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Show Africa and America Linked . By World's Latest Radio ce Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., Sends First Message From Liberia To Rubber Company's Own :i Station In Akron Daily Reports On j - j j Rubber Growth To Follow ! -'"7 Mr. and Mrs. ITarvey S. Firestone, Fire-stone, Junior, now in the African jungles, today broadcasti d the first message sent from the special radio ra-dio station recently erected on the Firestone rubber plantation in the interior of Liberia, on the West Coast of Africa. The message I was received at a similar station on the roof of the Firestone factories fac-tories at. Akron, Ohio. This marks a new era of com munication with the interior of inaccessible in-accessible countries. Heretofore, the method used v. as to send foot messengers through jungle trails, takin.g days to get in touch with the outside world. Broadcasting by radio direct from one continent to another thus gives the Firestone j Tire & Rubber Co. a great advan- l tage in developing its million acres of rubber lands that were secured from the I.iberian government. Although these properties are lo-! lo-! cated over 5,000 miles from the Firestone headquarters at Akron, ! Ohio, it will now be possible to I send reports every day by radio from the l.iborian plantations to Akron. ' 100,000 Acres Laid Out j Mr. Firertone, Jr., has been in Liberia sir.ee early January. In his hrst rinort by radio today, he I said that the Libcrian government otlicials were enthusiastically co operating with Firestone in the company's great undertaking to make Liberia one of the important rubber-growing countries of the world. Mr. Firestone said that during the first year two fiO.000-cre fiO.000-cre plantations had been laid out, one on the l)u river and the other 150 mills south of the Du on the Cavalla river. Firestone engineers in the same time had constructed over 75 miles f roads and had built and established estab-lished headquarters on the two plantations, with housing facilities for the resident staffs of 118 Americans. Power plants for the development of electric power, light and refrigeration had been built, as well as hospitals and ' trade stores for the benefit of the I Americans and also to supply the eeds of the 15,000 natives who re employed in clearing the jungles jun-gles and planting rubber trees. 1,500,000 Trees Planted During- the past year, according to Mr. Firestone's first radio report, re-port, over 1,500,000 rubber trees tave been planted on a total of ver 15,000 acres of cleared jungle hinds. This is a record in rubber plantation work. It is the largest umber of trees set out and acres planted by any single company in the same length of time. And Mr. Firestone stated that the rate of progress in clearing land and planting rubber trees is being constantly con-stantly increased. Mr. Firestone reported that the teamship sent over for service bad been placed in commission long the Liberian coast and is bow linking up the Firestone plantations plan-tations and the coast towns of Liberia. Li-beria. He expressed the hope that Firestone will soon have its own vessels operating directly between New York and Liberia, making the Atlantic passage in less than two weeks. When this is done, it will Hot only give Firestone an advantage advan-tage of from two to five weeks in time as compared with other rubber-growing countries, but will also greatly reduce the cost of transportation. Teach Natives Trades Great progress in the development develop-ment of the Firestpne trade schools was also reported. Mr. Firestone aid that the natives were very anxious to learn under the instruction instruc-tion of the Firestone technical BtatT. The davk-hued Liberians are being taught to be carpenters, blacksmiths, plumbers, electricians, ; Automobile mechanics, sanitary en gineers, soil experts and foresters. Now that the Liberians, for the first time in the history of the country, have a system of good roads, they are suddenly becoming enthusiastic about motor transportation, trans-portation, and they all want to ride in automobiles, trucks or tractors. As a result, Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, has established estab-lished a traffic squad to police the traffic on its principal streets. When the Firestone company went into Liberia, there were no roads in the country, and only one automobile. auto-mobile. This was owned by the President of Liberia, who had very little occasion to use it because of the absence of good roads. When Mr. Firestone arrived at the Du river plantation, he was greeted as the "Great White Chief" by many thousands of Firestone Fire-stone native employees who had erected a great arch of leaves and ferns at the entrance of the property prop-erty and lined the road on both sides as he drove through eleven miles of the plantation to headquarters. head-quarters. $3,000,000 Loan to Liberia Mr. Harvey S. Firestone, Sr., has successfully arranged a $5,000,01)0 loan in America for the j Liberian government. This places Liberia on a firm financial basis, and permits the development of roads, schools and public buildings. The 118 Americans comprising the Firestone technical staff are helping help-ing to organize the 2,000,000 or more native Liberians and give them remunerative employment which had not been hitherto available avail-able in their own country. The natives na-tives are proving very adaptable and willing to work in an organized organ-ized way. This has made possible the clearing and planting of such a large acreage during the past year and has undoubtedly had a very appreciable effect in the recent re-cent reduction in the price of crude rubber. European newspapers have carried car-ried many articles deriding Firestone Fire-stone for going into Africa to plant rubber. They claimed the soil was poor for rubber growing and that the natives would not work. The British government now realizes that Firestone's Liberian Li-berian enterprise is anything but gineers, soil experts and foresters. .y " Now that the Liberians, for the " t- 1 first time in the history of the 3 J 3 7:?" ' :' :.-,,-: ' country, have a system of good p - : ( -, 1 ? , & roads, they are suddenly becoming KEE.r-j. f'li"V " enthusiastic about motor trans- ,, Tf1-K,. . '.. portation, and they all want to ja33y,-3 frsij f - :."'- - ride in automobiles, trucks or -- t. "' "- y-. ,.. j5- 5 Harvey S. tractors. As a result, Monrovia, - '' Vga "T"-'-iJ -- ,r . ! Firestone, Jr. the capital of Liberia, has estab- -: 1lccru " . ' " 1 ' s4v lished a traffic squad to police the Jucssm )' ' hp- A ."V' traffic on its principal streets. ' ls5F5? L''" ' I ' ' ' .- . When the Firestone company went into Liberia, there were no roads t ( - -7 ' v in the country, and only one auto- ErSf jim tvA. Y -'-,-5 "' "j ' g mobile. This was owned by the ' -L s s--a:.'V ' 7 President of Liberia, who had very c23 ' v i L 1 Si"i'" H.'"' J little occasion to use it because of Hlfer V" fREKICA f g J n4 f the absence of good roads. ,, i ( Esr,TIs &L2 When Mr. Firestone arrived at Sph f'-W A j 5"N vg?f: a the Du river plantation, he was ea i) I ustwi S X H J . 72 h " greeted as the "Great White "T 'tJ lii- CM 3 S NKTS' Chief" by many thousands of Fire- - l i beri a ---.- y J--4 &'f'r' v--!Jso -r?i , i. stone native employees who had - fc'-'jS b.-. t ; erected a great arch of lenves and ' --: o 'irV:z-i igf : f 1 'tEfv r p ' ferns at the entrance of the prop- , , s V- fJ cgo V JEsSeS! erty and lined the road on both f5V. ' uWyl, L ytTSsf ' sides as he drove through eleven . K&i' : . I (j- ; ) v" -"''""E i miles of the plantation to head- '..' ''"i'f h ?Vv4 S-i 1 1 I Jr--1555i" ' quarters. &jllS JJ2J W ANl L I $3,000,000 Loan to Liberia j .C4f r00 u)p;i Mr. Harvey S. Firestone, Sr., itj?S Vs,! f f. 'tis ,3 W has successfully arranged a li2 -fOl' 'T,,.'. X Vi south it v F 'f i' ,r: " $5,000,000 loan in America for the .:. -. -Y '' jLl'l B j Ji j Liberian government. This places "Ji3-''oAv , :'i vv7' i TVs- Liberia on a firm financial basis, ' ffly"4 uC,Jl r pj"''" 1 and permits the development of iiss'f. -On - - s, schools and public buildings. ir : ' .1 fA k ' 1 jjz The 118 Americans comnnsing the -"'" a" ' " c' ' - I Firestone technical staff are help- r-.!r-'...'.' ; - ; :. ' - ':'.:.;-?S . i ing to organize the 2,000,000 or ' ' : " ' ' - ' " :? " : g- j u more native Liberians and give " .;;-:... .. -. -.:-. .;-y :.:. K. i. w.g .ys them remunerative employment ,.-- ;..." - -' .. - .'s -s - j Jo a which had not been hitherto avail- 7 able in their own country. Tne r.a- ' . .:.; v:s, r . : r. :. ; ;. .:.-;., .A tives are proving very adaptable ' ' i ( .' . 4 v V vf -"'I and willing to work in an organ- (ii : ;,!.:::;.:; j':i:,:'i.:.'ri.''-:-!i.,,i.-!:...iii.jl , ized way This has made po lble j " " ; v p- ,1 r;mFIcan the clearing and planting of such t v - t X i ll Staff oa a large acreage during the past i ? V :: : ;"::,. v. 'f:T::-: s-..'--:sJ the Du year and has undoubtedly had a :.'. ,.$ -J ::i -. ' --: :-! -"il Ctvisioa very appreciable effect in the re- V'-- " ' ' ;": ' :s: vs :. T-" . cent reduction in the price of V- v: . f . . ':. .. crude rubber. V. . , T-..?.:i.-..- " -. s'if . s- . . European newspapers have car- " j ' i: " 'iSr "vs ried many articles deriding Fire- s t " stone for going into Africa to s " , v - plant rubber. They claimed the J - jc--t. soil wa poor for rubber growing I, - j and that the natives would not v work. The British government " L. ' ' now realize that Firestone's Li- ; t - L f ? berian enterpri e 1 anything but , j- ' - i . . 'as-vs'ia'- ftw 1 ; v . - ii t" -' j-tis , v., v , ?N Mi r. Rm - '"TO ' r -D; tj . Radio Operator Receiving First Message fffll T s s " s? - t . " ' " s. s ' I 1 - " ' " ' v V s , - u ' ' .""v-.X-. - s , v i4 V -V). xs ts rsJV ' : v-.l V. "" -".vW 4 As " , "y : Hli'rXi r?,;,.; K", j.l.i.V.StfiA-, -ft: -.-S. : J..s-..-....-..- : -i.-.-n.' .:.-. ... sn. ..,: syv- . .;.. . -.fivt.:jJ Aerial Atop Firestone Factory Akron a folly. It is conceded by everybody every-body that Firestone has made the greatest rubber development ever accomplished b- any single company com-pany in the 'same length cf time. Liberia confronts the British and Dutch rubber growers as an increasingly in-creasingly important competitor. And now the British Parliament is seriously considering the question of abandoning or at least modifying modify-ing the rubber restriction jolicy. The British colonies in the Middle Mid-dle East have vigorously expressed themselves along this line. Ceylon Cey-lon has voted to abandon rubber restriction entirely. In Singapore, Straits Settlements, 47 out of 72 rubber growers have voted to abandon rubber restriction or to modify it so it would not be effective. ef-fective. When Premier Baldwin brought ,ujj the question of modtfvipjjjub- ber restriction in the British Pai liament, rubber was selling around 1- cents a pound. Within a few 1 weeks it dropped about 18 cent " a pound. Since a variation of 1 cent a pound means a difference oi over $8,000,000 a year to Amer can rubber buyers, the declin from -12 to 21 cents a pound will mean a saving of $150,000,000 year to America if the present price is maintained, A |