April, 1928
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
war to belligerent nations. Those who believe in such a measure fail to realize the great difficulty of accurately distinguishing between implements of war and implements of peace and remain blind to the fact that when a t war a nation bends all its resources in that direction, while a t peace i t directs those same resources into diverse channels. This is particularly true of the chemical industry, and Paragraph 13 of Section 3 of this resolution reads: “Poisonous gases, acids, or any other articles or inventions prepared for use in warfare.” The chemist a t once realhes that to be useful in war many chemical compounds do not have to be especially prepared for that purpose, and while the bill specifies that exportation shall be prohibited to any nation which is engaged in war with another, there is no way of ascertaining whether a shipment of chlorine, for example, to a nation a t war is intended for the protection of the domestic water supply of non-combatants or is to be used as a war material. Those who have studied the resolution, therefore, believe that while the United States should exert its best efforts toward the prevention of war, this measure would serve more often as a tool in the hands of jealous competitive nations: particularly in the chemical field, to restrict our export business and thereby hamper the development of our industry when, as a matter of fact, the products might really be intended for non-warfare uses. There is less difficulty in controlling the export of machine guns and ordnance in general; but what about explosives, useful alike in peace and war, and even cotton, the ultimate use of which may not be known by the exporter? A little authentic unprejudiced information on the possibilities, should this resolution become a law, might be very helpful to your representatives.
A Straight Talk UR attention has been invited to a statement in Barron’s Financial Weekly, of February 13, 1928, wherein some plain statements are made concerning one of the great communication companies. The miter advises selling the stock of this company because he “has a growing conviction that the company is not keeping up with the scientific procession.” He then proceeds to contrast the attitude of that company with the viewpoint of another which has had a prominent part in every advance in the art of communication. This latter company maintains an outstanding research department, which keeps the company closely linked in a profitable way to every advance in the science and art of communication and, indeed, frequently points the way. As each new development is brought to the commercial stage, it becomes a new source of income, while for the other company every such milestone has but added a new form of competition and consequent loss of business. Since both companies are in the same general line of business, the contrast drawn by that writer is most striking. We believe he has put his finger on the real reason for the difference in the attitude and progress of the two companies. One has seen for years the necessity of intensive scientih work and, we think, has developed the most complete scientific unit under private control. The other has viewed matters differently and, as a result, this financial weekly frankly advises the sale of its securities. It was not long ago that John E. Teeple, the Treasurer of our SOCIETY, in addressing a group of bankers stated that he would rather know the attitude of a concern toward research than to know its fixed assets. Here, a t least, is an outstanding example of where the attitude toward research has been an index to a company’s commercial status.
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Fifty Thousand Dollars HAT is the sum desired each year for the next five years, in addition to the appropriations which the SOCIETY will continue to make to enable Chemical Abstracts to render the service to the science and the industry that depends upon it. The basis for this statement is the “Proposal by the American Chemical Society,” a booklet being sent by our Directors to corporations who hold membership in the SOCIETY,to other industries whose prosperity depends upon chemistry, and to individuals who are in a position to assist. It is not necessary to discuss again in this place what such a key to the literature of the world means to the chemist. He has learned that from actual use and experience. He knows what his employer should know; namely, that under any other plan than the cooperative one which has made Chemical Abstracts possible the benefits derived from that publication would be impossible, even though large sums of money were spent. While the chemist knows all this, he has not always been active in passing on his information to those able to support the work as it should be supported. The booklet is sure to fall into hands unfamiliar with the subject and in some organizations to be referred to the technical staff. The chemist’s duty under such circumstances is to make clear and emphasize the truth of the statements to be found in the proposal. He will also have an opportunity to prove to others how fundamental is this science of chemistry, no matter what one’s special interest. The work of men seemingly widely separated from chemistry gives evidence of their dependence upon our science for much that they do in establishing the base line upon which their really sign& cant results rest. The programs of other technical and scientific societies more often than riot show evidences of chemistry a t work. What is done, therefore, to establish Chemical Abstracts more firmly on a foundation that will render the utmost service will directly benefit not merely chemists and chemistry but the sister sciences and the industries that depend upon them. Here is a case where you should assume salesmanship, for the project is one from which each supporter is sure to benefit indirectly and directly in proportion to his ability to use the information set before him. There are no other profits. Fifty thousand dollars is a substantial sum, but very modest in these days of great figures. It ought to be secured quickly. The total should easily exceed that amount.
Unexpected Uses E FREQUENTLY have occasion to explain “discovered by accident” in the field of science, emphasizing that inventions are not made to order, and that many of the most useful discoveries have been foreseen. An example is the adaptation of radio to testing the quality of paper as it is produced on the paper-making machine. One radio fan experimenting with paper to throw the radio set out of tune discovered that the thickness or other characteristics of the paper produced a measurable distance in the dial regulation. A difference in moisture had the same effect. The result has been the installation of a specially designed radio on paper machines to test the moisture content of the paper. The radio reports to the machine-tender whether or not the paper is being dried to the exact extent required. It is also being used to control the weight of the sheet. This is just another of the multiplicity of uses to which the vacuum tube is being put. We all agree that the possiblity of directing great blocks of power through the control of a few electrons in the tubes opens possibilities but slightly comprehended.
