Vol. 22, No. 5
May 1, 1930
The New Refrigerant
the burden of the Atlanta meeting fell on perhaps not more than twenty-five willing and enthusiastic workers. One T IS a privilege to present in this issue the first discussion corporation entertained the SOCIETYat a memorable barbein print of a new refrigerant of lessened toxicity developed cue, but otherwise the meeting was financed by the local by Thomas Llidgley, Jr., the discoverer of the use of tetra- section membrrs and by registration fees. When a liberal ethyl lead as the antiknock constituent of Eth) 1 gasoline, allowance above figures predicted for attendance n-as quickly assisted by il. L. Ilenne. You are referred to the article passed and our hosts were confronted with the necessity of for details. JTe wish here only to comment on the ingenuity accommodating almost twice as many as some had thought displayed in the search for a non-toxic and non-ii~flanimable mould attend, they did not lose their smile nor diminish coinpourid which TTould closely approach the refrigerating the degree and genuineness of their southern hospitality. engineer’s conception of an ideal substance for the purpose. Kere extra places needed a t the dinner? Home folks stood Fluorine, itsclf a tox c material, substituted for hydrogen back, more places n-ere provided, and the event went on in an orgaiiic compound, has produced a gas as completely seemingly without a hitch. Were additional cars required noli-toxic as cwboii dioxide, and having a number of proper- for transportation? They appeared, and even the chairman ties which indicate it to be a new competitor for the gases of transportation did not knolv the source of all his assistance. which heretofore have held this field. It may be two years As outlined in our NEW EDITION story, no fault could be before the rominercial production of the new refriserant will found with the cooperation of the hotels and the churches be accomplislied, but already engineers are laying plans for that furnished meeting rooms, but we would emphasize the the use of refrigeration in places where they h a w hesitated net result-namely, a successful meeting of large proportions to venture, because of the inflammable, the toxic, or (1434 registered) managed by a section small in numbers, but the corrosive properties of materials used. We hear much self-sufficient in its energ?. Who can be host t o the AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY of the cooling or air-conditioning of our homes, which is soon to follow air-conditioning of theatres, halls, and other depends on willingness, on living accommodations in the public gathering places. But there are other demands for locality, and suitable meeting places. It is now possible such modern improvements. for meetings of the SOCIETYto go to those locations, not only I n some mines, valuable ore deposits lie protected by where it is invited, but where its presence may be of great temperatures in which men cannot work to advantage, potency in furthering the science and supporting the work of and in industry the lot of the workman, in more than one chemists in the vicinity. instance, can be improved if air-conditioning, involving refrigeration, can be carried on with greater safety. Here again we have another example of the great earning power of research. What has been done will prove it steppingstone to other accomplishments. The multitude of diffi“ culties involved in commercial exploitation will be met and Popular Science Monthly has announced, in a n impressive overcome, and the laboratory will be able to claim one more manner, the establishment of an award for scientific achievetriumph. As to the non-technical public, we can be ex- ment which is to be made annually “to the American citizen cused for reminding them that they should look for and find who, in the opinion of the distinguished members of a comthe label, “A Product of American Chemistry.” mittee of award, has been responsible for the current achievement in science of greatest potential value to the world.” The award is a gold medal and $10,000. It will be made first in September, 1930, and the yearly period which will be HE unqualified success of the Atlanta meeting serves considered will be the twelve months ending June 30. All to emphasize the specifications for those mho may be scientific workers, professional and amateur, academic and hosts to the AMERICANCHEhlICaL SOCIETYat one of its commercial, are eligible, provided they are American citizens. national meetings. h’ot so many years ago, the plan of Nominations or suggestions should be sent to Dean Colin P. meetings and the lack of participation on the part of those Bliss, Director, Popular Science Institute, 381 Fourth attending in the expenses incident thereto served somewhat Avenue, S e w York City. to limit locations in which meetings could be held without This award, which is the largest single monetary prize in undue burden on local members. All that has changed. America for scientific accomplishment, is to serve two purThe requirements now are not “HOWlarge is your section, poses: “to heighten the interest of the American people and what financial support can be obtained?” but rather, in those conquests of the laboratory and the workshop “Have you a few really energetic and cooperative workers? which benefit the whole community;” and “to focus atHave you sufficient hotel accommodations? And can tention upon the many scientific workers who, without satisfactory facilities for meeting places be provided?” thought of personal profit, toil to better man’s control over The total membership of the AMERICANCHEMICALSo- his physical surroundings.” CIETY in the State of Georgia is less than one hundred, and With no limitation whatever imposed with respect to the
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An Award for Scientific Achievement
Who Can Be Hosts?
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INDUSTRIAL A N D EATGIATEERIA1'G CHEJUSTR Y
Vol. 22, No. 5
Moscow Demonstrates
field of science to be considered in making the award, the committee, upon which rests the responsibility of deciding 0 N A S Y the recent demonstrations in America, which of the many accomplishments has the greatest potential ordered by MOSCOW,came as a great surprise. To value to the world, is faced with a more difficult task than others they had been anticipated from the moment when perhaps a t any other period in history. The membership of the committee embraces many whose names are inter-, losses, both paper and real, produced a psychological condinationally known, and several are members of our SOCIETY. tion last autumn leading to one of those cyclic depressions They know full well the difficulty of judging achievements which Karl Marx, the idol of communists, found to be of on the basis of their potential value, and all that is involved seven-year recurrence. A few years' ago an American inin reaching a decision so important to the individuals con- vestigator in Europe was told by a prominent communist cerned, as well as to the founders of the award, who have that stories of expenditures by his party to influence America had been exaggerated. He said that, while he considered clearly stated the purpose they have in mind. American business men very stupid, nevertheless oddly It is well worth while to heighten the interest of the people in what the laboratory and the workshop mean to them. enough they had hit upon the only way to combat commuand it is certainly a valuable thing to bring the public to a nism-namely, the payment of such wages that the working better appreciation of what the scientific worker is striving man could secure for himself many of the pleasures enjoyed to do. I n an age so fruitful in scientific accomplishment, by his employer. He went on to say that, of course, a time these annual awards will be awaited with nation-wide interest. of depression must come that would be a signal for communistic activity. Faced with increasing difficulties in the Soviet, where the land taken by the peasants from the old regime is being taken from the peasants by the present political power, the leaders have forsaken the teachings of Marx to the extent of H E United States Tariff Commission has issued its holding that the present temporary recession in American preliminary report of the census of dyes and other business is the final blow to our financial structure. Hence synthetic organic chemicals for 1929. It shows a record out- it is the time to carry on more actively the work designed t o put and the further substantial growth of the dye industry. bring to Americans the obvious blessings of the communistic The production in 1929 exceeded that for 1928 by 14 per cent, state. reaching approximately 110,200,000 pounds. A decrease in No one knows just how active the communists and their price lowered the value of the output to less than one-half of kind, in all varieties and complexions which exist, have been what it was in 1920, though both quantity and value of in America. No doubt the work intended to overthrow and sales showed an increase of 12 per cent over 1928. The destroy all that has been won in more than four hundred sales for 1929 amounted to 104,690,000 pounds, a t an years of constructive effort has gone much further than even average price of 42.6 cents per pound. an alarmist would claim. Just why the ideas of communism Domestic production accounted for approximately 92 appeal and where its seeds find fertile soil in America is inper cent of our consumption by quantity and some 80 per deed difficult to imagine, and yet in all strata of society cent by value, while low-cost bulk colors were exported there are to be found in every age a few idlers, ne'er-do-wells, to the extent of 34,000,000 pounds. New fast and specialty malcontents, and parasites bent on doing away with an esdyes were added to the list, there was an increase in the tablished order with the hope of some personal advantage. production of vat and other fast dyes, in exports, and in The dissatisfied are prone to follow any banner under any stocks of domestic dyes on hand. Dye imports also increased, promise, and as destruction appeals to them they are always as did the variety and output of the foreign-controlled active. Those engaged in peaceful labor, in home building, plants in the Unitfed States. in gaining economic independence, and in social service are This is not the place in which to recount many of the frequently too busy performing the work of the world to statistics which have been prepared in informative detail. heed the warning signs, and it is no wonder they fail to apWe wish again to emphasize the trend of the merage prices preciate the situation. of domestic coal-tar dyes in recent years as a n answer Communism came into power as a result of the war. The to the charge that under adequate tariff protection the imperial Russian Government, many of whose policies were manufacturers have taken advantage of the American indefensible from our point of view and always threatened consumer. The figures of the Tariff Commission show that, with destruction, found itself unable to carry on a war and whereas the average sale price of domestic dyes, obtained simultaneously withstand domestic enemies. Powerful comby dividing the total value of all dyes by the total quantity, munism, therefore, is one of the rewards of the war which, as was $1.26 per pound in 1917, it was 42.6 cents in 1929. is well known, shook the very foundation of our civilization. Fluctuations for the most part may be easily accounted for Communism today continues to threaten that civilization, by the increase in output of the more expensive dyes, such as and to render this threat ineffective is one of the most imthe vat colors, which our manufacturers have been urged portant services which can engage the attention of thoughtful, to supply in sufficient quantity and variety. The report and especially technically trained, citizens. gives indigo as one example of price decline. The first year, It seems to us that to defeat the spirit of communism in our 1917, in which domestic indigo was produced, its price was land we must have, among other things, reasonable employ$1.42 per pound; in 1929, the average sales price was 14.9 ment, the cultivation of real thrift, which means spending cents per pound; and the pre-war price, when our entire without extravagance as well as without niggardliness, and supply was imported, was 15 cents per pound. some measure of protection for those unable to manage their There are few industries for which such complete statistics own affairs. It is difficult to convert to communism a man are available as those for coal-tar dye products, and conse- steadily employed a t wages which enable him to acquire his quently there would seem to be no justification for the mis- home, educate his family, and give them some of the advanstatements so often made in the public press and on the tages which the average American enjoys. The farsighted platform. Throughout their activities, the domestic manu- policy of most corporations in making i t possible for the emfacturers of coal-tar colors have kept faith with the American ployee to acquire some interest in the concern on a plan which is possible for the employee is a most important consideration. people.
Dye Progress
