T&ûfontfiC &64t4&U&fo W A S H I N G T O N N E W S BUREA By R O B E R T G. G I B B S , Associate Editor N a t i o n a l s c i e n c e f o u n d a t i o n h e a r i n g s e n d . . . B a n s o u g h t o n flamm a b l e fabrics . . . N e w bill w o u l d reactivate N a t i o n a l Inventors' Council * | TERMINATION of public hearings by a A congressional subcommittee brings the national science foundation one step closer t o possible enactment into law. The hearings, held by the Subcommittee on Public Health, Science, and Commerce of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, started March 31, continued on April 1, 4, and 5, and were then postponed until April 26 to give the ISTational Patent Council an opportunity to express its opposition to the bills. Reliable sources believe that within a month the committee will favorably report a bill whose major provisions will agree with the Thomas bill (S.247), which has already passed the Senate, and the similar b u t not identical bill (H.R. 12) introduced by the chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Priest. The major concern of proponents of the bill is that congressional consideration of "must" legislation may delay House action unless it can be sandwiched in. The only opposition to a science foundation was voiced by representatives of the National Patent Council. John W. Anderson, the council's president, amplified statements made on April 5 by ex-Congressman Fritz G. Lanham, a council member. Anderson believes that government control of research and invention would stifle individual incentive. He also pointed out that "Dr. Harlow Shapley and others recently named as active in organizations identified by Congress as subversive actually participated, prior to 1948, in drafting or editing the succès-, sion of science foundation bills that have appeared in Congress beginning in 1943." Anderson further stated "that the foundation has been planned as a destructive instrumentality to be controlled by subversionists and employed to disable our industries is not now totally unsupported b y significant facts." A. A. Potter, dean of engineering, Purdue University, and former executive director of the government's National Patent Planning Commission, testified in behalf of the Engineers' Joint Council. Dr. Potter stated that "the type of legislation proposed in H.R. 12, H.R. 1845, S.247, and other identical bills now before Congress is the raw material which engineers and inventors must have in order t o develop new and better products and greater conveniences for the public." H e also stated that this legislation "should V O L U M E
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in no way reduce the effectiveness of our great American patent system." Charles E . Waring, professor of chemistry, University of Connecticut, in testifying on behalf of the National Research Council's panel on the nation's potential for basic research in chemistry, stated, "it is in the interest of national security to support scientific research in America at the highest possible level:" He specifically proposed that consideration be given to providing funds to purchase essential scientific equipment for teaching and research. Ban Sought on Flammable Fabrics A renewed attempt to prohibit the interstate transportation of flammable fabrics is reflected in two bills currently pending in Congress. Sen. Homer E . Capehart's (R-Ind.) bill would ban transportation not only of such fabrics but any wear-
ing apparel, including personal adornments, which burns faster than Veof an inch per second. Provisions of the bill would not apply to common or contract carriers or to export shipments. The bill of Rep. Leroy Johnson (RCalif.) would ban only fabrics used for personal wear which flash or burn a t a rate exceeding one inch per second when on a horizontal plane. Clothing interlinings, permanently flameproofed fabrics, or those not used for personal wear would be exempted. The Johnson bill would allow transportation of flammable fabrics to destinations for processing or finishing to comply with the law. Sen. Capehart's bill would vest administration and enforcement of the bill in the Federal Trade Commission. The F T C could have fabrics and wearing apparel tested and could, b y court action, seize and dispose of shipments which are in violation of the law. Both bills would allow enforcing agencies to seek injunctions and restraining orders to prevent violations. The Capehart bill would be-
NEW LOW PRICES O N
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WATER SOLUBLE INDICATORS for pH DETERMINATIONS
T h e indicators listed below are n o w available a s t h e s o d i u m salts a n d are designated W . S . ( w a t e r soluble). The older t e c h n i q u e of using these i n d i c a t o r s involved the use of insoluble indicators (free acid c o m p o u n d s ) a n d effecting solution b y t h e addition of definite a m o u n t s of s t a n d a r d sodium hydroxide solution. T h e use of t h e w a t e r soluble i n d i c a t o r eliminates the difficulties e n c o u n t e r e d in t h e older p r o c e d u r e . Th.e label upon t h e package carries information r e garding t h e a m o u n t of t h e indicator t o be used t o p r e p a r e a solution c o r r e s p o n d i n g to a 0.04% or 0 . 0 2 % solution of the respective a c i d indicator. NAME Thymol Blue, W.S (Thymol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Brom Phenol Blue, W . S (Tetra bromo phenol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Brom Cresol Green, W.S (Tetra bromo-m-cresol sulfon phthalein, sodium Salt) Methyl Red, W.S (Di methyl amino azo benzene-o-carboxylic acid, sodium salt) Brom Cresol Purple, W.S (Di bromo ortho cresol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Chlor Phenol Red, W.S (Di chloro phenol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Brom Thymol Blue, W . S (Di bromo thymol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Phenol Red, W.S. (Phenol suiton phthalein, sodium salt) Cresol Red, W . S ( O r t h o cresol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt) Meta Cresol Purple, W . S . . . . . (Meta cresol sulfon phthalein, sodium salt)
p H Range M .2-2.8 I 8.0-9.6 3.0-4.6
1 gm. $1.20
1 0 gm. $10.00
1.20
10.00
4.0-5.6
2.40
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4.4-6.0
.61 10.00
5.2-6.8
1.20
5.0-6.0
2.40
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6.0-7.6
1.20
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6.8-8.4
1.20
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1.20
10.00
2.40
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T H E COLEMAN & BELL C o . , I n c . M a n u f a c t u r i n g Chemists Norwood, Ohio, U.S.A.
COLEMiVN & BELL M A Y
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come effective six months after enact m e n t while t h a t of Johnson would allow one year. Both proposed laws provide for im prisonment of convicted violators for periods u p to one }rear a n d / o r fines up t o $ 1,000 in t h e Johnson bill and $5,000 in the Capehart bill. T h e respective committees on inter s t a t e and foreign commerce are consider ing these bills b u t neither has as y e t taken any action. Similar bills have been intro duced in t h e past two sessions of Congress, b u t none were enacted into law. One point which has caused some controversy is the method of testing for flammability. Industry is believed to favor testing t h e material on a horizontal plane while some government representatives favor testing the material a t a slope of a t least 45° or even on a vertical plane. In this connection i t is noted t h a t the Quartermaster Corps of the Army and t h e Office of N a v a l Research recently initiated a five-year project in t h e flameproofing of fabrics under the direction of James M . Church, associate professor of chemical engineering a t Columbia University. Work iknw by Columbia University chemists in this field during t h e war has laid the groundwork for renewal of the re search. Current interest in flameproofing is re flected in the symposium scheduled for the Atlantic City meeting of the AMERICAN ( •HMMICAL.SOCIKTY this fall.
Nylon
FILTER CLOTH Most common alkalies Most organic acids Halogenated hydrocarbons Aldehydes Beniene
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DRUM FILTER
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CHEMICAL
Council
The National Inventors' Council will be reactivated if a proposed bill of Rep. Leroy Johnson is passed. T h e new bill would establish the council as a p a r t of the D e p a r t m e n t of Commerce to a c t in an ad visory capacity to the National Military Establishment and other branches of the Government in *'evaluating, guiding, and stimulating inventions for the national de fense a n d security." The council would consist of eminent, scientists and other qualified persons, not exceeding 20 appointed b y the Secretary of Commerce with approval of the Secretary of Defense. T h e membersip would also include the Commissioner of Patents and one representative each of the Secretary of Commerce, and of t h e Army, Navy, and Air Force. The bill was referred t o the House Inter state a n d Foreign Commerce Committee for consideration. The council was originally established in 1940 by the Secretary of Commerce, with approval of t h e President, to assist the armed forces by screening proposée? inventions submitted b y t h e public. D u e to the pressure of the war, no legislation was enacted to give the council specific legal status. A t present the council still operates on a limited scale, assisted b y the D e p a r t m e n t of Commerce's Officii of Technical Services. AND
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NEWS
