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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
Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. The following excerpt will be of special interest to chemists: The accompanying table shows the 15,000 chemists classified according to the various industrial groups. The miscellaneous group of 1,130includes 240 men not actually engaged in laboratory work, but holding administrative positions such as presidents, treasurers and secretaries of chemical companies. It also includes 157 leather chemists, 116 research chemists, a number of dentists, editors, physicians, chemical engineers, and consulting chemists.
10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19
20
21 22 23 24 25 26
27
270 27b 276 27d 27c 27f
% 27i 273
27k
271
27m 27n
270 279 28 29
CHSMISTSCLASSIPIED BY CHIEP INDUSTRIAL GROUPS Acids alkalies and salts.. 1,405 Alcohbl and aietone.. 339 Ammonia oxidation. 81 Analytical chemistry.. 3,808 Barium compounds.. 208 Cement and lime.. 584 Coal, gas, tar, and coke.. 1,294 D es and textiles.. 775 E?ectrochemistry 769 Explosives (high) 962 Explosives (black powder). 150 834 Fats and soaps Fertilizers. 844 Foods 1,619 Glass and ceramics.. 262 532 Inorganic chemicals.. Nitrogen (synthetic). 128 888 Organic chemicals (other than 2). 577 Paints and varnish Petroleum and asphalt. 769 Pharmaceuticals., 983 Pyrotechnics. 42 494 Rubber and allied substances.. Sugar, starch, and gums. 592 Water, sewage, and sanitation. 1,035 Wood products 368 494 Metallurgical chemistry. 323 Alloys, ferrous. Alloys, non-ferrous.. 360 Aluminum and magnesium. 127 Antimony, bismuth, and cadmium.. 54 82 Chromium and manganese. 379 Copper 337 Gold and silver.. 1,415 Iron and steel.. 209 Lead Mercury ... 25 Nickel and cobalt.. 68 Platinum metals. 75 Radium and uranium.. 99 Silicon and titanium.. . 89 Zinc, ,. 255 Other metallurgy.. 126 Professors and instructors.. *. * 1,285 Miscellaneous. 1,130
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The following table shows the number of chemists who reported experience in foreign countries: COUNTRY CHEMISTS Africa 13 Australasia. 10 Austria-Hungary.. . . . . . . . . . .................. 24 Canada 203 15 Central America. Cuba 60 Europe: Belgium.. ................................... 6 Denmark 10 France 38 117 231 Holland.. 10 Italy 11 Norway-Sweden.. ...................... 21 Russia..,. 30 Spain 5 Switzerland.. 18 Others... 10 Not specified.. 171 F a r East (including Philippin 80 Greenland.. India .............................................. Mexico 117 Newfoundland, ............ South America.. .................. 34 West I n d i e s . . . . . 32
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GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF PLATINUM On Friday, March I, 1918,the Council of National Defense issued the following statement: Through Ordnance Requisition No. 510 from the Secretary of War, the Government has taken over control of the production, refining, distribution, and use of crude and refined platinum for the period of the war. The control will be exercised through the Chemical Division of the War Industries Board. The Chemical Division sent out to-day to the industry requests for inven-
Vol.
IO,
No.
4
tories of the existing stock of crude and refined platinum and platinum-iridium alloys as of March I , 1918. The letter stated that it was not the intention of the Government to take over and handle directly the present stock of platinum but to permit its shipment by the producers or dealers subject to certain conditions. Upon the fixing by the Secretary of War of a reasonable price for crude, refined, and alloyed platinum, notice will be given apd blanks issued governing delivery and distribution. DIRECTIONS TO PRODUCERS
The letter sent out by the Chemical Division includes the fol. lowing directions to producers: 1-That producers, refiners and dealers in platinum continue to dispose of their product for Government purposes, and for t h a t only, as directed by the Chemical Division. 2-That producers, refiners and dealers in platinum who are also consumers use platinum for Government purposes, and for that only, as directed by the Chemical Division. 3-That all ohligations arising out of transactions in the production or delivery of crude, alloyed, or refined platinum released as above, including all claims for shortage, poor quality, damage, or loss in transit, be borne by the producer or seller, as the case may be, in accordance with existing trade practices. Distribution may he made by consent of this board through agencies under existing arrangements, provided t h a t there results no increase over the existing price to the user. The undersigned, on separate application in each case, will consider permitting the delivery of a limited amount of platinum for essential commercial purposes not for Government account. Proper blanks upon which application for release of shipment should be made will be furnished on application. The following list indicates, in general, the order of preference which will be followed in releasing platinum for shipment: first, military needs of the United States Government; second, military needs of allied Governments; third, essential commercial purposes. SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT
On March 4 the following statement was published as a supplement to that of March I : The Council wishes to state that in issuing Ordnance Requisition No. 510, commandeering crude or raw platinum now in the hands of importers or refiners of this precious metal, it is to be understood that this commandeering order does not apply . to or interfere with the purchase by the consumer of any manufactured articles containing platinum. This explanation is made so that the public may clearly understand the purpose of this action by the Government.
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This action of the Government will be welcomed by those who have been concerned lest the available supplies should be insufficient to meet our war needs, especially since affairs have taken such a turn in Russia as to make it very improbable that we may hope to draw further from that source, “where the mines are mostly shut down and a commercial market does not exist.” Even so, it is doubtful if the unmanufactured stocks in the hands of dealers and refiners will begin to be enough. If not, the sole resource is to take possession of manufactured articles a t a valuation. It is regrettable that our Government did not clearly cover in its order all the metals of the platinum group. It does not appear from the statement of the Council of National Defense above quoted that there is any restriction on dealings in the other metals of the group that are free from platinum. Yet there seems to be an even greater relative scarcity of much needed iridium than of platinum. A supplementary order should be issued without delay so worded as to include all the metals of the group. How far the present action of our Government follows what has been done by the British Government is made evident by the official documents and a letter from the Ministry of Munitions of War on January 31, 1918,to the American Embassy in London, copies of which have been placed at my service by the Bureau of
Apr., 1918
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
Foreign and Domestic Commerce. The official documents are six in number: Letter sent to all persons likely to hold platinum; Order placing platinum under the Defense of the Realm Act; Copy of the Regulation; Requisition Notice; Form of Permit authorizing dealers and dental manufacturers to dispose of their stocks which were fully manufactured prior to the date of the order. From the letter referred to, i t appears that the use of platinum for jewelry and other non-essential purposes has been absolutely prohibited. Dental manufacturers were rationed but were allowed to reconvert their old stocks which contained large quantities of platinum so that they could make them into new stock containing less platinum. The Controller of Non-Ferrous Materials Supply became the only purchaser of platinum outside the country and the only seller of platinum mside the country. No platinum can be sold without a permit from the Department and no permits are granted unless the platinum is required for an approved purpose. Persons authorized to buy scrap platinum must sell it to one of four designated firms, who in turn have to sell all that they have obtained to the Government. So successful has this method of collecting scrap been that more than 75 per cent of the platinum sold by the Department per month is covered by scrap purchased for more than two years. At present the amount purchased represents only 50 per cent of the sales, which it should be understood do not include the very large quantities of platinum supplied for certain war purposes. It may be added that the fixed price in England for platinum was increased in December 1916from z I O shillings to 290 shillings per ounce and that in February 1918 the price for scrap was further incxeased to s18 and for new platinum to Szo per ounce. WASHINGTON, D. C. W. F. HILLEBRAND
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meet with favorable consideration by yourself, and, second, that it should have been the means of bringing from you a communication which I sincerely trust will be followed by many others. We are much interested in progress of all kinds in Argentina, and will be delighted to be kept in touch particularly with its progress in chemistry. I trust, therefore, that you will from time to time honor us with further communications. With cordial greetings .from this Society to yourself and the great Society over which you preside, I have the honor to remain, Yours very truly, (Signed) WILLIAMH. NICHOLS President N E W YORKCITY February 26, 1918
LICENSING OF FERTILIZER INDUSTRY ORDERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
WHEREASunder and by virtue of an act of Congress entitled “An act to provide further for the national security and defense by encouraging the production, conserving the supply, and controlling the distribution of food products and fuel,” approved by the President on the 10th day of August 1 9 1 7 , it is provided, among other things, as follows: That by reason of the existence of a state of war it is essential to the national security and defense, for the successful prosecution of the war, and for the support and maintenance of the Army and Navy, to assure an adequate supply and equitable distribution, and to facilitate the movement of foods, feeds, fuel, including fuel oil and natural gas, and fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients, tools, utensils, implements, machinery, and equipMarch 14, 1918 ment required for the actual production of foods, feeds, and fuel, hereafter in this act called necessaries; to prevent, locally or PLATINUM RESOLUTION BY THE ARGENTINE generally, scarcity, monopolization, hoarding, injurious speculaCHEMICAL SOCIETY‘ tion, manipulations, and private controls, affecting such supply, To the President of the American Chemical Society: distribution, and movement; and to establish and maintain I have the honor to address you as President of the Argentine governmental control of such necessaries during the war. For Chemical Society in view of the resolution of our Directors in such purposes the instrumentalities, means, methods, powers, one of its last meetings. authorities, duties, obligations, and prohibitions hereinafter The Argentine Chemical Society is advised as to the vote cast set forth are created, established, conferred, and prescribed. The by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETYrecommending to all President is authorized to make such regulations and to issue such persons in the United States a restriction in the use of platinum orders as are essential effectively to carry out the provisions of in view of the high price it has reached, and the recommendation this act. that all this metal be employed for the scientific and technical ANDWHEREAS it is further provided in said act as follows: uses for which it must be employed. That from time to time, whenever the President shall find it The Board of Directors of the Argentine Chemical Society, over which I have the honor to preside, deems that this proposi- essential to license the importation, manufacture, storage, SOCIETY is exfremely favorable mining, or distribution of any necessaries, in order to carry into tion of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL and essential to science, and in this view has voted to make com- effect any of the purposes of this act, and shall publicly so anmon cause with it in the hope that it will be considered by all nounce, no person shall, after a date fixed in the announcement, engage in or carry on any such business specified in the announcethe countries which it will benefit. ment of importation, manufacture, storage, mining, or distribu1 greet you with the greatest consideration, and remain tion of any necessaries as set forth in such announcement, unless (Signed) G. F. SCHAEFER he shall secure and hold a license issued pursuant to this section. President SOCIEDAD QUIMICAARGENTINA The President is authorized to issue such licenses and to prescribe CALLELAVALLE1790 [Signature illegible] regulations for the issuance of licenses and requirements for sysBUENOSWIRES, January 15. 1918 Secretary tems of accounts and auditing of accounts to be kept by licensees, submission of reports by them, with or without oath or affirmaSEROR G. F. SCHAEFER, Presidente, tion, and the entry and inspection by the President’s duly authorSociedad Quimica Argentina, ized agents of the places of business of licensees. Calle 1,avalle 1790, AND WHEREASit is essential, in order to carry into effect the Buenos Aires, Argentina, S.A. purposes of said act and in order to secure an adequate supply DEARSIR: and equitable distribution and to facilitate the movement of I was much gratified to receive your esteemed favor of January 15th in which you announce that the Sociedad Quimica Argentina certain necessaries hereafter in this proclamation specified, that has taken action similar to that taken by the AMERICAN CHEM- the license powers conferred upon the President by said act be ICAL SOCIETY on the subject of the use of platinum. This gives a t this time exercised to the extent hereinafter set forth. ATOW,therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United me double pleasure; first, that the action of our Society should States of America, by virtue of the powers conferred on me by 1 The first letter is a translation.
