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7 DECEMBER1. Industrial alcohol requirements for 1945 estimated a t 548,000,000 gallons compared with potential supply of 594,000,000 gallons, War Production Board tells members of Industry Advisory Committee.
approval of inseparability of free enterprise and good government and opposition to cartels. Industry pledges to provide 25% more jobs after war than in 1940.--Secretary Ickes asks PIWC to suggest revisions in proposed oil pacts that would remove industry objections.--WPB Chairman Krug, appearing before Senate War Investigating Committee, urges legislation t o enable Manpower Commission to keep workers in war jobs.
T DECEMBER2. Senator Connally, chairman, Foreign Relations Committee, predicts that administration's oil pact with Great Britain is doomed.--Roger Adans,.head of Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, and a member of National Defense Research Committee, elected chairman of the Board of Directors, AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY,t o succeed the late Thomas Midgley, Jr.l--WPB approves $5OO,OOO,OOObuilding program t o increase facilities for mortar ammunition production. 7 DECEMBER3. Sun Oil announces completion of catalytic cracking plant a t Marcus Hook, Pa., for high-octane aviation gyoline.-NWPB officials say allocatibn of lead is a definite possibility. 7 DECEMBER 4. American Optical announces a new glass made without sand, substituting phosphorus. --WPB gives assurance that January liquor holiday will not be adversely affected by lagging munitions output. "Federal District Court at Newark, N. J., authorizes 18 oil companies to make available t o industry the royalty-free use of hydrogenation patents during war*.--Following 5 years of laboratory research, American Viscose produces new spider web fiber on commercial scale, which compares with fine Egyptian, Sea Island, and Pima cottons. 7 DECEMBER 5. WPB lifts quotarestrictions on use of cellophane for packaging, wrapping, or sealing of small articles.
r[ DECEMBER 8. Navy takes over $30,000,000 aluminum plant at Mashett, N. Y., formerly operated by Aluminum Co. of America, to meet increased demand.--E. W. Newman, district engineer for U. s. Bureau of Mines, tfells Last Chance Gulch Mining Association of big molybdenum deposit in north central Montana.--Prospects for drastic legislative steps t o prohibit participation by American firms in foreign cartels dim as Senator Kilgore, leading Congressional proponent of cartel curbs, endorses the principle of international cartel registration and Senator Mahoney, cartel registration bill author, says he will introduce his measure again next session without change." State Department studies redraft of Anglo-U. S. oil agreement submitted by PIWC.
7 DECEMBER 9. Sugar Research Foundation announces seven additional grants t o scientists, bringing t o more than $250,000 the grants made in 1944.-~Nitroglycerin line explodes on Herculw Powder Co. reservation near Pinole, Calif., killing 2 people, injuring a t least 30, wrecking two buildings, shattering windows in near-by towns, 7 DECEMBER 10. Nobel Prizes awarded to five Americans and
7 DECEMBER6.
a Dane a t Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, in first ceremony oufside of Sweden'; King Gustaf V and President Roosevelt send greetings. E. A. Doisy, St. Louis University, receives half of 1943 prize in physiology and medicine for discovery of the chemi-
Petroleum Industry War Council offers substitute for proposed Anglo-U. s.petroleum agreement. New version clarifies wording and is designed t o protect domestic firms from government dictation.--Washington, D.C., scientists discuss formation of Bcience Society of America and publication of new journal, The Washington Scientist.--Petroleum Administration for War revamps petroleum staff t o increase operating efficiency. "Office of Defense Transportation asks chemical companies t o get most efficient use from tank cars by working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in loading and unloading.--WPB removes all curbs on use of tantalum.
cal nature of Vitamin K. Henrik Dam, Copenhagen, Denmark, Institute of Technology, now a t University of Rochester Medical School, receives other half for discovery of Vitamin K.--Lewis F. Lyne, Jr., appointed technical representative for New York metropolitan area in Government's program to promote use of H. Nichols Medal some 45,000 seized enemy patents.--William of.New York Section, ACS, awarded to Vincent du Vigneaud, head of Department of Biochemistry, Cornell Medical, for researches on biotin6.N-Shell Oil announces final approval has been given by WPB for major construction program at its Houston, Texas, refinery. New projects will include catalytic cracking unit and auxiliary gas plant for recovery of aviation gasoline components.--Firestone uses epsom salts t o make tires cooler running, John W. Thomas, chairman, reveals. --Mansanto discloses t h a t Vuepak, a transparent plastic formerly used to package luxury items, is now protecting the eyes of the armed forces against wind, sand, dust, and glare.
T[ DECEMBER 7. Scientific Section, Proprietary Association of America, meeting in New York, told that packaged medicine industry is spending more than $7,750,000 for research on developing new medicines and for control work in safeguarding quality of products. John Hays Bailey, Winthrop Chemical Go., tells meeting that common garlic forms base of new germkilling compound, allicin, which acta not only on germs killed by penicillin but also on others.--National Association of Manufacturers*adopta six-point postwar program in which it expresses 1
Chem. Emu. Nswa, 22.2080 (Deo. la, 1944). (Deo. 25, 1944). Zbid., 22.2198 (Des. 26, 1944).
* Zbid,, 22,2201
4 6
101
Zbid., 22, 2226 (Dec. 25, 1944). raid.. 22,2131 (Deo. io, 1944).
102
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
fl DECEMBER 12. WPB says restriction will not be placed on permissible rotenone content of insecticides for coming agricultural seas0xi.N-Reconstruction Finance Corp. tells Potash Producers Advisory Committee that breakdown of hydrochloric acid producing facilities interrupts program for conversion of potassium chloride to potassium sulfate.--W. L. Clayton, appointed assistant to Secretary of State Stettinius, testifying before Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says he is opposed to international cartels.-kImperial Chemical Industries announces development of new synthetic wool fiber from peanuts.
7 DECEMBER13. President Roosevelt directs Department of Justice to proceed with prosecution of antitrust suits against D u Pont, Rohm & Haas, and Bendix Aviation, which had been halted as not in the public interest in wartime'.--James F. Byrnes appoints Lucius D. Tomkins, former Deputy Rubber Director, and a director of U. S. Rubber Co., as special assistant in Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion, to coordinate efforts of various government agencies dealing with rubber." H. G. Batcheller, acting chairman of WPB, announces plans for new tire plants to meet huge Army demands.
7 DECEMBER14. Army
&. Navy Journal, considered the un-
official mouthpiece of the military services, deplores action of Department of Justice in reopening in wartime the antitrust suits against Du Pont, Rohm & Haas, and Bendix. DECEMBER15. Representatives of leading copper producers of Canada reach agreement with British Government for orderly marketing of copper reserves and war scrap copper.
7 D E C ~ M B E16. R WPB orders production of civilian goods in first quarter of 1945 to be held to levels now prevailing, to prevent diversion of energies of manufacturers or workers from war production.--Western Cartridge Co. announces process for smokeleas powder, using sulfate pulp that makes kraft, paper; Fred Olsen, research director, claims new process is less expensive than others. T[ DECEMBER 17. Charles L. Parsons, secret,ary and business manager of ACS and internationally known chemist, receives honorary D.Sc. degree from University of h'ew Hampshire'.
7 DECEMBER18. Army will send 600 trained rubber workers t,o four major tire plants in Los Angeles, as part of nationwide program of military and WPB to release a total of 1400 for vital tirebuilding jobs.--Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion begins to use directive powers to set aside OPA price rulings which may interfere with production; Chairman Byrnes overrules OPA on intended tire-price rollback and thus assumes new function in coordinating work of war agencies.-". Y. State Food Merchants' Assoc. starts action in State Supreme Court against State Board of Pharmacy, seeking judgment that will permit stores other than licensed pharmacies to sell vitamins and vitamin products.N-WPB reduces tetrasodium pyrophosphate a1location to soap industry for first half of 1945 because of shortage of phosphorus.--End of 1944 sees plastics industry confronted with worst raw materials shortage of war; recent demands of aircraft, fuel, explosive, medicinal, and other war industries for basic chemicals expected to dry up civilian plastic production.
7 DECEMBER19. C. F. Kettering, vice president of General Motors and member of Advisory Board of I. & E. C., elected president of American Association for Advancement of Science. -War Labor Board includes U. S. Gypsum, subsidiary of Montgomery Ward, in directive to grant maintenance-of-membership to union employees; refusal may mean government seizure of Ward properties.--Bradley Dewey, president of Dewey and Almy and former Rubber Director, named president of AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY for 1946, succeeding C . S. Marvel who takes office Jan. 1, 1945.--~Arrylonit,rile control eased by rcvovntion
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7
Chem. Eng. Nswa, 22, 2201 (Dec. 25, 1944). Ibid., 22. 2131 (Dec. 10, 1944).
Vol. 37, No. 1
of WPB Schedule 56 of Order M-300; WPB moves to increase lead production, mainly by requisitioning additional labor through U. S. Employment Service offices.--National Fertilizer Assoc. announces C. J. Brand will retire as Executive Secretary and Treasurer, effective April 1, 1945.
fl DECEMBER 20. Columbia Chemical Div. of Pittsburgh Plate Glass acquires Pacific Alkali Co. in anticipation of accelerated industrial activity throughout Pacific Coast area after war.
7 DECEMBER21. M. W. Kellogg Co., a leader in the field of petroleum and chemical engineering, is purchased by Pullman, Inc.; President Kellogg becomes a director of the Pullman organization, which is negotiating for the disposal of its sleeping car subsidiary, in accordance with a court order. "WPB restricts use of copper to assure ample brass for Army. 'II DECEMBER 22. WPB orders sharp reduction in production of tires for passenger cars in first quarter of 1945 in order to increase output for armed forces.
7 DECEMBER 26. Chairman Krua tells press WPB is now operating on theory that war in Europe will last indefinitely.--B. F. Goodrich Co. has made more than 100,000,000 pounds of synthetic rubber a t the government-owned plants i t operates at Borger, Texas, during 16 months of operation.--General Mills is marketing polyamide resins, by-product of soybean oil developed by Northern Regional Research Laboratories; uses are spirit lacquers, printing inks, food packaging, alkali-resistant coatings, gaskets, can-sealing compounds, etc. --Baldwin Locomotive Works, makers of heavy machinery and locomotives, is entering postwar plastics field, according to Ralph Kelly, president; new molding equipment includes electronic heating unit to effect economies in production time of plastics. ---Goodyear Tire & Rubber announce8mew synthetic compounding resin which expands range of usefulness of synthetic rubber to many products formerly restricted to natural rubber; produced in three gradesPliolite 81, 5-2, and S-3-it eliminates use of carbon black as reinforcing agent in some compounds. 7 DECEMBER 27. Santocel, insulating material said to be twice as efficient as cork and weighing only 3 pounds per cubic foot, may make possible postwar light-weight blankets and sleeping bags, warmer than the heaviest furs and woolens, according to Monsanto Chemical Co.--Civilian lead use restricted by WPB to annual rate of 60% of 1944 level. 7 DECEMBER 28. Du Pont announces 40y0 price cut in DDT since July; new plant a t Grasselli, N. J., is producing the insecticide a t 2.5 times designed capacity. --Army ordered by President Roosevelt to seize Montgomery Ward plants in 7 cities for alleged refusal to comply with War Labor Board ruling; seizure of Ward's Chicago plant and offices is second time within year.-Contracts for copper imports from Rhodesia and Canada promise to preclude any shortage of the metal during first half of 1945. --House of Representatives Special Rubber Committee recommends that Government quit guayule production but continue experiments in growing and processing of the plant for rubber latex. fl DECEMBER 29. Sulfuric acid output to be expanded by 550,200 tons annually, according to WPB plans; more than half of additional production will be obtained in four new plants to be operated by Monsanto Chemical, Du Pont, National Lead, and Volunteer Ordnance Works.--Patent Office reports drop of around 10% in patents granted in 1944 under 1943.
7 DECEMBER30. Senator J. H. Ball of Minnesota declares Government has obligation to treat employers and labor unions alike, in contrasting seizure of Montgomery Ward properties and failure to act against American Federation of Musicians in two cases where that union refused to accept WLB decisions.
