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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 C H E M I S T R Y
Vol. 13, No. 7
EDITORIALS Fair Weather Predictions One fixed determination in the office of THISJOURNAL has been that the monthly issue shall always be ready to go into the mails on the appointed date. The staff has loyally cooperated in this effort, Segardless of hours of work. With the notice given in April of an impending strike on the first of May, the matter passed beyond our hands, and when the strike materialized, the record of promptness was effectually shattered. Fortunately for our peace of mind, the Council of the SOCIETY,representative of the membership, had agreed, by formal resolutions adopted a t the Rochester Meeting, to wait indefinitely for journals, thereby materially assisting the printer in his stand against what he considered unjust demands from the striking employees. The labor conditions affected most seriously the hand composition work in the printing office, and this force has been recruited on an open shop basis until it is now greater in number than before. Naturally, men not accustomed to printing chemical articles have had to be developed and trained, so that the new force, at first quite inefficient, is gaining steadily in efficiency. There is now every prospect that the August issue will quickly follow and that the September issue will go into the mails promptly on the last day of August. Pardon anachronisms in the editorials of the July and August issues, in view of the unusual situation. With all of these troubles upon us, there has been one pleasurable aspect of the situation, the hearty cooperation of both authors and advertisers in the effort to get our work upon a right and permanent basis. Letters received, especially from advertisers, make us feel that there is a strong bond between THISJOURNAL and its patrons, and we desire here to express our sincere appreciation of that spirit. One further word only to the authors of papers is added. The preparation of reprints requires a considerable amount of hand composition work and remaking of material. We urge authors to be extra patient in the matter of receiving their reprints. If the present composition force is diverted to work on reprints, the issue of each of the journals of the SOCIETYwould be delayed to that extent. We have, therefore, taken the liberty of authorizing the printer to postpone the making up of reprints from THISJOURNAL, and to put all emphasis upon catching up with the regular schedule of publication. We are confident of an extension of loyal coaperation on the part of our contributors. To adopt the language of the Weather Bureau: “For to-morrow : fair weather.”
Facts Supplant General Statements In a former editorial entitled “Thinking It Through” (THIBJOURNAL, March 1921, p. 186), there was pointed out the present world over-productive capacity for dyes, resulting from the large war-time increases in the capacity of German dye plants and from the establishment of dye industries amply sufficient for domestic needs in countries which before the war had absorbed a greater part of the output of the German plants. These countries have been led to this step by a clear recognition of the tremendous bearing of the dye industry upon war preparedness because of developments in chemical warfare. It was further pointed out that the continued existence of these great German plants constituted a distinct threat, against the peace of the world in the most modern form
of warfare, and it was urged that when the question of disarmament should be taken up between the nations, chemical disarmament should receive serious and earnest consideration. Upon the invitation of this country there will be assembled in Washington within the next few months a representative gathering of the ablest minds from five of the lending nations of the world to discuss not only questions of naval disarmament but to consider on broad lines questions connected with future peace. On July 16, 1921. Congressman Longworth read to the House of Representatives (Congressional Record, 67th Congress, page 4086), the following letter from General John J. Pershing : GENERAL OF THE ARMIES Washington, July 15, 1921 Hon. Nicholas Longworth, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Longworth: With reference to the protection for the dye industry in this country, it can be stated that the coal-tar products, of which dyes are the most important a t present in peace, is the base of practically all of our high explosives and most of our war gases. Our shortage of chemical plants in general, and dye plants in particular, prior to the World War, made it difficult for us t o obtain a supply of high explosives and gases until we had been in the war for several months. From the above the importance of the chemical industry from a military standpoint will be readily seen. Sincerely yours, (Signed) JOHN J. PERSHING
This letter is of deepest significance as bearing upon the question of disarmament. In substantiation of our contention of the potential disaster which may await the world from the German dye plants, we have been furnished by a former military officer closely connected with all of the chemical warfare activities of the allied and associated powers in the recent war, figures which give a vivid impression of the tremendous capacity of those plants. Under the Versailles Treaty of Peace, Article 16, Title 111,the stock of ammunition allowed Germany is as follows: CALIBER 77-cm. gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 &cm, howitzer . . . . . . . . Light trench mortar . . . . . . Medium trench m o r t a r . . . . . .
No. OF ROUNDS 204,000 67,200 151,200 25,200
From official records of German shell, the capacity of shell filling is given in the following table: CALIBER
BURSTING CHARGETOTAL EXPLOSIVES REQUIRED, TONS KG. 7.7-cm. guns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.93 189.72 10.5-cm. howitzers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 134.40 Light trench mortar.. 0.50 75.60 Medium trench mortar.. 10.00 252.00
...........
.........
Total......................
651.72
The use and manufacture of poison gas in Germany is entirely forbidden by the Treaty; therefore no stock allowed should be gas-filled. But, as the cartel could produce gas for shell filling, we must, in providing for future disarmament, or war, include gas filling as a matter to be dealt with. The Treaty stocks, therefore, appear as follows : GASCONTENT LITERS shell., 0.850 howitzer.. . . . . . . . . 1.285 trench mortar. .... 0.500 8.000 trench mortar.. ... CALIBER
7.7-cm. 10.5-cm.
1 7.6-cm.
Medium
...........
Total
......................
TOTAL GASRE W I R E D LITERS %ONS 173,400 253.164 126.074 86 352 75:600 110.376 201,600 294.336 .536,952
783.950
I n the end column, the weight of gas is calculated by means of assuming an average density for the gas, in this case 1.46. The average weekly war production of explosives by the cartel was 2376 metric tons; the average weekly production of
July, 1921
THE JOCRNAL O F I N D U S T R I A L AlYD ESGIiVEERING CHEMISTRY
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should speedily be brought before the public a t large. The A. C. S.Sews Service served this purpose admirably. Bulletins were sent to the press throughout the country giving extracts of speeches made and of the action taken. A flood of clippings received since the date of issuance shows how widely the chemists’ point, of view was given to the nation. The value of such an organization as is represented by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETYand the wisdom of the Directors of the SOCIETY in developing by modest appropriations a genuine news service was amply demonstrated in this critical legislative situation. Meanwhile the fight shifted to the Rules Committee of the House, for the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the Hon. Mr. Volstead, was endeavoring to gain a special rule for immediate consideration of his slightly modified The Chemist and the Railways (now H. R. 6752) supplemental bill. The Rules Committee It was our good fortune and pleasure recently to address listened patiently, however, to the views of the chemists and the annual meeting of the American Railway Development refused the special rule requested. In an endeavor to bring order out of chaos, Chairman Association. It was a live bunch, men who are constantly on the lookout for means of furthering the development of the Campbell of the Rules Committee of the House, and Senator territory traversed by their several roads. It was evident Willis introduced in the House and Senate, respectively, from the attitude of the members that they were “sold” on separate bills which embodied the strictly anti-beer sections the subject of chemistry as a powerful aid in ;ndust,rial of the supplemental Volstead bill. The Rules Committee of development. The following resolutions, passed on the the House gave permission for prompt consideration of the Campbell bill. Then the foxy work began. The Chairman final day of the meeting, confirm that impression: of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Volstead, asked that the Resolved: 1. That this Association recognizes the importance of chemistry in the development of agriculture and industries, and new bill be referred back to his committee, and there a believing that i t can be made an important factor in the work of its number of most objectionable amendments were placed upon members, recommends investigation along such lines. it. This modified bill was brought before the House under 2. That this Association go on record as favoring cooperation SOCIETY and the American the rules granted for the strictly anti-beer bill and hurriedly between the AMERICAN CHEMICAL Railway Development Association. passed. By the press it was hailed as simply an anti-beer 3. That the officers of this Association are requested to confer bill, but a reading of the bill showed plainly the tricky charCHEMICAL SOCIETYfor the with the officers of the AMERICAN acter of the legislation. Again representations were made purpose of bringing about such cobperation. by the committee of chemists to the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, now in charge of the bill. A number of the objectionable items were stricken out by the Senate committee, Alcoholic Tribulations but it was reported with several unfortunate features reWhen the supplemental bill for the enforcement of pro- tained. As it stands on the Senate calendar, at a time when hibition, H. R. 5033, was first presented to Congress by Mr. all are decrying autocratic powers by government officials, Volstead, it attracted but little attention among chemists, it puts in the hands of the Prohibition Commissioner the for it was well known that the machinery for enforcement of absolute power to wreck many legitimate industries if in his prohibition had fallen down. This was on its face an anti- zeal for prohibition enforcement he overlooks the rights of beer bill, drawn ostensibly to offset the decision of the At- industries many generations old because existing regulations torney General regarding the prescription of beer by physi- may have been abused by a few topers. Debate on the bill cians. Those of the chemical profession most closely in (H. R. 7294) is now in progress in the Senate, The character touch with the alcohol situation soon found that this ap- of the debate, however, is largely confined to constitutional parently innocent bill stepped completely over the line of questions involved and to a defense of the right of the physiprohibition enforcement into the field of the distribution cian to prescribe what he desires for his patient. Meanwhile no evidence can be found of any disposition and utilization of alcohol for industrial purposes. The committee appointed by the AMERICANCHEMICAL to carry out the feature of the existing law which declares for SOCIETYa t its Rochester Meeting immediately set to work the encouragement of the production of alcohol and its use to present the views of the manufacturers and users of indus- in the legitimate industries of the country, despite the many trial alcohol, but the efforts of the committee in the hearing protests which have been registered by the chemical industries CHEMICAL SOCIETY. Far from this, it before the Judiciary Committee, of which Mr. Volstead is and the AMERICAN chairman, were practically hitless. The scant courtesy requires no expert eye to note the inefficiency in many stages tendered the representatives of legitimate industries was of manufacture of alcohol for industrial purposes which amazing in view of the fact that their only plea was that, the result from government regulations in such plants, all of original intent of Congress as embodied in the National which adds necessarily to the cost of production of alcohol Prohibition Act should be carried out. It was apparent that and therefore decreases the ability of our industries using it was expected to railroad the bill through a Congress this important reagent to compete with similar industries in known to be committed strongly to prohibition enforcement. lands where no such restrictions prevail. What could be done to make clear the sinister purpose of The present-day taxation of alcohol is a striking paradox. the bill in its application to the use of alcohol in the industries? For many years taxation of alcoholic beverages proved an Protest meetings were hastily called of the local sections of important source of government revenue. Theoretically SOCIETY in New York, Philadelphia, such beverages do not exist to-day. Yet the tax upon alcohol the AMERICAN CHEMICAL and Baltimore, a t which the views of chemists were put for- for many purely industrial purposes continues. As the chemward in no uncertain language. It was not enough, however, ist looks down upon the row of reagent bottles upon his shelf, that the chemists should talk among themselves; their views he finds no other reagent which he utilizes in his work subject gas, 817 tons. In one m-eek the cartel could produce 3.61 times more explosives and 1.04 times inore gas than that required to fill the Treaty stocks. Using both types of shell, the cartel would cover the task in less than two days (1.6 days). While we are endeavoring to decrease the possibility of war and certainly to diminish the burden of taxation by a limitation of naval armament, surely the task will be incomplete if we ignore the existence to-day of such terrific gas-producing power as now exists in Germany. To those who m-ould endeavor to minimize this danger by designating such discussion as hysterical, we wocld again say “Think it through.”
