Sept., 1921
T H E JOURNAL O F 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
a quandary presented itself. This was easily solved by the Chairman inviting the Democrats out when voting time came. Then the Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee were called in to a joint conference, and American valuation was adopted. Meanwhile the Senate Committee received from the House the new Longworth measure extending for three months from August 27 the a d interim control of imports or' dyes through license by the War Trade Board. The Senate Finance Committee voted favorably upon this bill. As soon a s announcement was made of the action of the Committee, eight senators, it is reported, notified Chairman Penrose that they would filibuster against the bill. This did not disturb the wily Chairman at all. His nimble wit readily hit upon a device. The bill was broadened to include all sections of the Emergency Tariff Bill and t o extend the time to January 1, 1922, unless repealed by tariff legislation in the meantime. To filibuster against the dye control in this modified bill would mean obstructive tactics against features in which some of the filibusterers are decidedly interested. In this form the bill was reported and it is believed will pass the Senate. The joint conference of the two committees for permanent tariff legislation for dyes resulted in the appointment of a joint sub-committee consisting of Senators Smoot and Dillingham and Representatives Longworth and Frear, which was instructed to endeavor to devise some form of compromise legislation which would protect the industry and at the same time bring a united and successful vote in the Senate. The committee has not yet reported, though the composition of the committee indicates that if Mr. Longworth can succeed in saving the embargo for which he has so consistently fought, his efforts should entitle him t o be considered the legislative genius of the age.
Effective Help Two highly interesting and significant letters have had a powerful influence in directing public attention to the most; important issue at stake and in changing the tide of congressional sentiment toward legislation effectively protecting the American coal-tar chemical industry. JULY 26, 192'. Chairman, U . S. Senate Finance Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.
MY DEARSENATOR PLNROSE: M y attention has been drawn to the fact that the Fordney Tariff
Bill as passed by the House of Representatives will not protect the American organic chemical industry from destruction by German competition. O n e of the most startling discoveries of the W o r l d W a r was the fact that the United States could mobilize, train and equip with clothing three or four million men far quicker than it could supply the cannon, the rifles and the ammunition for them. Notwithstanding that from 1914 to 1917 our great steel industries and our rapidly developing chemical industries had been working feverishly to increase their facilities to supply ammunition and guns to the Allies, it was more than a year after we entered the war before those industries were able to supply ammunition, war gases, guns and rifles to meet American needs. Even then our chemical industries were so undeveloped in 1917 that it was necessary for the Government to build tremendous high explosive plants as at Nitro, West Virginia, and practically all poisonous gas plants for supplying gases and smoke materials to the United States Army. Prior to the outbreak of the war in Europe in 1914, the American oiganic chemical industry was very small. This was particularly true of the dye industry. At that time, the value of coal tar dyes, drugs, etc. produced in Germany was more than twice that produced by all the rest of the world, and more than twenty-one times that of the United States. T h e dye industry is the backbone of the organic chemical industry on which all Governments are dependent for their high explosives, their war gases, their medicines and many other materials.
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So fully did Germany realize before, during and after the World W a r that predominance in the organic chemical industry and particularly the dye industry meant the most valuable measure of preparedness possible, that she has united all her organic chemical industries into one great trust, the Idteressen-Gemeinschaft. Not only is the German workman paid much less than the American workman, but the depreciated mark makes the difference still more pronounced. It, therefore, seems certain that the German dye trust can produce dyes and similar materials so much cheaper than the Americans can produce them that no ordinary tariff can keep the German dye trust from destroying the American dye industry and thereby crippling the whole organic chemical industry. T h e use of high explosives and war gases will unquestionably be f a r greater in any future struggle than in the World W a r . Inasmuch as the coal tar industry, which is the base of all dyes, is also the base of all high explosives and most of our war gases, it is of the most vital importance to preparedness that the dye industry be developed to the fullest possible extent in this country. It is felt that this danger is so great that I urge the enactment of the embargo feature of the Fordney Tariff Bill as submitted by the W a y s and Means Committee of the House as the only way to prevent crushing our chemical market by German com etition. For the above reasons, England, France, Italy and Japan have already enacted embargoes on the importation of dyes, medicinals and other organic chemicals which will remain in effect for varying periods up to ten years in the case of England. V e r y truly yours, (Signed) JOHN W. WEEKS Secretary of W a r
MY DEARSENATOR PENROSE:
JULY
27, 192t
Understanding that the recommendation of the W a y s and Means Committee of the House placing a limited embargo on the importation of coal-tar products (H. R. 7456 General Tariff Revision Page 6) was rejected by the House, I am earnestly requesting that your Committee give special attention to this feature. T h e Longworth bill (H. R. 8078 66th Congress) included a selective embargo regulating the importation of organic chemicals particularly those useful in the preparation of explosives and toxic gases used in chemical warfare. T h e Fordney bill as reported from the Committee included a modified clause to the same effect. It is of great value to the Navy to encourage the development of chemical activities in the manufacture of all products connected with the above mentioned articles, especially those manufacturers whose establishments can easily be diverted to h e manufacture of war materials when needed. T h e restoratibn of the embargo clause will be of material help and I will greatly appreciate your assistance to this effect. Sincerely yours, (Signed) EDWINDENBY Secretary of the JVa 'y
The Passing of Secrecy A notable example of true progressive spirit was furnished at the convention of the Biscuit and Cracker Manufacturers Association held in Atlantic City last June. From the accounts of this meeting the Technical Bureau, provided by this organization for the benefit of its members, had evidently been having some rather rough sledding in prevailing upon the several members to make full use of its possibilities of service. Evidently also the Bureau had been doing some effective work, with the aid o I the officials of the Association, in developing a broadminded spirit of progress among the members, for a t the convention a majority agreed to furnish to the Technical Bureau their formulas to be passed on to such members of the Association as requested them. Furthermore it was decided to employ a field man to visit the different factories and give to the members the fullest information on the best methods and latest discoveries in the baking business. Brought together on this fundamental basis of true progressiveness it was an easy matter to swing an initial appropriation of $300,000 for a national advertising campaign to increase the consumption of the products of the industry, to be continued for several years with expanding appropriations. Then they listened to addresses of
