An improved adhesive composition and method for adhering textile reinforcing elements to rubber, particularly ethylene-propylene-diene rubber in the manufacture of rubber articles such as power transmission belts, wherein the adhesive composition comprises a latex of a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene rubber, a carboxylated hydrogenated styrene-butadiene rubber, a hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber, a carboxylated hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber, a chlorosulfonated polyethylene or blends thereof; an aqueous solution of a half-ester of maleinized liquid poly butadiene; and, optionally, up to about 15% by weight carbon black in an aqueous solution.