594
I S D U S T R I A L A S D E S G I S E E R I S G CHEMISTRY
5’01. 23, Xo. 5
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARIES ___-~-_
Harley James Morrison
I
F MOST of the readers of INDUSTRIAL company’s new Kansas City soap plant, Mr. AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY do not Morrison returned to Cincinnati in 1907 and know of H. J. Morrison, it is neither to undertook the problem of developing a satistheir discredit nor to his. He is one of those factory formula for white soap for housetechnical workers who have allowed their hold laundry use. The idea of a white launwell-timed contributions to add to the progdry soap was by no means new, but its acress of an already advancing industry without tual manufacture had led to c o n s i d e r a b l e ever drawing attention t o themselves. grief. I t continued to lead to grief while Even among those hundreds of men whose Mr. Morrison tried in his experimental work method of earning a living has been deterto do justice to various ideas carried over mined by chemical developments for which from previous experience. Finally he gently Mr. Morrison was primarily respsnsible, very suggested that he be given a free hand in few have any concept of the part which he the matter, and the granting of this request has indirectly played in their lives. Some proved the most successful experiment of all. of these developments have affected practices In a short time imDortant changes in the in the laundries and kitchens of millions of manufacturing technic overcame the earlier H. J . Morrison homes; yet very likely Mr. Morrison’s closest difficulties. The use of white laundry soap friend outside of business associations has no rapidly increased and finally reduced yellow idea of this far-reaching effect of his work. Being one of the quiet- laundry soap to a position of secondary importance in the Ameriest and most unpretentious of men, Mr. hlorrison is satisfied to can trade, have the recognition of his own achievements blended into the As soon as the manufacture of white laundry soap was put on impersonal recognition of the growth and progress of the com- a satisfactory basis, Mr. Morrison gave his principal attention to pany which he has served. the hydrogenation development which had already been started Harley James Morrison was born in Cincinnati, February 15, by E. C. Kayser. There is a tendency in scientific circles not 1866. He was one of five brothers who attended Yale University, t o give any great credit to the Procter & Gamble organization where he studied chemistry and graduated with the class of 1887. for this development, and Mr. Morrison would be the last to wish Following graduation, he entered the employ of Procter & Gamble, to contest the point. Nevertheless, there was a great deal of then a partnership with only one factory, a t Cincinnati. effective hard work by Kayser, Morrison, Burchenal, and others, Starting work in the Alkali Department, he was subsequently and the results were revolutionary. Hydrogenated edible oils shifted so as to become familiar with the various departments of were produced and sold for the first time and their importance has the factory. Although he was not working as a chemist, he could steadily increased. not escape his chemical background and soon became recognized Meanwhile incidental contacts had made Mr. Morrison’s inas an intermediary whose unofficial duty was to secure better terests as broad as those of the company itself and he became the team work between laboratory and plant. recognized technical leader. I n 1912 he was made chemical He left Procter & Gamble in 1892 and became vice president superintendent, which position he held until 1919, when he reof Lytle Safe & Lock Company, where he was chiefly concerned tired from active administrative responsibility to be special and with supervisory sales work. Being still a chemist a t heart he consulting chemist. In 1921 circumstances made it advisable introduced improvements which increased the speed of setting and for him to resume administrative control of the Chemical Dividecreased the “sweating” of the cement used as a filler between sion, but he retained the title of special and consulting chemist. the inner and outer metal walls of the safe. Less than two years later he was relieved of active administraSubsequently Mr. Morrison, with his brother, W. P. Morrison, tive responsibility by his own request, and R. K. Brodie was made organized the Arcanium Process Company for the manufacture chemical superintendent. On this occasion he said to the Chemiof alkalies in Cincinnati, but was induced to rejoin Procter & cal Division staff: “I do not consider myself a good administrator, but I believe that I have exercised good judgment in choosGamble early in 1897. He was given the job of deveIoping a formula and process for ing the man to whom I have already been delegating a large promanufacturing soap powder. This was successfully done, but portion of my administrative duties.” Some of us think it a mark of administrative talent to make the proper choice of the news of a new entry into this field brought on a price war by competitors. Procter & Gamble discreetly withdrew for the man to whom duties are delegated. Another trait stamped Mr. Morrison as a fine administratortime being, and sold the improved packaging equipment devela simple, direct way of giving instructions, such as to avoid all oped by Mr. Morrison to a competitor. Next Mr. Morrison assumed supervision of cottonseed-oil possibility of misunderstanding. In preparation for writing this sketch, I have talked with a refining. Procter & Gamble was then the least important among vegetable-oil refiners. Mr. Morrison promptly laid the founda- number of men who have known Mr. Morrison a long time. tion of a growth which led the company to become finally the They comment in different language, but through it all runs a most important among vegetable-oil refiners in the country. common theme. Above everything, Mr. Morrison is clear and Within a few years he planned and completed a refinery which is direct in his dealings with other men. No one has ever gone today the most important unit in the company’s chain of re- away from a conversation with Mr. Morrison wondering what he said. fineries. A. S. RICHARDSON Following about two years’ service as superintendent of the
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