Caoutchouc

1959 · réf. 56719 — Almanza Las Piñas Rizal The Philippines. 1959. A Vivid Example of American Economic Colonialism in the Mid-20th Century A unique and large format presentation typescript documenting the facilities services and employees of the Philippine branch of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in 1959 illustrated with almost 200 photographs produced for the twentieth anniversary of the tire plant's manager Richard T. Budd. The photographic scrapbook constitutes an extensive visual record of the facilities and operations of the Goodyear Tire factory in Las Piñas Rizal Philippines and provides an interesting peek into American foreign business practices in the mid-20th century. The album is highlighted by more than 100 large likely professional views of the factory exterior and interior following the tire-making process from raw material through to finished product with many of the images showing Filipino laborers at work. The album also contains a series of eight views of a January 1957 labor dispute. The images are accompanied by detailed typed captions explaining the tire-making process the strike and more. One such annotation reads: "On January 14 1957 the factory tasted its first strike when barrio residents set up a picket allegedly in protest of the alleged unfair hiring procedure of the company. Pickets gathered at the front of the gate while bus loads of employees wait outside for a chance to cross the picket line." The smaller photographs further depict the factory's employees and document health care facilities blood drives a free Christmas lunch company picnics and gatherings awards ceremonies and much more. Several pictures record Budd's contribution as a leader with the local Boy Scout Troop 60 comprised mostly of young Filipino boys. One page containing several photographs documents Goodyear management's donation to a local school; the caption reads: "Aware of its responsibility to the community Management goes to the much neglected barrio school and donates a swing and a slide for school children at play. This page contains the pictures of that donation." Additionally laid-in is a handmade folio greeting card commemorating Budd's twentieth anniversary of employment with a nicely hand-executed title cover featuring a photographic cut-out of a tire filling in the "0" of "20th" a large caricature of Budd in his scouting uniform and includes numerous ink inscriptions from fellow employees likely executives. There are also three additional loose folio sized cards bearing hundreds of ink signatures from the factory workers. Goodyear operated the plant at Las Piñas from 1956 until 2009 in close proximity to the island's robust rubber plantations. The album stands as important extensive and detailed primary source documentation of the international operations labor outsourcing and outreach efforts of an American auto-industry giant in the Asian Pacific during the last years of Eisenhower and immediately preceding U.S. involvement in Vietnam and serves as an important source for the "Americanizing" methods employed by U.S. companies after World War II when newly-opened markets allowed for American corporate expansion around the globe. Large folio. Original blue paper-covered boards brad-bound hand-painted titles on front cover reading: "GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. OF THE PHILIPPINES LTD. ALMANZA LAS PIÑAS RIZAL." Moderate wear soiling and creasing to boards. Produced on acidic mid-century paper with most leaves chipped or with closed edge tears one leaf detached a couple partially detached. Photographs in generally very nice condition with easily-readable typed annotations. Overall very good. hardcover