AMERICAN APPREHENSIONS.
It is very difficult for anyone but the expert to determine what is really the best course to be pursued in the interests of the rubber industry, in which quite a considerable amount of British capital is invested. I cannot help thinking, however, that having gone so -far there is little to be gained in aban- doning the Stevenson Restriction Scheme, and much to be said for tightening it up. For the past year, notwithstanding the Restriction Scheme, the stocks of rubber in this country have increased from about 42,000 to 67,000 tons, although there has been some increase in the restriction during the latter part of the period. Owing, however, to the permission under the coupon scheme and to the alleged smuggling operation already referred to, it cannot be said that the Restriction Scheme has been really operative, while in the meantime Dutch sales have been on a large scale. All the same it may be doubted whether we should be hearing so much from America about schemes for acquiring huge planta- tions in this or that direction if there were not still some con- siderable doubt amongst rubber users in the States of the present cheapness of rubber continuing.
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