But it is not only the American Press which is
con- centrating on the rubber question.. Mr. Henry Ford, the largest single consumer of rubber tyres, and Mr. Firestone, the great tyre manufacturer, are joining forces to break. the. British control of crude rubber by developing the rubber possibilities of the Philippines and of South America. The Arkansas Gazette writes :— " Ever since the rubber industry was started London has been the rubber capital of the world. With so much of the producing end of the business in British hands, control of the rubber market naturally gravitated to the British capital. London quotations control the rubber market all over the world. It is predicted that this situation will be altered and that New York or some other American city will become the rubber market of the world as the result of the Ford-Firestone enterprise. So extensive a program will require time in development, but American methods of mass production will be applied and the traditional American hustle will be employed. With these forces turned loose, an American- controlled crude rubber industry, free of any British or other foreign restriction, may be regarded as in sight."
All who are interested in British-American trade and co-operation need to watch this matter.
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