Nov., 1917
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of toluol would amount t o only half of the requirement for an army of a million men. It is possible, however, by a more complete stripping of gas, t o increase the yield beyond 0.05 gallon per thousand cubic feet, thus more nearly meeting the requirements. With a situation so plain, with a duty so imperative confronting us, with the lives of so many of our men depending upon the promptness with which this work shall begin, the question naturally arises-What is responsible for the delay? The only answer we can find is-Democracy. I n an autocracy a royal edict would have promptly demanded the recovery of all toluol from all gas, but under democracy, which we love and believe in, there must be the slower processes of congressional appropriations, of adjustments between government officials, gas companies and Public Service Boards and Commissions, and the arousal of the public t o the necessities of the situation. The efficiency of democracy is severely on trial in this matter and for this reason we urge every chemist t o do his part, not only as a chemist, but as an informed citizen from whom others have a right t o expect advice on so grave a question. T h a t the matter is urgent is shown by the fact t h a t each day’s delay means t h e sacrifice of T. N. T. sufficient for I j 0 , o O O three-inch shells. Naturally t h e War Department has been compelled t o wait until appropriations were made by Congress but this reason no longer exists. The gas companies in turn have been in a quandary as t o what t o do. Did the government need their toluol? What would become of their investment if the war ended within the next year and the extreme demand for toluol suddenly ceased, as it surely would? We now know t h a t more toluol is needed than all the gas companies can supply. Furthermore, General Crozier stated to us, and authorized public use of the statement, t h a t the government is now in position t o assume, in case of early ending of the war, the investment risks of gas companies through additions t o their plants of the necessary equipment for recovery of toluol. Thus these two points are clear. Finally there is the ever present conflict between gas companies and public officials representing the consumers, a conflict essentially financial in its character and evidencing itself continuously by questionings on the part of t h e one or t h e other as t o the justness of rates, involving necessarily the question of standards for gas. Fortunately, the more general use of the gas mantle is rapidly eliminating the candle power standard, for the maintenance of which the burning of toluol is necessary. The term illuminating gas is now largely a misnomer. The great bulk of the gas, a t least 90 per cent, is used as a heating agent and consequently the heating value, as expressed in terms of British thermal units, will soon be the prevailing standard. Furthermore, we are confident t h a t as soon as the people of the country understand the patriotic and vital call which is now made upon them, the former somewhat antagonistic attitude towards the gas companies will disappear and the way be promptly opened for recovery of all possible toluol. It would
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be a shallow patriotism indeed if, understanding fully the situation, we should cheer our troops as they march away to training camps and then return to our homes insisting upon the retention of toluol in our gas or unwilling t o sacrifice gas efficiency in order t h a t a perfect barrage fire may precede those same troops going into action on the French front. T o think otherwise would be to accuse our people of deliberate murder of their own. There may be matters of rates t o be settled, matters of certain standards t o be insisted upon; all such questions, however, can await adjustment until after the war. The main question before the nation now is: ‘lShall we burn toluol or shoot it?”
EXPLOSIVES AND DYESTUFFS-A FRENCH CONFIRMATION
A few weeks after the hearings on the Hill bill during the previous Congress, the late Hon. E. J. Hill of the Ways and Means Committee had printed in the Congressional Record a letter from General Hugh L. Scott, the then Chief of Staff of the Army. I n this letter General Scott emphasized the direct relation between a well-rounded dyestuff industry and a national reserve for explosives manufacture. Some short-sighted congressmen, with rather marked pacifist leanings a t the time, pooh;poohed the introduction of this letter by Mr. Hill as an effort to bolster up a protective tariff measure by sounding a war alarm and dragging in an argument which had no connection with the legislative matter under consideration. But the staunch old patriot was right, and gradually the country has learned t o recognize so clearly the connection between dyestuffs and explosives that it is safe to say t h a t no legislation inimical t o the American dyestuff industry could now get the slightest favorable consideration by Congress. A n interesting confirmation of the soundness of this national viewpoint is furnished by recent developments in France, as recorded in the Courier des gtats-Unis of October IO, 1917, though the thought process is reversed. We argued from dyestuffs t o explosives; the French on the other hand are preparing, with the strong aid of the government, t o convert after the war a . highly developed explosives industry into a dyestuff industry. To this end a contract between the Minister of War and the Syndicat des Matihres Colorantes has been submitted to the French Parliament for ratification. Under the terms of this contract the government, upon the cessation of the war, will turn over its explosives plants to the dyestuff syndicate, with the proviso t h a t the plants and all equipment shall immediately revert to the government for explosives manufacture in case of a future general mobilization. The State reserves t o itself the right of supervision and control and will receive one-fourth of the dividends distributed in excess of 5 per cent. The capital stock, originally planned for twenty million, has been enlarged t o forty million francs. That the French public recognizes the national importance of this movement is shown by the fact t h a t
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the 60,000 shares of stock reserved for the public was oversubscribed eighty-three and a third per cent. By this cooperation between the government and the people, France will a t the close of the war trebly gain-realizing upon its surplus explosives plants, creating a domestic dyestuff industry and retaining a potential explosives industry which can quickly be made available. General Scott was a chemist as well as a soldier, and Mr. Hill c‘i patriot rather than a partisan. DR. ROEBER
1n“the stirring drama of the expansion of American chemical industries during the past three years, a unique figure stood out in the form of Dr. E. F. Roeber, whose death on October 17, 1917, was a shock t o chemists in every section of this country, Through the steady growth of his splendid journal, Metallurgical and Chemical Engineering, he exerted a wide influence. Filled with the spirit of the times, he labored unceasingly for t h e upbuilding of the chemical industries in the conviction t h a t in this way he could best serve the country of his adoption. Indefatigable in multifarious committee duties, he gave of himself ungrudgingly. Through such activities his name will live among us, and yet t o those of us who knew him personally, there was another side which will always be remembered: the genial man, the jolly companion, and the sympathetic friend whose hearty handshake carried with i t A aconstant message of good-will. THE EXPOSITION
The Third National Exposition of Chemical Industries has now become a part of the history of the country. Still another floor of t h e ’ Grand Central Palace was required t o booth the additional exhibits. The marked increase in attendance was a just measure of the increasing popular regard for chemistry. The stimulation of t h a t busy week is to-day being felt in every line of the chemical industries. Some there were among the exhibitors who, becoming overconfident of success, failed to give due thought to the attractiveness and intelligence of their exhibits. They are to-day paying the price, and indulging in regrets. The exhibits as a whole, however, made a wonderfully attractive and inspiring display. The addresses were well attended and appreciatively heard, in spite of a very badly ventilated auditorium. Plans have already been made for remedying t h a t defect next year. Again the managers of the Exposition have demonstrated their completely sympathetic cooperation with the Advisory Committee. It is a pleasure t o bear witness to the fact t h a t in no instance since the inception of the Exposition idea have the managers failed t o comply with any suggestion of the Advisory Committee as t o the proper policy for the legitimate and sound development of the Exposition. This attitude on the part of t h e managers has in turn resulted in the transformation of the Advisory Committee from an originally somewhat perfunctory body into an enthusiastic, thought-giving, working committee.
Vol. 9, No.
II
Again the press has done its full share in carrying the impress of the Exposition t o the public. True, a special edition of one evening paper was abandoned because the exhibitors would not respond with sufficient alacrity and unanimity t o the exhortations of its advertising manager, but this was lost sight of in the columns of space devoted to the Exposition in many papers which, in spite of the stirring character of world news a t the time, recognized the national import of such a display and means of interchange of ideas. Perhaps the most striking feature of the increased exhibits was the intelligent and carefully prepared displays of the natural resources of the South. I n this work a number of the progressive railroads of the South were particularly engaged. The results should prove a well defined addition to the wealth of the nation. The chief impression we received from the entire activities of the week was the conviction that the chemical industries are not isolated units seeking selfish advancement, but a coordinated group in our body politic seeking t o serve the nation. With such a spirit, the limit of growth is far from sight. A SPRING EXPOSITION AT C H I C A G O
I n response to invitations from the Chicago Association of Commerce, the Chicago Section of t h e American Chemical Society and Local Sections in adjoining states, there will be held next March, in the Chicago Coliseum, an Exposition of Chemical Industries under the same management which has so successfully conducted the three similar expositions in New York City. The growth of chemical industries in the Middle West, has kept full pace with the developments in other sections of the country, and, as in other sections, there is still room for greater and more codrdinated growth, Bringing together under one roof the splendid accomplishments of the past will serve to inspire confidence in the future. We predict for the Chicago Exposition the same phenomenal success which has characterized those already held. THE SLACKER RING AGAIN Far be it from us t o add t o the burden of work of any man or set of men in these busy days. Remembering, however, the resolution of the Jewelers’ Vigilance Committee: “RESOLVED, That we pledge ourselves t o discontinue and strongly recommend to all manufacturing and re tail jewelers of the United States that they in a truly patriotic spirit discourage the manufacture, sale and use of platinum in all bulky and heavy pieces of jewelry,”
and remembering also the activity of the Vigilance Committee in connection with this general subject, we record here for the information of the Committee the wording of a prominently placed advertisement card observed last week in a Detroit street car: WE ARE SHOWINQ T E E MOST EXTENSIVE S T O C K OF PLATINUM ENGAGEMENT RINGS ALL SET WITE PERFECT DIAMONDS SALLAN WOODWARD AT QRATIOT
