RUBBER FOOTWEAR TRADE.

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 32, 7 February 1931, Page 16

RUBBER FOOTWEAR TRADE.

jT Statistics relating to the international Jfcade in rubber footwear for the first half ' rf 1930, prepared by the Rubber Division >£ the United States Department o£ Com.nerce, show that Japan is now the leading ixporter, with a total of 5,394,000 pairs, nth Canada occupying second position 4.686,000 pairs), the Unitra. States third p,028,000 pairs), and the United Kingdom iourth (1,672,000 pairs). An increase of nore than 2,100,000 pairs was responsible :or Japan obtaining the leading position rom the United States, which, with \ Canada, the United Kingdom, and France, registered a\ decline in trade. On the other hand, Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia recorded large gains. The decline in shipments of rubber footwear from the United States and the other hnportant countries ist not attributed whllly to world wide economic depression. Countries that have been producing canvas iibber-soled fdotwear in the past are now ; neeting competition with such agrieul- : <iral countries as Mexico^ Portugal, Cuba, 3ritiah Malaya, Bulgaria, Yugo-Slavia, (Spain, and Brazil, and even Syria is producing canvas rubber soled shoes which j£or many purposes meet the requirements bf the local populace. There is also an hetjve rubber footwear industry in such Countries as Austria, Norway, _ Latvia, ■S[taly, Denmark, and Belgium, and in Soviet tßussia there is a determination to refrain the position which Imperial Russia (formerly held as a leading producer and Exporter of rubber footwear. It was not until 1929 that Japan inaugurated an extensive campaign to place 3i3 footwear in other markets, and conHitions peculiar to Japanese industry, fetich as an abundance o£ cheap labour and kiearness to the source of crude rubber Supply, have enabled the Japanese manufacturers to place their wares in nearby frnarkets at prices much below those of She United States, Canada, France, and phe United Kingdom.