Show i Paying the Fiddler 1 1 fR D A TIVE executives of the thc American rubber manufacturing concerns con con- cerns iris recently met to discuss a serious ph phase se f. f f the rubber situation But it t was was was' just jus o a af L f ase se of humpty all aller ov over er er again There Ther as nothing they could do about it e except L agree kree gre that the consumers of f ma manufactured I 1 ubbe Rubber tubber in principally America principally buyers buyer f automobile tir tires must tirs-must must s-must musi meet the advancing r pries prices es of crude rubber the worlds world's supply of of- 01 which is controlled by Great Britain Had Haa America twenty years ag ago gO or even ver verten I ten years ago foreseen that she would woul be bc largest consumer consumer of manufactured rubber and nd unable eJ unable control to to- to M control the supply v of w rubber the condition that exists today night n not t exist It takes twenty years for Rubber tubber trees to grow and mature to 10 o a point where the sap can caI be run off and made into trude rude rubber There has been considerable Agitation in in recent years for fr the American government ov to tak take steps to develop a supply su ply of raw rubber but just now the American of rubber goods are at the mere of f Great Britain who may pay payoff ay off her war var debt to the United States by simply boosting the price of raw ru rubber ber z The rhe supply of raw r rubber comes from the orient around India B By putting an export huty uty on on rubb rubber i r Gr Great at Brit Britain in is able to collect col col- 4 elect lect ct a rich toll from American purchasers of This uHs material and by regulating the number 3 f trees frees that shall be tapped for rubber Great Britain is able to regul regulate te the supply and consequently force the price up until now it nas as risen almost almost times what it was before The e war There is some agitation in th the States to to- follow Great Britain's tip nd regulate the raw materials of America j. j that hat at a are e esse essential to tc England's manufacturing until the th prices approach the adan ad ad- an ariEe nC in y ra ra rubber i iThe T r The Tap rapidly advancing prices of rubber goo goods s in will not tend to increase the industrial friendliness between th the United United I States and Great Groot Britain especially since Am Americans ricans ate are the he greatest consumers of I automobile tires in m the world But the fact r remains mains had the automobile tire industry had The Hie foresight to to tb have e established an American Controlled supply of raw rubber t they ey would lot ot now be beat beit at the mercy of Great Britain With all aIr the possessions of oJ the United States i rf is is certain ertain there is some some place climatically Suited for the establishment of rubber tree p. p plantations ns However tle fact tact that it takes years for rubber trees to develop to a a where re they are productive probably was wast va t t I pt an ri n lI inducement enough for the American T likes quick ret returns Now however we wem m u t. t t the fiddler at p pay y and t the same time I Ir r d r off off Great Britain's war war debt mud much I l than the terms of of the ref refunding i I E dement for it is estimated that at the Pr rate Great Britain will have made on or I Wi aw rubber rubber pr profits fits enough to make make- goc good I ic war var loans loan in n about th thre e-e e ears I |