The Malayan Rubber Industry—I EUGENE
M.
MCCOLM,
Technical Director, Plantation Division, United States Rulbber Co.
Tbe Malayan rubber industry protests against tbe restrictions i m posed on tbe use of natural rubbers as a device to keep tbe price at prewar levels, but accepts w i t h complacency t h e possibility of c o m petition from improved synthetic rubber
necessary funds will have difficulty in replant ing with high-yielding clones, even though t h a t is a m e t h o d of cutting costs— and, of course, o-f forcing down the price» if everybody could doit.
MLLA LAYA now has about
Labor There are two ts of Labor employed in estate operation-Chinese a n d Indian. Tlie Chinese actually works for a contractor who conXrucIs with an estate to t a p a given area. licit? paid for the rubber he produces an d averages about, U.S. &J.25 per day. The Indian in general works directly for t h e estate, is paid a daily wage plus 'various free services, and averages about "U. S. SO.70 in cash per day. Both are rice eaters and, because the rationed supply is meager, are forced to eke out theia· food hy black market purchases. That, and. the generally high cost of living a r e responsible for much labor unrest, \vh ich h a s been exploited to the fullest by lh
