Evening star., 1940-06-26

u. 5. Independence
OF Rubber Held
Possible in Year
Some Experts Envision
Quick Change to
Substitutes
Special Disps tch to The Star.


NEW YORK, June 26-American
strategists have long been concerned
with the necessity Of transporting
all but minor proportion of this
countrys natural rubber supplies
over long stretches of water, ac-
cording to an article entitled Rub
ber: Current Status Of a Strategic
Commodity appearing in the sum-
mer issue of The Index, published
by the New York Trust Co. Some
authorities have estimated, however,
that it would take only one year for
the United States to become inde-
pendent Of crude rubber.
"The vulnerability Of communica-
tons and the control Of sources by
other nations, with the possibility
of the diversion Of supplies, are the
chief concerns" the Index points
out. THUS far during the present
conflict such fears have proved un-
founded and, although as yet insuffi-
cient to build up substantial raw
rubber reserve, imports of rubber on
the average have been increasing
although only a small portion has
arrived of the 81 900 tons of rubber
approximately six weeks supply
which were bartered by England for
American cotton. While the spread
of warfare to the producing areas of
the Far East would unquestionably
alter this picture, the existence of
reserves, especially of used rubber,
and the ability to increase materially
the production of synthetics have
tended to restrict speculation in rub
ber."
Auto Products Lead.
Consumption of crude rubber in
the United States in 1889 reached
an all-time high of 592 900 long tons,
1t Is pointed out. The manufacture
of tires, tubes and tire sundries, as
in the past, dominated the industry
and absorbed about three-quarters
Of the crude rubber consumed. Other
leading classifications of rubber
products, in order of Importance,
were mechanical rubber goods, boots
and shoes, heels and soles, insulat tied
wire and cable compounds, industrial
sponge rubber, rubberized fabrics,
druggists sundries, medical and
surgical rubber goods, miscellaneous
rubber sundries and hard-rubber
goods.
The Index goes on to state that
the rubber industry during its entire
history has been characterized by
research leading to the introduction
of new rubber products and the con-
tinuing improvement of existing
products. Few industries, indeed, -
the article continues, have so con-
sistently utilized research as an aid
to progress Such advances would
not. of course, have been possible
without revolutionary discoveries
and the development of new under
lying processes. The discovery and
improvement of organic accelerators
and Observation-Disclosures which
speed vulcanization and improve
certain desirable characteristics of
rubber-have been among these.
Other important processes have re-
suited from the discovery of cold
vulcanization. the use of substances
other than sulphur as vulcanizing
agents and the electrodeposition of
rubber directly on metals. Latex is
now used in the manufacture Of
many rubber products, but its most
successful applications are for
dipped goods, rubberized fabrics. ad-
hesives and Latex or other rubber
threads. Latex is used also in many
other ways, such as in the backing
of carpets or rugs, in wall paper and
other papers. in bags and sacks,
sealing preparations, footwear, wa
ter-proofed goods. foam rubber
products and molds for non-rubber
products.
Known for 80 Years.
"Synthetics closely resembling
rubber have been known for at least
three decades, although their prac-
tical application has been almost
entirely of recent occurrence. Under
the combined influences of pure re-
search, autarchic developments
abroad, lack of sources Of supply in
many countries, strategic consider
ations. potential price fluctuations
for natural rubber and need for rub
ber-like materials showing special
qualities not known in natural rub
Der, the acceleration in development
and use of synthetics has proceeded
at rate but little appreciated by
the public at large. In 1898, domes-
tic consumption of synthetics reach
ed a total of 1924, 900 pounds, a fig
ure already substantially greater
than the consumption of plantation
rubber in 1907. Consumption was
expanded to 3,808 900 pounds in 1899
again showing a large annual in
crease in the commercial use OF
these substances.
Among the better known syn
thetic rubbers are Buna, Koroseal
Neoprene and Thiokol. Some oi
these substances are very closely re-
lated to natural rubber, having
chemical differences of a minor
character, indeed, less than the diff.
ference existing between rubber and
such rubber derivatives as Pliofilm
Others resemble neither natura.
rubber nor each other closely in
chemical structure. While the prop