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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 15, No. 4
EDITORIALS Reclassification OR two years there has been a legislative struggle for a reclassification of federal employees which will make it possible for them to receive a more adequate wage. This action culminated in the passage, during the closing hours of Congress, of a law for the betterment of conditions for such employees. Unfortunately, however, the salary provisions do not become effective until July 1, 1924. The conferees struck out of the final bill descriptions of the duties of various positions and inserted in their place a paragraph directing the classifying board to follow the executive order of October 24, 1921. The skilled trades and common-labor services were eliminated. In fixing the compensation schedules, the law provides for the various services and the grades within those services. The first on the list is the professional and scientific service. The rates of compensation for Grade I in this service range from $1860 to $2400; for Grade 11, $2400 to $3000; Grade 111, $3000 to $3600; Grade IV, $3800 to $5000; Grade V, $5200 to $6000; Grade VI, $6000 to $7500; and for Grade VII, $7500 unless a higher rate is specifically authorized by law. The grades for subprofessional service are eight in number and provide salaries from $900 to $3000. There are fourteen grades for the clerical, administrative, and fiscal service, ranging from $1140 to Grade XIV, which is a special executive grade a t $7500, unless a higher rate is provided by law. The classifying agency will be composed of the director of the Bureau of the Budget or his alternate, a member of the United States Civil Service Commission, and the chief of the Bureau of Efficiency, with the chairmanship of the board resting with the Bureau of the Budget. The essential features of the law are those for which the federal employees had been working, and its passage marks the beginning of a new era for scientific men in the government employ. The records of the service are filled with instances where scientific men have refused outside offers carrying very much higher salaries than those paid by the Government and have remained a t their work out of a sense of loyalty and for the pleasure derived from work well done. The provisions of this law make it possible to pay more adequately for their services, particularly for positions of responsibility. The type of work which should be done in government laboratories is of an importance requiring the best men that can be produced, and they should be paid accordingly.
Popular Books in Science
ASappreciative a part of our effort to have people generally more of the several natural sciences, it is important for us to be prepared to furnish lists of books suitable for collateral reading. We call attention, therefore, to a reading list of popular books in science issued by the American Library Association, Chicago. This list is suitably divided under several special subjects, and is supplied a t twenty cents per copy or ten copies for a dollar, with reduced prices for larger quantities. The Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Vol. 12, No. 21, December 19, 1922, prints the revision of the Academy’s list of one hundred popular books in science. Both of these lists should be in the hands of those interested in encouraging familiarity with our science.
Laboratory Purchases S C H O O L laboratories are beginning to consider supplies for another year. Those who have had a little experience with laboratory apparatus and chemicals, as users, as purchasers, and as salesmen have observed that where laboratory men are particular they are careful to know as much as possible regarding the dealer and also the manufacturer from whom they purchase their supplies. They obtain satisfactory service when they definitely state what is desired and the sources from which it must come. In pre-war days, when nearly everything used in the laboratory was imported, there was wide familiarity with trade-marks. It was the habit of the men in the laboratory to specify definitely so that there could be no misunderstanding on the part of those filling the orders. Fortunately, to-day the users of laboratory equipment have many new sources of supply. Unfortunately, these same users have a tendency to forget their long-established precaution and have failed to specify definitely American makers, when in fact they appear to have desired Americanmade wares. American manufacturers seldom serve the laboratory directly, and for many reasons it is better to market through dealers. Several former sources of supplies may be drawn upon and the ultimate consumer must specify apparatus and chemicals made in America if he wants to receive them. Under the present tariff, with the duty-free privilege rescinded, the American manufacturer should be able to compete with the imported article. He is already maintaining a higher quality of product than the majority of foreign producers have made since the war. Reputable manufacturers who heretofore made no effort to obtain laboratory trade are now distinctly interested in laboratory requirements and in providing chemicals which will hold a permanent place on the laboratory shelf. Recently, a laboratory complained about a clamp, and when this was brought to the attention of the dealer he realized that in redesigning the laboratory-blown and volumetric glassware, as well as other important items in his catalog, full attention had not been given to chemicallaboratory hardware. He immediately undertook to redesign his entire line and has already invested more than $2500 in new patterns alone. The buyer to-day, not only can, but should protect himself in several ways. He should know the manufacturer of fundamental apparatus and the items that are of greatest importance to him. These he should specify by trade-mark or name. He should deal with reputable, established dealers. It is then unnecessary for him to know the manufacturer of every one of the many thousands of items in the catalog. I n other buying, the consumer has formed the habit of specifying nationally advertised wares and then depending upon the reputation of the merchant for satisfactory goods. Some laboratories have learned that nothing is gained by making a wide distribution of bidding lists when not more than a dozen dealers can give wholly satisfactory deliveries. The buyer can also promote reasonable standardiaation of apparatus by which the dealer and the manufacturer can obtain quantity production and at the same time lower costs. We would particularly urge the consumer to remember that if he allows price alone to govern his purchases, he has little ground for complaint if he is disappointed in deliveries. Thus,
April, 1923
I N 0 USTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
anything may be a clamp a t the time bids are secured, and it becomes an unsatisfactory piece of apparatus only when it is put in use. The dealer finds that with the many new sources of supply he can buy to advantage and, if he will, co6perate with the American manufacturer. Stocks imported to advantage a year ago cannot be replaced so advantageously to-day from the same sources. A responsible dealer makes no effort to exploit the user. The dealer should sell no apparatus, no chemicals labeled “made in America,” nor intimate that they were made here unless such is the case. Labels should be honest and should carefully state quality, including all substances which are important to the user. Apparatus must also bear an honest label. Present conditions have continued the tri-party interests to which we have previously referred. The protected manufacturer can rest assured that quality is trumps. If he will remember this and a t the same time be willing to meet the special needs of the ultimate consumer, his position is strong. The dealer can be helpful both to the manufacturer and the consumer. The chemist holds the whip hand. He was willing to forego advantages in order that the industry might become established, and he, in common with those whom he supports, must continue to be more interested in securing the permanence of the chemical and scientific apparatus industry in America than in a small temporary advantage in price. Prices to-day are not out of proportion to other items entering into the cost of an education. There is sufficient competition to insure that. Let the chemist inform himself both as to manufacturers and dealers. When he really wants quality, let him specify the makers and be willing to pay a fair price. An equally liberal policy in merchandizing will soon produce mutually profitable conditions.
New Prizes ROM the University of Wisconsin comes the announcement that the Palmolive Company has established a fellowship for the study of fundamental principles connected with the detergent action of soap. The fellowship is established for five years, carries an annual stipend of $2000 and an additional sum to provide special apparatus which may be required. The Fellow will be allowed to work in any university in the United States which has the necessary facilities for work of this character. The Chicago Trust Company, in an effort to stimulate study and research in the field of business finance, will award $2500 triannually, beginning in 1925, for the best contribution on any subject relating to businese development and the modern trust company. There will be annual prizes of $300 beginning this year for shorter studies on economy, business, finance, and law. Such researches are of immediate interest to the chemical industry. Suggested topics are: no par value stock; blue-sky legislation; relations of trust companies to the reorganization of jeopardized business concerns; and financing instalment sales. The National Council of American Cotton Manufacturers has offered a prize of $1000 for the most valuable scientific contribution on the control of the cotton boll weevil, to be awarded at the close of the season. At the American Institute of Baking a raisin fellowship has been established for the purpose of investigating the use of raisins in bread. A milk fellowship has also been created by the same organization for the study of the problems of the nutritive value of milk in the modern loaf of bread, as well as the storage, handling, and care of milk products in the bakery.
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These are all encouraging indications that our business executives are looking more and more to scientific research as the most dependable insurance for the security of the future, If the work to be done by the fellows is successful, it is but a step to the further allocation of large sums for the general promotion of scientific research without respect to a specific field. It is announced in Chemistry and Industry that the offer of Sir Albert Yarrow of S100,OOO to the Royal Society, to be used a t the discretion of the council of the society in promoting scientific research, has been gratefully accepted by the president and council. Sir Albert has made this gift “to mark his sense of the value of research to the community.” He is wise in stating his preference that the income from this capital sum be used “to aid scientific workers by adequate payment and by the supply of apparatus and other facilities, rather than to erect costly buildings.” For years the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETYhas had an Endowment Committee, which has sought funds that will enable research to be undertaken under the auspices of the SOCIETY, but financial support has not been secured on as large a scale as could be wished. Perhaps this example of our friend across the water may lead some American to make a substantial contribution for the advancement of American science.
Congressional Procedure S there another country where the closing days of a lawIacterize making body are crowded with such procedures as charmany sessions of our Congress? Where else can one
man by the simple method of the ‘‘ pocket veto” absolutely prevent an important measure from being discussed and brought to a vote? It may not be generally known that the Rules Committee of the House has managed to obtain such power that bills when presented must go to it, and if it does not see fit to report them out, there is no way of bringing them before the House for consideration. The bill to increase adequately the salaries of school teachers of the District of Columbia is said to have been given this “pocket veto” by the chairman of the Rules Committee. This same chairman and the floor leader, neither of whom was reelected for the next Congress, refused to allow the reclassification bill to come to a vote until the Senate agreed to postpone from July 1, 1923, to July 1, 1924, the date on which its provisions become effective. In effect these two men dictated the procedure. Where else than in our Senate are speakers permitted to discuss anything with the avowed purpose of preventing a decision upon pending legislation? We were taught that when a motion is before the house all speeches must be upon that motion, but in practice ‘Lsenatorial courtesy” makes it impossible to hold discussion within such limitations. The lack of attention given a speaker makes us wonder whether after all there is such a thing as “senatorial courtesy.’’ It is such procedure that makes a filibuster possible, and a filibuster enables a very small group to override the majority, leaving the majority the choice between sacrificing its legislative program or yielding to a filibuster. It was a filibuster conducted essentially by two men that defeated the dye-embargo bill in 1920. Some of these abuses which disturb us would be ineffective but for the way Congress must watch the clock. By law all legislation not passed dies with the Congress. Time can be wasted a t will through many months, but there comes a day when everybody is in a hurry. It is then that filibusters are effective, ill-considered measures have their
