Events during the Month, of Interest to Chemists, Chemical Engineers, Executives
7 AuausT 3. Celanese Corp. of America announces formati011 of Viscosa Mexicana S.A., in Mexico City. 1[ AUGUST 5. Wm. H. Davis, director of Economic Stabilization, says President’s Committee on Patent System is considering action to make patent rights more effective and will re-examine system in light of objectives to promote scientific progress.-A. W. Peake, president, Standard Oil of Indiana, says company is organizing chemical products department with Bruce K. Brown in charge of development and Wm. B. Plummer as manager. 7 AUGUST6. President Truman and War Department release information on use of atomic disintegration as a weapon against Japan. Power of bomb is said to equal 20,000 tons of TNT or have more than 2,000 times the blast power of what previously was worldJ@ most devastating bomb.--WPB says limited quantities of nitrogen compounds and anhydrous ammonia for distribution without allocation will be released monthly, starting in September, for shipment to Puerto Rico and into States lying east of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arizona. --Deputy Petroleum Administrator Davies says technical information collected from secret records of German oil industry will be made available immediately to American oil companies engaged in war program.--Pekin, Ill., plant of Corn Products Refining shuts down because of corn shortage and company’s Kansas City plant operates a t half capacity for week. AUGUST 7. Aluminum Co. of America makes offer to Surplus Property Board to purchase and operate Jones Mill aluminum ingot plant on Lake Catherine and the Hurricane Creek alumina plant near Bauxite, both in central Kansas,--Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., announces grant of $4,000,000 by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for establishment and partial maintenance of a projected SloanKettering Institute for Cancer Research, to be organized in confunction with Memorial Hospital in N. Y. Charles F. Kettering, vice president and director of research, General Motors, will concentrate on organization of industrial techniques for cancer research. It will be a personal undertaking not connected with General Motors.--P. F. Layedan, president Liquid Carbonic Corp., announces acquisition of Carbo Ice Ontario (Ltd.) of Toronto, Canada. --J. Ward Keener, assistant to president of B. F. Goodrich, says since Pearl Harbor, U. S. has produced as much synthetic rubber as entire world’s natural rubber supply from ls00 through 1917.--Texas and Standard Oil jointly form a second Arabian Corp., TramArabian Pipe Line Co. of Delaware, in connection with plans to build pipe line from Persian Gulf to eastern end of Mediterranean, W. S. S. Rodgers, chairman, board of Texas Co., reveals.--PAW say present quantity of high-test automotive gasoline will be doubled immediately.--WPB ways reconversion of industry y.41 be made more orderly and millions saved by plan to turn over unfinished parts of some cancelled war contracts to agencies that need item being produced.
tories of tin to conserve Nation’s dwindling stockpile.--WPB amdnds L-317 governing manufacture, delivery, and use of fiber shipping containers to increase small-user exemption.-Tennessee Eastman and Eastmah Kodak reveal that they played a part in developing atomic bomb. --OPA authorizes increase of 95 cents per 100 pounds in ceiling price on gum rosin.--Board of directors of Magnesium Association accept invitation of Col. W. H. Jaeger, director of research, Army Industrial College, to form permanent industrial advisory committee on economio planning and research.--M. W. Kellogg, president M. W. Kellogg Co., discloses formation of subsidiary 2.5 years ago to design one of major atomic bomb plants a t Oak Ridge, Tenn.--War Department denies reports that areas devastated by atomic bomh continue for years to react with deathdealing radioactivity.
7 A u a u s ~9. Navy starts construction work to house Navy Bureau of Qrdnance research laboratories on a 938acre project at White Oak, Md.1--President Truman asks WPB to extend into the reconversion program five spurs and controls it applied in building up production for war, and calls in top military, diplomatic, and scientific advisers to discuss atomic bomb. Aluminum Co. of America receives order from Army for 400,OOO pounds of aluminum for manufacture of containers to store guns and ammunition. --P. W. Litchfield, chairman; Goodyear Tire and Rubber, announces establishment of new rubber manufacturing plant in Union of South Africa.-NWPB says d y e s t d consumers may increase color quotas for civilian use.--Monsanto Chemical says many of its leading scientists have been closely identified with development of atomic bomb.--War Department discloses that Brig. Gen. Thomas F. Farrell left Washington, by air, with atomic bomb 9 days before i t was dropped on Japan.--Chancellor Robert M. Hutchins of the University of Chicago announces that research which led to invention of atomic bomb will be continued at University of Chicago through two new institutes ‘devoted to study of nuclear physics and metals. Institute of Nuclear Studies will be headed by Samuel K.Allison, professQr of physics, University of Chicago, with Enrico Fermi, professor of physics, and Harold C. Urey, professor of chemistry. The Institute of Metals will have Cyril Smith as director and Clarence Zener as professor of metallurgy’.
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1[ AUGUST10. President Edmund Ezra Day announces establishment of four $1,500 research fellowships for study of frozen foods a t Cornell University’s new School of Nutrition.
7 AuGUsT 11. Ralph K. Davies says several domestic refineries have received orders from PAW to begin immediately production of new superfuel aviation gasoline of higher grade than standard 100-octane rating.--Administration calls for cooperation of management and labor to find jobs in face of tremendous cutbacks estimated as approaching $4,000,000,000.--C. D. Howe, Canadian Minister Munitions and Supply and Reconstruction, says Canada has taken ownership of mines and extraction plants at one of world’s two most important deposite of uranium.
1[ AUGUST8. Russia goes to war against Japan a t 5 P.M. (EWT). “WPB places new restrictions on uses and permitted inven-
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INDUSTRIAL A N D E N G I N E E R I N G CHEMISTRY
7 ALWUST13. WPB promises industry aid in building additional manufacturing facilities for civilian products. --War Department reveals that it borrowed more than 1,000,OOO pounds of silver from U. S. Treasury to use in electromagnets a t atomic bomb plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and that three different processing methods in separate plants are used in making atomic bomb material.--Du Pont says it handled expenditure of $350,000,000 designing and constructing atomic bomb plants for Government through a profitless contract.--Carboloy Co. revealrj that a metal of unprecedented hardness was used in atomic bomb. --Canadian Minister Howe says only the United States knows details of atomic bomb's manufacture. fT AVGUST 14. White House announces war ends.--War Manpower Commission abolishes all manpower controls. NRPH lifts controls on allocation of arsenic.--0PA eases rules on nirt hyl methacrylate and vinyl scrap.--Department of Justire files civil action suit in U. S. District Court for Southern District of California, charging International Precipitation Co., Western Precipitation Corp., Research Corp., and an individual with violation of Sherman Antitrust Act in connection with electrical precipitation gas-cleaning units.--&cretary of Interior Ickeb suspends helium production activities at Cunninghsm, Ksns., and Amarillo, Tex., plants. 'I[ AUQUST15. WPB lifts controls on all but a few raw materials. -NU. 8. Rubber announces it will double output of tires for farm vehicles.--President Truman orders voluntary news censorship abolished. fT AUGUST16. Goodrich Chemical awards construction contract for new semi-works plants at Avon Lake, Ohio, to cost about $600,000.--WPB outline8 broad plan for removal of production and materials controls.--Six British and American companies and 10 of 11 executives charged with conspiring to violate Sherman Antitrust Law by monopolizing world supply of borax fined $146,000.--Ira Mosher, president, National Association of Manufacturers, predicts very small percentage of workers need be out of employment for more than month as industry converts to peacetime production. --Southern Regional Research Laboratory, U. S. Department of Agriculture, develops modified cotton fabric that does not mildew or rot.--American Association of Scientific Workers submits eight recommendations to President Truman to help prevent use of atomic bombs in warfare and to facilitate application of atomic energy to peacetime uses. T[ AUGUST 17. WPB drops controls on copper, aluminum, and steel for civilian production.--Rubber companies in Akron area resume full-scale production of civilian tires.--WPB announces partial relaxation of Controlled Materials Plan which does not affect outstanding civilian allotments or preference ratings. 7 AUGUST18. President Truman delegates broad powers to price, wage, and production agencies for return to free economy. T[ AUGUST20. WPB modifies glycol ether controls so consumera may buy up to 25 drums by offering end-use certificates and lifts almost 100 controls on production and allocating distribution of chemicals.--Du Pont buys site outside Parkersburg, W. Va., for new plastics plant.--Army and Navy give Department of Justice all-clear signal to proceed with 25 major antitrust suits heretofore postponed lest their trial inferfere with conduct of war.--WPB cancels 210 controls. 0: AUGUST21. WPB says tin controls will stay until shipments from Far East are restored.--J. K. Plummer, general manager Southern Agricultural Chemical Corp.'s southern division, says corporation will erect immediately $125,000 zinc sulfate plant at East Point to quadruple operations.--Reconstruction Finance Corp. offers new rubber tube manufacturing plant located a t Tuscumbia, Ala., for sale.--WPB says all controls on DDT will be lifted August 31."WPB ends freeze for nylon yarns and
Vol. 37, No. 9
terminates export set aside of rayon yarns and fabrics." Irving Langmuir, of General Electric, a t reception a t Men's Faculty Club of Columbia University to honor six American scientists just returned from United Nations Congress of Scientists in Moscow, says "Soviet Government has a very long range view of importance of science in a nation which expects a continuous improvement in standard of living over a period of years".
B AUGUST22. WPB says it will scrap its network of allocation controls and complex priority system September 30,"Standard Oil of New Jersey reveals plans for construction of two petroleum research centers a t Linden, N. J., and Baton Rouge, La. --Metals Reserve Corp. halts buying of foreign copper for November delivery.--WPB promises retention of Combined Materials and Resources Boards for allocation of raw materials still in scarce supply, early revocation of construction order, and continued inventory controls.--WPB removes restrictions on special sales of most idle, excess, and surpIus materials. (I AUQUST23. Sherwin Williams Go. announces development of wall paint mixed with DDT which will chase flies, mosquitoes, and other insects from a room.--Streptomycin, new moldmade drug similar to penicillin, will be produced in new $3,500,000 plant a t Elkton, Va., by Merck & Co.--W. A. Gibbons, research director, U. s. Rubber, announces development of fabric made principally from chicken feathers. --Du Pont resumes production of nylon yarn for women's hosiery and other textiles.
7 AUQUST24. Department of Agriculture says distillers may use 3,000,000 bushels of grain other than corn and grain sorghums for beverage alcohol and feed stuffs from September through December.--United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee calls meeting to plan new international organization to harmonize industrial standards on world basis.--WPB removes penicillin from restrictions on use and allocations, and lifts seven orders restricting use of paper by all branches of printing and publishing industry except newspapers, effective immediately. --B. F. Goodrich develops new plastic claimed to be impervious to corrosive materials. 7 AUGUST26. WPB withdraws sponsorship of four proposed guayule rubber mills in California and cancels three projects to increase output of carbon black. --Shell Oil plans construction of large recycling plant a t Sheridan, Tex., to cost $3,000,000.
7 AUGUST 27. Celanese Corp. will concentrate technological and research activities in textiles, plastics, and chemicals in. central laboratory at Summit, N. J.
7 AUGUST 28. House committee on executive expenditures unanimoudy votes for single surplus administrator to replace present &man Surplus Property Boerd:"WPB's Rubber Bureau lifts restrictions on products manufactured of reclaimed and scrap and all synthetic rubber except butyl.--NAM presents to Senate Banking and Currency Committee substitute program for Murray Wagner full employmr n t bill. 1[ AUGUST 29. President Truman says combined Production and Resources Board, Combined Raw Materials Board, and Combined Food Board will continue for time being without change in authority or procedure.--War Department reveals that Kellex Corp., a secret subsidiary of M. W. Kellogg Co., designed, engineered, and supervised construction of one O€ major plants at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and assigned title to patents on atomic bomb to Government.--H. L. Derby, president, Manufacturing Chemists Association, warns that shortage of scientific and engineering manpower is bottleneck in reconversion and re-employment efforts of chemical and allied industries. Justice Department charges 13 mica corporations and 15 officials with violating the antitrbt act.-NRensselaer Polytechnic Institute establishes cooperative plan with industry to help replenish Nation's supply of scientific and technological personnel.
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