Apr., 1918
T H E J O U R N A L O F I N D C S T R I A L A hTD E N G I *VE E RI N G C H E M I S T R E’
t h a t nothing b u t equally kindly personal feelings have been engendered b y such association. We are not moved in this writing by any personal animus, b u t do wish t o emphasize t h e fact t h a t men’s emotions are changing with t h e gradual lengthening of t h e casualty lists, t h a t , with t h e news, certain t o come in t h r near future, of H u n atrocities practised upon American soldiers, feelings will be aroused which will brook no companionship nor association with those whose allegiance lies with t h a t country whose ruthless ambition has plunged t h e human race into a world war. Within t h e walls of t h e Club building there now frequently gather chemists enlisted in our army, or connected in a civilian capacity with t h e military branch of t h e Government. No restraint should be placed upon their intercourse b y t h e presence of alien enemies. I n t h e rooms of t h e Club many important committees meet. Should a watchful eye be needed in a n American club? I n t h e library works of reference need t o be consulted. Should this room be a common meeting ground for Americans and Germans? Should any of its laboratory space be rented t o an alien enemy while there are 4merican chemists unable t o secure quarters in its building because of t h e limited number of rooms available for laboratory purposes? I n forbidding t h e employment of German waiters in t h e dining room t h e Trustees have taken one highly desirable step, particularly in view of t h e recent incident, narrated t o us, of a n American chemist recognizing in t h e waiter of a Wilmington hotel dining-room his former German university professor of chemistry. I t is no time t o take chances: t h a t is one of our outstanding national failings, a n d again and again we pay t h e penalty. The Trustees should make t h e Club a n American institution throughout. To do this would require dropping from its membership list every alien enemy and sympathizer, and dismissing from its service any employee whose allegiance or heart-interest lies with those with whom we are a t war. Why should t h e vote of a n alien enemy be in any degree determinative of t h e policies of t h e Club or t h e personnel of its officers? Yet as members, even though absenting themselves, this power is conferred in proportion t o their number. If it be argued t h a t t h e elimination of alien enemies would not fully remedy t h e evil because of t h e possible presence of naturalized citizens who masquerade behind their naturalization papers, our only reply ishunt these down with every agency t h e country furnishes and with all celerity forbid them t h e doors of t h e Club. Finally, if i t be argued t h a t this drastic action would seriously impair t h e finances of t h e Club, we would reply t h a t t h e argument would admit of only one interpretation, namely, t h a t t h e Club had sold its birthright. On t h e other hand should this policy really prove a serious strain on t h e finances of t h e Club, and this fact become known, we are confident
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t h a t there would be a rush of new non-resident members from among loyal American chemists which would .tax t h e energies of the membership committee and more t h a n make good a n y deficiency in t h e Club’s finances. We are a t t h e parting of t h e ways. If the Chemists‘ Club is an American institution-make i t truly such.
WHAT’S IN A NAME ?
The answer t o this question in so far as i t applies t o acetylsalicylic acid (popularly known as aspirin} is t h e difference between eighty-eight cents, t h e price t h e druggist must pay for every one hundred tablets of Bayer aspirin, and forty cents, t h e cost of an equally pure American product. Katurally, this difference in cost is passed on t o the individual consumer. T h a t no scientific justification exists for this difference in cost is clearly shown in the contribution b y Dr. Paul Xicholas Leech, of t h e Chemical Laboratory of t h e American LIedical Association, page 288 of this issue. O n t h e other hand, t h e excess profit fully warrants t h e extensive a n d shrewdly-worded advertising campaign now in progress, a campaign which must eventually fail, because in t h e first place, it is contrary t o t h e prevailing spirit of modern advertising, t h e motive of which is constructive rather t h a n destructive. and, in t h e second place, i t appeals merely t o t h e temporary ignorance of t h e public a t large, and has no basis i r fact. We have been informed t h a t t h e Custodian of Alien Enemy Property has taken charge of t h e stock interests of alien enemies in t h e company conducting this propaganda. Surely t h e Custodian will not care, even in a trustee capacity, t o continue as a participant in a misleading campaign whose sole purpose is t h e perpetuation of a monopoly hitherto enjoyed under full patent protection.
CAMP FOLLOWERS
It was t o be expected t h a t along with t h e great development of t h e chemical industries which ha5 characterized this war period t h e “camp follower” would appear. T h e a r m y of industrial chemists has won victory upon victory. For t h e first time in our history t h e details of t h e campaigns have been widely heralded b y t h e daily press; much publicity has beer. given t o large earnings. Popular interest has attached t o the doings of t h e chemist. T o take advantage of such a state of mind is the normal activity of certain promoters who are ever alert t o fleece t h e unwary public whenever “a good thing” appears. There is nothing novel in this situation. The oil industry has known its meaning, so too t h e mining world has been particularly susceptible t o such influences. Stock companies have been organized with enormous authorized capital, prospectuses issued on fairy-like propositions and shares offered t o t h e public a t ridiculously low figures. T h e
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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol.
IO,
No. 4
bait is usually so apparent t h a t i t would seem no one thorough guarding of t h e American dyestuff interest would bite-and yet some always do. The losses are exceeds even t h a t of t h e country a t large, for Congress pocketed, and shame and regret serve as cloaks to. has fully grasped the idea t h a t the dyestuff industry conceal t h e rawness of t h e deal. is not only a n economic necessity as it key industry, At present chemical industry is afflicted with a b u t , more important still, t h a t i t constitutes e n intransfer of such activities t o its field. The mails are valuable reserve for high explosives manufacture. Perhaps, after all, these arguments were simply being flooded with literature, even t h e daily papers are yielding their advertising columns t o the announce- childishness. ment of get-rich-quick chemical processes whose impossibilities are too apparent ever t o delude chemists. There are those, however, t o whom i t does not occur t o WOOD WASTE t u r n t o a chemist for advice before investing in a soI n this issue we have segregated a number of concalled chemical enterprise. tributions dealing with wood as t h e raw material of Here is an opportunity for public service which t h e certain lines of chemical industry. The topic is chemist must embrace, a service of exposure due t h e especially timely in view of t h e need of acetic acid public and due t h e continued healthy growth of for t h e aviation program, spruce turpentine for munichemical industry. We may have something more tions, and paper for t h e daily chroniclers of t h e stirring specific t o say on this matter in a later issue if, mean- events of t h e war. while, t h e duly constituted authorities have not There is now in progress within the organization dispersed these money sharks, here dignified b y t h e of t h e AMERICAN a campaign for t h e CHEMICAL SOCIETY term “camp followers.” constant discussion of national wastes, and t h e subject of wood waste is certainly a preeminently suitable topic. According t o A. D. Little, “two-thirds of t h e tree is a t present wasted either as litter in t h e field ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE DYESTUFF lNDUSTRY or as mill waste.” According t o t h e same authority Efforts made during t h e past two months t o organize 6.48 per cent of t h e tree is stump, the name carrying t h e dyestuff industry developed t h e fact t h a t two with i t t h e idea of sheer waste. distinct interests were involved, the manufacturers Is it too great a tax upon t h e imagination t o con: and t h e dealers. At t h e preliminary meeting it was ceive a vision of t h e mounting financial liabilities of evident t h a t a strong desire existed among the manuthis war converted into actual assets through t h e facturers t o confine t h e membership t o this class alone, focussing of t h e thought and attention of chemists b u t a compromise was effected whereby t h e dealers upon t h e subject of national wastes? By no means. were admitted t o associate membership without voting power. Thinking it over, t h e manufacturers decided t h a t this policy was not sound and IMPORTANT NOTICE t h a t the membership should be confined t o manuI n the March issue of THIS J O U R N A L , page 237, facturers. The second meeting, held on March 6, developed a most unusual situation, t h e dealers in- there was published a communication from J. R. sisting t h a t they be included in t h e organization, Healy, Federal Licensing Agent for Greater New York, while the manufacturers said, “Nay, nay.” Of course regarding “Licenses Required for Explosives and Their t h e manufacturers’ fight was won from t h e outset. Ingredients.” Mr. Healy pointed out t h e necessity, No one could compel them to be part of an organiza- under t h e recent Act of congress, of securing licenses from t h e Bureau of Mines or authorized agents and tion whose composition was not t o their liking. Unfortunately for t h e dealers the two main argu- gave a list of explosives and ingredients of explosives ments p u t forward in behalf of their contention were requiring license, the latter when purchased in amounts neither good strategy nor popular propaganda. First, of one ounce or more. We are informed by dealers t h a t many orders for the plea for general harmony implied t h a t , lacking such harmony, t h e dealers would be forced into these products, especially t h e ingredients of explosives, Teutonic arms after t h e war is over, a position no are being received without license attached. Endless body of loyal Americans could contemplate a t t h e trouble is therefore accumulating for all concerned. present time with any degree of satisfaction on t h e For this reason we urge upon all who are responsible one part or admiration on t h e other. Second, t h e for t h e ordering of chemicals a careful reading of t h e threat t h a t , unless admitted, t h e dealers might as a notice in the March issue. T o those who have been accustomed t o order safeguard t o their own interest oppose before Congress a tariff sufficiently high t o protect t h e American potassium chlorate, lead nitrate, etc., without any against t h e German industry was so amazing t h a t i t thought save t h e cost of t h e article, t h e trouble insuggested t h a t , although some of t h e leading dealers volved in securing licenses may seem like a further may not have been conscious of t h e fact, Ger- evidence of red tape, b u t chemists above all others man agents may have been t h e real promoters of will a t once recognize t h e absolute necessity of such this argument. The joke is t h a t those who p u t for- a law a t this time. If explosives or i n g r e d i e n t s of explosives are t o be ward t h e latter argument failed t o realize t h e fact as we see i t t h a t sentiment in Congress favoring t h e purchased licenses must be secured.
