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Chemists as Laymen T H E specialist sometimes wonders how certain elementary discussions can find a place in the crowded journals of the day, but he forgets that what is elementary to him may not be so elementary to many of his fellow workers. One of the ideas upon which the Institute of Chemistry of the AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETYis based is that chemistry in many of its ramifications must be interpreted to other chemists almost as much as to the intelligent layman. When the specialist in one line speaks to specialists in other lines, he frequently finds it necessary to make his explanation as simple as possible. The man whose classroom days belonged to an earlier generation must be served and to some of these successful men the new chemistry is something of a new science. So when you find in the columns of this and other technical journals material which seems of small importance to you, remember there are others who may not have had your experience or background but who nevertheless are sufficiently interested in your subject to wish new information, if it can be quickly and easily assimilated.
Paper in Agriculture
w
HEN the manager of a sugar plantation in Hawaii decided to fight weeds by covering the field with a heavy
waterproof paper through which the bayonet-like tips of the growing cane would penetrate and, when later, a similar paper was spread with great gain between rows of pineapple, little thought was given to the application of this process to American agriculture. I n a recent meeting, however, a member of the Department of Agriculture reported results from various garden crops which may be full of significance. Following three years of research, it was found that all but one of the ordinary garden crops responded with a heavily increased yield when all unoccupied soil spaces were covered with the paper. During the 1927 season results varied from 11 per cent with garden peas to 516 per cent with spinach, between which extremes the crop of lettuce more than doubled, green corn trebled, and potatoes almost quadrupled. The paper serves to increase the soil temperature, reduces the loss of moisture, smothers weed growth, and modifies the distribution of water. On such an experimental scale it was difficult t o obtain all the economic factors which must be known before papermulching on a large scale can be recommended to truck gardeners and farmers. It does not seem impossible, however, that the use of such paper may contribute greatly toward increased production on fewer acres-one way of assisting agriculture through decreasing costs by the simple method of increasing returns per unit of labor and land employed.
Endowed Association Research UR belief in the efficacy of research conducted by trade associations as a defensive and, indeed, offensive weapon in the new competition has frequently been voiced. Just as there is a variance in the research of individual industries, so there are various kinds and degrees of trade association research. On the whole it has been satisfactory and encouraging. At times it has almost failed for a variety of causes, such as internal politics, the unfortunate choice either of director or of problems, or the lack of appreciation on the part of the membership that the time factor always looms large in a research program.
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The wise industry engaged cooperatively upon research, service, and development work eliminates as many of these difficulties as possible. The inability of certain members of a group to apply a t once to their own problems the data secured in the laboratory sometimes leads to discouragement and the withdrawal of support. Even the best managed and directed laboratory may approach financial starvation in times of economic stress. The endowment for the research laboratory of an association gives a t once a permanence which, in itself, renders ineffective causes which might otherwise wreck the whole program. We have long been interested in the determination of the Tanners’ Council of the United States of America to introduce into their industry the services of science, potentially great and already valued by many individual producers of leather. A few years ago a research laboratory was established at the University of Cincinnati, and the results achieved seem to the leaders of the industry of such fundamental value as to make them determined to put the laboratory upon a permanent foundation, independent of trade fluctuations and, indeed, of the life of the association itself. The laboratory has consequently become incorporated and a group of manufacturers is engaged in raising an endowment, the income of which will be devoted to research. There are many ways of supporting trade association research, each perhaps best suited to the industry represented, but where security is desired the independent establishment of the laboratory upon an adequate foundation seems to offer the best answer.
Funds for Textile Research EWS comes to us that the principal difficulties in the way of utilizing funds belonging to the Textile Alliance, Inc., have disappeared and that only a few unimportant questions between the Alliance and the Government remain to be settled. It may be remembered that the Textile Alliance, Inc., acted as a quasi-governmental agency in the importation of dyes and other essential products for the textile trade after the United States entered the war. In the course of its dyestuff operations a fund of nearly two million dollars was accumulated which, under an agreement with the State Department, was to be devoted to scientsc research and education. Later some difficulties arose in the course of which the Treasury Department laid claim to about one and a quarter millions of the fund under the income tax and excess profits tax law. A recent decision annuls this tax claim and now, after the loss of a number of years during which the income from this fund might have been helping the textile industry through research, attention must soon be given to this important question. Several years have passed since we actively endeavored to interest those responsible for the use of the fund as a nucleus for a textile research institute. At that time some of the officials of the Alliance were inclined to think that the fund should be allocated in different states, somewhat in proportion to the underwriting which the members of the Alliance had supplied and which they had never been called upon to pay. There are doubtless many who still feel that the way to derive the greatest benefit from this fund for the industry which really created it would be to devote it to existing research problems. We differ strongly with this feeling, for we are convinced that notwithstanding the effect of recent depression in the textile trade, awakening its leaders to the potentialities of science, there is still no prospect of the industry itself setting up such an institute as it sorely needs unless some such
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substantial nucleus can be created. We do not mean that i t is necessary a t once to build a new laboratory and equip it, but we do mean that this fund should be kept intact, and that the income from it should be used for such pressing problems as now present themselves. There should be no continuing appropriations, for no one can foresee just which problem is going to be the important one tomorrow. The fund will support a limited amount of work, but if properly managed the results should a t once attract additional sums from the industry, and with such a beginning a textile research institute can gradually be expanded to the point where i t can undertake the important research on the many diverse problems which confront the producers and users of the several fibers employed. To scatter the fund means to waste it. To use it for the endowment of a textile research institute means that our own textile industry will finally engage upon research on a scale somewhat comparable to that already achieved in Great Britain and initiated in some of the other countries.
Is Success to Be Penalized? T IS a common observation that those who have never sought assistance and have been successful without special aid have greater difficulty in securing help when it is needed than those who have been more or less dependent on others. The man who habitually pays cash and discounts his bills has more trouble in getting credit, if needed, than those who are experienced in borrowing money and dodging bill collectors. We should not be surprised, therefore, to find some incredulous when told that if certain activities of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY are to be maintained and developed on an adequate scale t o meet present conditions, there must be money beyond present resources. As is well known, the record of the SOCIETY in developing a publication program to carry out its objects as laid down in the Constitution is unique, One needs but to compare the value, as measured by worthy publications supplied to members of various societies. to realize how great has been our ~ Q C I E T I ’ Bsuccess, achieved without a great amount of assistance. We have on record but a few special grants to aid in times of particular stress or to restore to our capital funds amounts needed to continue publication under unusual circumstances. American chemists have been more fortunate than many of their fellow scientists in having laid down for them the broad principle that, whatever their diversification and special interests, they shouId unite in the work of promoting the science. The men foremost in applied chemistry and those responsible for the advance of fundamental work have always joined forces in the furtherance of our work. The data show how well the affairs of the SOCIETYhave been managed, snd while there may be differences of opinion as to the proportion of income that should be expended for certain the SOCIETY’S types of development, the actual financial management has always been in strong hands. As the need has arisen, new projects have been courageously launched and carried to a satisfactory point of service. A failure t o recognize the soundness of these principles has given rise to the existence of several small groups of specialists, each too small to develop adequate publication facilities without external aid. It is only recently that representatives of one great science have united for a publication project. The process required the utmost tact over several years, being finally completed with the aid of a substantial grant from one of the great philanthropic foundations, Our very success now appears a handicap in securing much needed assistance. It is hard for certain sources of funds t o realize that not only has chemistry advanced a t a much
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greater rate than the financial resources of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY,but that the numerous fellowships, institutes, and new research centers created by individuals and philanthropic foundations have resulted in an increase in the papers t o be printed and abstracted. This has actually imposed a further burden of fair proportions upon the SOCIETY, welcome though it is. The chemical industry is pointed out as the benefactor of all this work, and the SOCIETY is invited to turn to it, even though many members of this industry have so recently become established in production as to make it difficult for them to support publication on the basis which they recognize as desirable. The fundamental character of chemical work indicates how extensive should be the assistance given our program. Today medicine looks to chemistry more than to any other one science for the cooperation which will advance the work of preventing and curing disease. Structural materials, as we well know. depend for their perfection upon research as well as chemical control. I n a number of directions progress in such major divisions of human activity as transportation, communication, food production and preservation wait upon new discoieries in the chemical laboratory. We would not be misunderstood as claiming for chemistry the riches of the world, but there can be no disagreement as to the necessity of those contributions which chemistry has made, and is yet to make, to the work of so altering materials of Nature as to render them more satisfactory for man’s needs. I n many cases it becomes our duty to explain to industry, which strictly speaking may not be classified as chemical, the utility of the chemical literature to all and sundry and the special value of our key to articles in all languages. In fine, Chemical Abslracts presents a rare opportunity to reap the profits that come from well-managed cooperative buying, since no one with many, many times the present expenditure could do for himself what Chemical Abstracts does for all. In laboratories everywhere Chemical Abstracts is looked upon as one of the most useful tools. It is felt that this tool can continue to be satisfactory only if the policy of completeness Can be maintained and recognized weaknesses, which inadequate funds have caused, can be removed. I n an effort t o maintain the proper standard, the Directors have continually inrreased the appropriation for Chemical Abstracts. In 1907, $17,450 was appropriated. The minutes of the last meeting show a regular appropriation of $110,000 for 1928, with a supplementary sum of 812,700 to be placed a t the disposal of the editor cf Chemical Abstracts, even if it becomes necessary to take this sum from inreated funds. The Direetors explain that “This was done for the reason that it was felt that the present policy of abstracting all chemical articles appearing in the world should be continued for a t least one more year before changing the policy of the SOCIETY, in the hope that in the interim funds might become available to continue Chemical Abstracts on a scale warranted by its unquestioned importance in both pure and applied chemistry.” Those responsible for the SOCIETY’S finances are making careful plans in the hope that an adequate capital sum may be secured to guarantee the future of Chemical Abstracts. It is a matter for them to plan, but the members of the SOCIETY will doubtless be called upon to assist in one way or another in carrying out whatever is decided. There is no question but that the value of Chemical Abstracts should be maintained a t the highest possible level. Ample organization for the enterprise has become established. The editorial work is in capable hands and members everywhere cooperate. Our pressing problem is that of finding the necessary funds which will have to come from sources other than those now available.
