Feb., 1919
T H E J O U R N A L OF 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
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ships, submarines, aeroplanes, artillery, railway cars, a n d locomotives; indeed all kinds of instruments of war eqcept t h a t most fearful of modern developments, poisori gas, which t h e enemy introduced. I n t h e terms of neither t h e original armistice nor of t h e several extensions has there been noted any requirement of cessation of production of poison gas. T h c means of controlling its production are very simple. Prohibit t h e manufacture of chlorine in Germany. This would prove immediately effective, for chlorine enters into all of t h e substances used on a large scale in this method of fighting-mustard gas, phosgene, chlorpicrin, etc. Doubtless further extensions of t h e armistice will be required. If so, chlorine manufacture in Germany should. receive the serious consideration of those formulating t h e terms of t h e extension. This is the tactical aspect of chlorine manufacture. There is, however, a n economic aspect which is full worthy of consideration b y t h e Peace Commissioners. Through the necessities of poison gas warfare, world production of chlorine has been largely over-stimulated. I n t h e period of economic readjustment, who is t o scrap apparatus and machinery for chlorine production-the Germans who inaugurated gas warfare or t h e American manufacturer who responded t o t h e call of his Government for t h e maximum output of chlorine t o meet t h e German menace?
Industries a new era seemed about t o dawn. Railroads throughout t h e South were seeking additional chemists, not for routine testing of everyday supplies, but for t h e preparation of thorough surveys of natural resources which, viewed through t h e chemist’s eyes, lead t o t h e establishment of new industries whose output of manufactured products contributes t o t h e nation’s wealth and security. Foundations of these surveys were being laid on broad lines, well-equipped laboratories were in process of establishment, and deeper grew t h e conviction t h a t t h e next great step in development was well under way, when-bang-came t h e order from t h e Railroad Administration t o stop all such activities. Protests from t h e press fell on deaf ears; requests for continuance of this service from a group of twenty United States senators were denied. What was t h e esult? rLaboratories were closed, t h e technical staffs sought positions elsewhere, and it is feared t h a t in some cases, a t least, valuable records of work partly accomplished have been lost. The new Director of Railroads has just announced t h a t he will continue t h e policies of his predecessor. The dark days are on us still. Well, a t any rate, the people of t h e country seem t o be pretty clearly convinced t h a t t h e railroads shall soon return t o private ownership and management. The darkness will not be eternal.
PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH Ignorance is not always bliss. Note t h e following quotations from a n article contributed t o t h e Journal of the United States Artillery by t h e late Dr. William LeRoy Broun, superintendent of t h e Confederate Armories in Richmond, Va., during t h e Civil War, a n d later t h e successful pioneer in technical education in t h e South. “Steel guns were not made. We had no facilities for making steel.” Yet t h e troops for which these guns were needed were composed in part of men from t h e Birmingham, Ala., district where a great steel industry now flourishes! “Near the close of the war the supply of mercury became exhausted. Here was a most serious difficulty. We had not and could not obtain the mercury, an essential material with which to manufacture fulminate of mercury, and without caps the army could not fight, and must be disbanded. This was an extremely serious situation, and no mercury could be obtained in the limits of the Confederacy.” And t h e most beautiful specimen of cinnabar we have ever seen came from a Texas mine! “The Confederacy had neither lead nor sulfur t o spare.” Though t h e sulfur of Louisiana arrd Texas has been t h e sole reliance of t h e United States in a war of such colossal requirements as t h a t just ended! T‘he agricultural South of Civil War days is now becoming a manufacturing section. I n t h e development of latter-day knowledge of t h e natural resources of t h e southern states t h e railroads have played a conspicuous part. While much of t h e industrial development b y these organidations was for a period logically confined t o immigration and agriculture, t h e trend 5 a d changed in recent years when through t h e stimulation of t h e National Exposition of Chemical
I t is a glorious sensation t o witness t h e materialization of a vision. T h a t experience was ours a few nights ago. There before us was t h e manuscript of t h e census of our chemical imports (exclusive of finished dyes) in t h e fiscal year just preceding t h e war. It was a huge document, carefully and thoroughly compiled from t h e official records of t h e Treasury Department by t h e special staff of t h e Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 6500 items were listed. T h a t is t h e measure of our chemical dependence! Our d u t y t o this country is t o reduce t h e number of t h e items on t h a t list as rapidly as possible. But how are we t o know what progress is being made? Machinery is to-day rapidly being built t o give reasonable and prompt information. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce intends t o increase largely t h e details of statistics of imports and exports of chemicals. Mr. G. B. Roorbach of t h a t Bureau is preparing a classified list which will constitute t h e form and extent of this information in t h e future. T h a t list is being mailed t o a number of manufacturers. It will be published in full in t h e March issue of THISJ O U R K A L . Mr. Roorbach invites suggestions from all as t o omissions. The work will be closed about t h e middle of March. N o w is t h e time t o insure your getting t h e information you desire for your business. When this list reaches you, whether b y letter or through our March issue, it will pay t o go over it promptly and carefully in order t o see if your needs are included. If not, write promptly t o Mr. Roorbach.
THE MEASURE OF OUR DEPENDENCE
