Plants Collected and Tested by Thomas A. Edison as Possible Sources of Domestic Rubber

Report Introduction: German dependence on strategic materials imported from sources outside its own borders facilitated victory by the nations allied against Germany in World War I. Military blockades were successful in creating critical shortages of such materials inside Germany. Rubber was not available from any domestic source and was an important example of a material essential to national welfare but in critical shortage in war-time. German efforts to develop a satisfactory synthetic rubber were unsuccessful and motorized transportation was hindered by a lack of tires. This marked the first time in the history of the world that rubber, or rather the lack of rubber, had been a decisive factor in warfare. Rubber had found important usage in previous wars, but chiefly for the protection of soldiers from the elements. World War I was the first major conflict in which motorized transport was essential for the rapid movement of men and materiel. It was in the light of these international developments that Mr. Edison became interested in investigating all possible domestic plant sources of rubber.