FIRESTONE SA SAYS rs I ENEMIES CAUSE RUMOR t Al ROW RON 0 Sept 1 AP Hax vey S. S FIrestone president ot of the Firestone Tire Rubber company fn n a statement today revIewing the I FIr Firestone stone rubber project in In LiberIa said There is is no closed door In Lt- Lt berl beria The door Is open today the Ule Mme same as It has been for over 75 years but opposition to the development de- de of the FIrestone concession conces- conces I slon sion there In the form ot foreign propaganda has raised the closed door Issue and still seeks by persistent per per- efforts to place obstacles In inthe the way of legitimate American enterprise and play Into t the e hands hand of foreign Interests Mr FIrestones FIrestone's statement followed publicity gIven to an article written written writ writ- ten by Professor Profesor Raymond Buell research dIrector ot of the ForeIgn Policy association and specialist in African problems who criticized Herbert Hoover candIdate for tor president pres- pres ident on the R Republican ticket for his attitude while secretary Of commerce commerce com com- merce towards the Firestone concession concession con con- cession In LIberIa and Impugned the motives ot of tho Firestone company compan com com- pany pan MISSTATEMENTS EXPOSED There Is really little need for forme forme me to male make any comment on the situation said Mr FIrestone as the statements ot of President KIng ot of Liberia Iberia William R. R Castle Jr acting secretary of state and Dr Thomas Jesse Jones director of the Stokes Phelps fund and tIle the American Amer- Amer ican advisory committee on education tion In Liberia have completely ex- ex hosed the charges of Professor Duell Buell who closely resembles foreign foreign for for- i eign propaganda attempting to discredit discredit dis- dis I credit our rubber development In Liberia This consistent effort eUort to prevent Americans from producing their own rubber free from foreign rubber monopoly simply serves to brIng the necessitY of doln doing en 10 enmore more forcibly to the minds or of the AmerIcan people Linking the name of Herbert hoover wIth oUr enterprise In LIberia Liberia LI- LI beria is wholly without cause While l bir Hoover was one of the first to expose the ramifications ot of the British Brit Brit- ish sh rubber monopoly and recognize the necessity of America producing her own rubber he has had no with our In Liberia His views on foreign foreign for for- eign policy may ma manot not be exactly the views Of many European nations but It is my opInion that he Is without without with with- out question outstanding among statesmen state men as to his knowledge and of foreIgn reI relations a EFFORTS BEGAN IN 1923 The Firestone company fIrst went Into LIberia In 1923 to open ne negotiations o- o for an immense rubber plantation project Announcements ot of Firestones Firestone's intentions brought rIdIcule from BritIsh newspapers after two and a half years ars of f negotIations the compan was granted a lease of acres of land Jand This lease leae was I approved by byS S th legislature of ria In 1926 and work under tha lease to prepare prepare the le land Jand for the planting of rubber trees FIrestone also helped to arrange It a loan for Liberia In 1927 1921 In which t th the government obtained S. S at 7 per cent Interest The loan v necessary to fund the country's debt and reorganize Its fInances In the short time the Firestone company has been In LIberIa It has given employment to natives employIng them dIrect and payIng them direct Firestone said There are acres under cultivation The trees will produce rubbEr In fIve years from planting