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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 E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
Vol.
11,
No. 4
EDITORIALS THE VICTORY MEETING “Put me off at Buffalo,” that familiar slogan of by-gone exposition days, will be revived next week b y chemists assembling for t h e Victory Meeting of t h e AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY, which will be held in that hospitable city April 7-11. T h e very combination of dates is suggestive of a merry occasion. News from the various committees in charge of the meeting locally gives assurance of delightful entertzinment. The list of speakers a t t h e general meetings (see page 369, this issue) promises a real contribution t o constructive t h o u g h t regarding many important problems of the reconstruction period. To get the pleasure of t h e entertainments and the full inspiration of the addresses actual bodily presence is required, “so pack u p your-”, never mind t h e rest of t h e quotation-just ride, ride, ride. Unquestionably this Buffalo meeting promises t o be one of t h e most important ever held b y t h e Society. T h e Council meeting last December, a record breaker in point of attendance, resolved itself largely into a sorting establishment for t h e classification of t h e m a n y admirable suggestions made for furthering the work of t h e Society a n d increasing the usefulness of t h e chemist. The material was referred t o various committees for digest a n d report at t h e Spring Meeting. The committees” have been active. Your opinion of t h e results of their labors is needed. Buffalo is t h e place t o express it.
POST-DOCTORATE FELL0WSHIPS Just before going t o press t h e following announcement was received from t h e Chairman of t h e National Research Council. Its importance a s indicative of a new era i n chemistry, t h a t of t h e post-doctorate fellowship, has justified a complete last-minute change of the make-up of t h e editorial section. NATIONAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS I N PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY, SUPPORTED BY THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION
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The National Research Council has been entrusted by the Rockefeller Foundation with the expenditure of an appropriation of $500,000 within a period of five years for promoting fundamental research in physics and chemistry in educational institutions in the United States. The primary feature of the project is the initiation and maintenance of a system of National Research Fellowships, which are to be awarded by the National Research Council to persons who have demonstrated a high order of ability in research, for the purpose of enabling them to conduct investigations a t educational institutions which make adequate provision for effective prosecution of research in physics or chemistry. The plan will include such supplementary features as may promote the broad purpose of the project and increase its efficiency. Among the important results which are expected to follow from the execution of the plan may be mentioned: I-Opening of a scientific career to a larger number of able investigators and their more thorough training in research, thus meeting an urgent need of our universities and industries. 2-Increase of knowledge in regard to the fundamental principles of physics and chemistry, upon which the progress of all the sciences and the development of industry depend. 3-Creation of more favorable conditions for research in the educational institutions of this country. The project will be administered by the Research Fellowship Board of the National Research Council. This Board consists
of six members appointed for terms of five years and of the chairmen ex oficiis of the Division of Physical Science and the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the National Research Council. The members of the Board are: HENRYA. BUMSTEAD, Professor of Physics, Yale University SIVONFLEXNER, Director of the Rockefeller Medical Institute GEORGEE. HALE,Director of Mount Wilson Observatory ELMRR P. KOHLER, Professor of Chemistry, Harvard University ROBERTA. MILLTICAN, Professor of Physics, Unlversity of Chicsgo ARTHURA. NoYEs, Director of the Research Laboratory of Physical WILDERD.
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Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor of Physical Chemistry, Cornell University. Chairman of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology , Chairman of the Division of Physical Science
BANcRovr,
The appointments of National Research Fellows will be made only after careful consideration of the scientific attainments of all candidates, not only of those who apply on their own initiative, but also of those who are brought to the attention of the Fellowship Board by professors in educational institutions and by other investigators throughout the country. The Research Fellowships will for the most part be awarded to persons who have had training at an American university or scientific school equivalent to that reprgsented by the doctor’s degree. The salary will ordinarily be $1500 for the first year. The Research Fellowship Board will not, however, be bound by rigid rules of procedure. Thus it may offer larger salaries to those of exceptional attainment or wider experience, and may give appointments to competent investigators who have had training other than that represented by the doctor’s degree. The Research Fellows will be appointed for one year, but they will be eligible for successive reappointments, ordinarily with increase of salary. It is expected that fifteen to twenty Research Fellowships will be available during the coming year, and that the number will be increased in subsequent years. Applications for the Fellowships should be made on the form provided for the purpose, and should be sent to the Secretary of the Research Fellowship Board, National Research Council, 1023 Sixteenth St., Washington, D. C. Applications will be received up to September I, 1919, for Fellowships available during the next academic year; but a limited number of appointments will be made on the basis of the applications received before April 20, 1919.
AS OTHERS SEE US Testimony increases i n value i n proportion t o i t s disinterestedness. For this reason t h e tribute paid t o t h e chemical industries b y Judge A. Mitchell Palmer, formerly Alien Property Custodian a n d now Attorney General of t h e United States, will be particularly appreciated b y all who have labored in t h e upbuilding of this industry. N o t even t h e soft impeachment of flattery can be laid a t Judge Palmer’s door, for t h e quotation below is from an address delivered n o t t o a gathering of chemists b u t t o t h e New York City Bar Association on December I O , 1918. Chemistry more than any other science is the very foundation of a far-flung line of industry. You have but to look about you, for example, a t the tremendous part which colors play in all the necessities, comforts, and luxuries of life, to realize the grip which the control of the dyestuff industry has upon the people. Its by-products touch alike the health, the well-being, the very life of the people. In peace, and even more in war, chemistry paints the whole picture of progress. America’s social and economic, possibly even her political, independence is not safe unless the industries dependent upon the development of the science of chemistry are open to American genius and energy. I cannot too forcefully repeat that the German industrial penetration of America has not been a mere friendly desire to trade and do business with the world. It has been a knife a t the throat of America. In the days before the war and during the war most of the great German-owned industrial establishments were spy centers filled with the agents of Germany long
APT., 1919
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
plotting against the safety of the United States. They were depositaries of secret information gleaned by the ubiquitous spies in the German employ, and without them these spies would have been almost harmless. I do not advocate any trade boycott out of a spirit of revenge or in retaliation for injuries done to the United States. I do not want t o continue the war after the war. I am for peace. I believe that the great overshadowing result which has come from this war is the assurance of peace almost everlasting among the peoples of the earth. I would help to make that an absolute certainty by refusing t o permit Germany to prosecute a war after the war. The military arm of her war machine has been palsied by the tremendous hammering of the allied powers. But her territory was not invaded, and if she can get out of the war with her home territory intact, rebuild a stable government, and still have her foreign markets subject to her exploitation, by means no less foul and unfair than those which she has employed on the field of battle, we shall not be safe from future onslaughts different in methods but with the same purpose that moved her on that fateful July day when she set out to conquer the world. These striking statements are n o t based upon mere general impressions, b u t represent a deliberate conviction resulting from a n official exploration of t h e American chemical industries, especially as t o t h e infiltration of enemy interests. T h e chief scout in this expedition was Mr. Joseph H. Choate, Jr. It is our purpose t o include in this volume of THIS J O U R N A L as complete a record as possible of all wartime activities in chemistry. We are therefore printing in full in this issue t h a t section of t h e Custodian’s report prepared b y Mr. Choate, which deals especially with t h e chemical industries. It is a document of intense interest. THE CHEMICAL FOUNDATION, INC. Since t h e brief announcement in our March issue of t h e formation of t h e Chemical Foundation, Inc., many details concerning this remarkable organieation have been made public. It is difficult t o grasp t h e full significance of this latest development in t h e chemical world, b u t i t is already very evident t h a t i t is unique, t h a t i t is filled with potentialities for good t o t h e industry, a n d t h a t i t constitutes a lasting testimonial t o t h e constructive genius of those who took p a r t in its formulation. T h e sale t o t h e corporation of t h e 4,500 German p a t e n t s was effected b y t h e Alien Property Custodian acting under t h e a u t h o r i t y of a n Executive Order signed b y t h e President of t h e United States. T h e capital stock, $500,000, is t o be issued as $400,000 of 6 per cent cumulative preferred, t o be retired from surplus income, a n d $ I O O , O O O of common stock, I t has been sought limited t o 6 per cent dividends. t o distribute t h e stock in small holdings as widely as possible throughout t h e chemical industry. T h e voting stock is placed in a voting trust. T h e officers of the company are: President: Francis P. Garvan; V i c e President: Douglas I. McKay; Secret a r y and Treasurer: George J. Corbett; Counsel: Joseph H. Choate, Jr., a n d Ramsay Hoguet. T h e names of these officers guarantee t h a t t h e objects of t h e Foundation will be actively promoted a n d its rights vigorously defended. A new tower of strength t h u s springs into existence for t h e protection of t h e American dyestuff industry a n d t h e closely related industries of synthetic medicinals a n d photographic chemicals, for in the language of the former
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Custodian: “ $ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 has been provided for working capital so t h a t t h e company may be able t o commence immediately a n d prosecute with t h e utmost vigor infringement proceedings whenever t h e first German a t t e m p t shall hereafter be made t o import into this country.” An interesting by-product of the Foundation is t h e new angle given t o the discussion of t h e subject of “product patents.” T h e chief argument of those who have sought t h e elimination of such from our p a t e n t system has been the German practice of patenting a product in this country, not for purpose of manafacture, b u t rather t o prevent manufacture a n d t o secure importation from Germany alone. Now t h e shoe is on t h e other foot. These very product patents will prevent importation a n d will give time a n d opportunity for development of American manufacture. T h e irony of t h e situation, however, lies in t h a t section of t h e articles of incorporation which provides t h a t after retirement of t h e preferred stock, t h e surplus earnings of t h e Foundation are t o be devoted t o “ t h e advancement of chemical a n d allied science a n d industry.” T h a t which was intended as a n effective means of strangling t h e chemical industry in this country becomes now t h e strong support of i t s thorough development. TO GIVE OR TO LEND From all directions comes t h e good news of t h e rapid increase in man-power of t h e graduate courses in chemistry in t h e universities. I n t h e light of t h e statements reaching this office we do n o t hesitate t o predict t h a t next Fall will witness a n unparalleled number of applicants for t h e Ph.D. degree in chemistry. And allow us t o make one more prediction, namely, t h e future historian of chemistry in America will mark this period as t h e passage from t h e d a y of t h e routine chemist t o t h a t of t h e trained research worker. I n a former editorial we advocated extreme personal sacrifice, if necessary, t o secure this more extensive training. At t h e time we purposely refrained from commenting on t h e possibilities of financial aid in m a n y cases in undertaking further study. It was of primary importance t h a t the spirit should prevail to accomplish it. Fortunately a constantly increasing number of fellowships serves t o diminish t h e sacrifices. T h e d u P o n t Fellowships, established a year ago, give aid in every section of t h e country. T h e announcement of Throop College of Technology on page 378 of this issue will prove a strong attraction t o t h e Pacific Coast. T h e alumni of Lafayette College, with a fine spirit of enthusiasm, have recently raised $10,000for t h e endowment of a fellowship in t h a t institution. Nor is t h e woman chemist t o be neglected, for we have just learned of two fellowships in chemistry a t Mt. Holyoke College, created b y t h e National Aniline a n d Chemical Co., Inc. A complete survey of these fellowships has n o t been a t t e m p t e d , b u t we must confess t o a particular interest in the action of t h e New Haven Section a t its meeting in Bridgeport, *Corm., on March 7. There were sought methods of stimulating greater interest in t h e
