" The Atlantic City Union be-
lieves that the discovery may have
almost as far-reaching an effect as his
invention of the incandescent electric
lamp" and that paper is convinced that
lit is fairly certain that, as production
develops, the cost will be still further
reduced. with resultant benefits to con-
Sumers."
I'VE shall enter upon a rubber age"
predicts the Spokane Spokesman
view. land everywhere we will see vast
fields of goldenrod waving in the sun"
The Omaha WorldHerald, taking note
of the report that heretofore the gold
enrod has attracted attention only as
an autumnal interior decoration" ex-
claims, "Oh, good heavens! Oh. Mr.
Edison! Oh, my! Oh, my! Ker-
choo-o-o-o!'