Dec., 1917
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
1085
THE CHEMIST, THE DRAFT, AND PATRIOTISM In the June issue of THIS J O U R N A L we wrote under the title “In the Light of Experience,” urging upon all in authority to conserve for the best interests of the country the chemically ,trained men, using them in, or not calling them from, work for which their chemical training fitted them. May we now address a word to those chemically trained young Americans within the age limits subjecting them t o the operations of the selective draft? We have no desire to criticize and we sympathize fully with the fine spirit which prompts every young man to wish to get t o the front and offer his life for the cause of his country. Nevertheless we know, personally, chemically trained men who have avowedly hurriedly sought commissions in whatever line of the THE PLATINUM SITUATION service offered a chance for such, rather than risk From one who is in close touch with all phases of the serving as a private through the selective draft law. platinum situation we have learned t h a t a decrease of If this country had a surplus supply of chemists, about forty per cent in the use of platinum for certain and if chemistry played no especial r81e in this war, lines of bulky jewelry has resulted from the patriotic such action would be purely personal and not rightly stand taken last spring by t h e jewelers. That is subject t o comment. I n view, however, of the present fine as far as it goes. great dearth of chemists, of the practical exodus of Our Washington correspondent points out in this all advanced students of chemistry from our universiissue t h a t there is a possibility of complications in ties, of the recognized vital importance of the work of shipments of platinum from Colombia. This gives the chemist both in the government service and in rise t o apprehensions. the industries, we do not hesitate t o say t h a t such Platinum jewelry is now being extensively advertised abandonment of opportunity for chemical service for in many periodicals. Without any attempt a t a sys- the sake of insuring a commission is not patriotism tematic survey we have read recently the advertise- but selfishness. This may sound harsh, but it is a ments of the Charles L. Trout Company in the New time for plain speaking. York Times of November 18, 1917, Daniel Low and The events of the last few weeks have convinced Company in Scribner’s Magazine for November, 1917, all t h a t we must prepare for a long war and throw into Sallan’s touchingly illustrated adveI tisements of platthe scales the full resources of this great country The inum engagement rings in the illustrated section of the selective draft ir the officially adopted method f w Detroit Free Press of November 1 1 , 1917,the James R. raising our army. We have believed in its principles Armiger Company’s well displayed advertisement of from the first. The Nation is indebted t o President “Fine Platinum Jewelry” in the Baltimore Sun of Wilson for his foresight and broad grasp of the part November 6, 1917, etc. These advertirements seem America is t o play in the war when he so consistently t o indicate an aggressive sale of platinum jewelry. and persistently urged the adoption by Congress of the Meanwhile war developments of the last two months selective draft rather than the volunteer principle. point clearly to the fact that chemical activities inOnly through this means can this country contribute volving the use of platinum, both within and without its maximum share. Government circles, must be enormously expanded if To those chemists, therefore, who have asked our the great army we are now beginning to raise is to be thoroughly supplied with essential war materials. I n advice, we repeat, and t o those who will soon be subspite of all efforts to remedy the situation, platinum jected t o the second call under the draft law we urge: is bringing to-day (November 19,1917) $98 per ounce. “Wait for the operation of the draft law! Do not sacrifice the right of our country to your chemical * These are facts. Assuming the correctness of the decrease by forty training for the sake of a commission in the field service. per rent of the use of platinum in bulky articles, this Be prepared t o serve wherever and in whatever capacity continued high price is indicative of either diminishing your country may most need you!” imports (we have no figures at hand), absorption by the expanding chemical industries, increased manufacAN APPEAL TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ture of platinum jewelry (not included in the list of the RETAIL DRUGGISTS Jeweler’s Committee), or perhaps hoarding of platinum. The spirit of cooperation is so keenly alive a t the Whatever the explanation, i t would seem that we are rapidly approaching the point where our Govern- present t h a t the time seems appropriate t o make an ment may be compelled to follow the example of appeal which we have long had in mind. Will not England in taking over all domestic supplies of plati- the National Association of Retail Druggists cooperate num and apportioning them t o the various industries with the chemists by discouraging the use of the word in conformity with the interests of the national welfare. “chemist” on the signboards of retail drug stores?
available source of ammonia through nitrogen fixation. At this writing no official statement of plans has been published by the War Department, but it is understood t h a t a cyanam;de plant will also be located a t Muscle Shoals, utilizing surplus power of adjacent hydroelectric developments and supplementing this by a steam plant. We are confident t h a t the entire Nation will support the policy of the War Department in leaving no stone unturned to secure ammonia from every possible source. Meanwhile, the operation of the two methods, the synthetic and the cyanamide, side b y side a t Muscle Shoals, will furnish abundant facts as to the relative merits of each for nitrogen fixation under American conditions. 1
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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
The request may seem trivial but there is a deeper significance than appear. on the surface, and the request carries with it no suggestion of the relative values of the two classes of men. It is made simply for the sake of clarity of thought by the public a t large of what the functions of the chemist really are in our national existence. During the past two years much sincere effort has been made t o acquaint the nation with the work of its chemists, and t o bring about a more cordial and sympathetic relationship between chemists as a class and our American people. The lack of an adequate understanding of the work of the chemist was partly responsible for some of the shortages the country suffered from a t the outbreak of the war. Much progress has been made in this campaign of understanding. I t should be complete through all classes of our citizens. The sign “Chemist” above a drug store, however, still leads to confusion or misunderstanding. Many in all walks of life still think of the druggist whenever the chemist is mentioned. An artist recently called in to design, for a Liberty Loan Bond parade, a float illustrative of the contribution of chemists t o the winning of the war, a t once began the delineation of a mortar and pestle as the central theme. True i t is that in the iatro period chemistry had chiefly t o do with drugs and equally true it is difficult, even to-day, if contentiously inclined, to define precisely the term chemist; nevertheless the work of the chemist and t h a t of t h e retail druggist are now so clearly differentiated t h a t there can be no real justification for t h e retention by our modern druggists of the term chemist, a heritage of English practice. Moreover, the druggists have such an abundance of choice in the terms druggist, apothecary and pharmacist t h a t they can well afford to dispense with any further designations. May we not hope, therefore, t h a t this appeal may meet with a sympathetic response on the part of t h e members of the National Association of Retail Druggists?
WONDERS WILL NEVER CEASE The spirit of the times is not conducive to frivolous thoughts, yet from the quarter least expected, the Congress of the United States, frivolity is thrust upon us. Doubtless it was unwittingly the rebound from intense war debate and prolonged consideration of appropriation bills mounting into the billions which led both Senate and House to pass with all due dignity the joint resolution of acceptance for test of the proposed gift to t h e United States on the part of citizen Garabed T. K. Giragossian of Boston, Mass., of the “Garabed,” an appliance which, in the printed words of House Joint Resolution I O I of the 65th Congress, 1st Session, embodies a principle through which or by means of which (we don’t know which which), “unlimited energy can be generated without expense”-all of this in exchange for the slight courtesy of the “Government protecting the said discoverer, his heirs and assigns,
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in the use and disposition of the said discovery or invention.” To administer this remarkable transaction the Secretary of the Interior was specifically designated as t h e trusted agent of the Government. If this was an attempted joke upon the proverbially genial Secretary of the Interior, it was shameful. Mr. Lane has always proved himself ready, willing and abundantly able to throw himself into any old breach for t h e public good, but this is carrying matters too far, especially as Section z is to the effect that Mr. Lane is not to begin the job until he shall have approved “a commission of five eminent scientists t o be appointed by the said Garabed T. K. Giragossian” which high commission should certify to “the entire practicability of his (Garabed T. K. Giragossian’s) discovery,” pursuant t o a demonstration. We remember the interesting remarks by Dr. A. D. Little a t the smoker during the recent Boston Meeting of the American Chemical Society in which he assembled in brief narrative some of the more striking scientific fakes for which Boston inventors had readily fallen: the extraction of gold from sea water, t h e manufacture of artificial rubber by a real new process, etc., etc. Perhaps the Bostonians have a t length gotten wise and in a spirit of revenge decided t o pass the buck to Congress. At any rate President Wilson saved t h e day by declining t o sign the bill. We realize fully the dangers run by scoffing a t anything new-and yet there is a difference, which leads us unhesitatingly t o congratulate the President for saving the dignity of the nation and allowing the Secretary of the Interior t o go on about his regular business.
AN A. C. S. PIN FOR EVERY MEMBER It was a happy thought t h a t led t o the adoption of an official emblem for the American Chemical Society. As a decorative feature of programs, stationery, dinner menus and for official decoration in general, this now well-known emblem has contributed largely t o that increased esprit de corps which characterizes t h e present organization. Particularly noticeable is the steadily increasing number of members of the Society who constantly wear the official pin, generally on t h e lapel of the coat. Thus worn it serves as,an introduction and produces a t once a feeling of community of effort and ideals. The pins at present available, however, are expensive -needlessly so for these days of necessary economy of personal expenditures. Correspondence has been shown us iecently which assures t h e ability t o produce, a t a cost of one dollar each, rolled-gold pins conforming fully t o the design and beauty of the official pin. We hope the Directors at their December meeting will authorize the manufacture and sale of such inexpensive pins, under order of course from the Secretary, as is now required. Their availability would undoubtedly result in a largely increased use of t h e emblem by the members of the Society.
