Tie ANSWER ~tcr llout -fhcrfviy. P/ioS&md
•«9J®Bf LoLag
ELECTRIC HEATERS & Controls "C^OH the safe, economical, and •*- efficient application of electric heat, Aminco LoLag Electric Heaters and Controls are the logical choice because they have been giving dependable year-in and year-out service throughout the world for over ten years. For heating fluids, semi-fluids, solids, air or other gases, there is an Aminco Electric Heating Unit that will do the job dependably and efficiently . . . and there is a wide range of standard units of various types and reliable, time-tested automatic controls from which to select, or, Aminco heating specialists can design and build special units for almost any heating requirement. Write for Bulletin
NP-2075
Left: Flexible immersion type or Aminco Electric Heater, available in lengths up to 13 ft., which can be bent easily to fit any vessel and nested t o provide various combinations of heater hea wattages. Below: Pipe-thread type for screwing into various types of vessels. Single and 3-heat types, with or without built-in switches.
Oven-heating Open-coil Type For floor or wall mounting, for grouping in any number or arrangement to obtain desired wattages for heating; ovens, cabinets, e t c
OTHER
TYPES
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AMERICAN INSTRUMENT CO.
NEWS-Scripts Through error the Rohm & Haas Co. and The Resinous Products & Chemical Co., Philadelphia chemical firms, were incorrectly listed in our issue of July 25, 1 9 4 4 , as among firms controlled by the Alien Property Custodian. According to Duncan Merriwether, treasurer of these companies "The management and stock control of both firms have for many years been in t h e hands of American citizens and the Alien Property Custodian h a s vested only a minority interest in the s t o c k " . Our sincere apologies to these concerns.
* * * Substantiating evidence of the soundness of o*ir criticism of drafting highly skilled technologists is found in t h e recent spot checlc made hy T h e Truman Committee. Queries sent out t o 1,000 such j indlividuaMs now serving in the Armed ' Forces insstead of the Production Army I indicate tJiat most of these valuable men a r e not imtilizing their respective skills in j t h e Army or N a v y . One chemical engineer 1 formerly -employed in development work , ooi synthetic rubber i s a company clerk .-: fox: the reason that among his many accomplishments is a knowledge of the "fcfcunt anad peck" system of operating a tygxjwrit&r. Many s i m i l a r examples could b e quoted, butt they all add up t o the fact that the sparit andl purpose of t h e Selective Service System b»ave been ignored. T h e speedy ; liquidation of the German and Japanese malitary forces may lessen the adverse effect of such a short-sighted policy and therefore- public condemnation will not develop s i s i t should. The gamble taken wsis one that should not be condoned, e v e n tho*ugh Hitler a n d t h e Japs scream "lEincle" "tomorrow. The sbmortage of food in Europe appears t o have been exaggerated. While cert a i n specific areas a r e suffering acutely, tfcic oveir-all picture i s better than previously iportrayed. A recent survey by tine Department of Agriculture contains tlhe estimate that food consumption in CZontinemtal Europe, exclusive of Russia, huas been* held at 85 t o 90 per cent of prew a r levels. Nevertheless, demands upon Afc.mericazn agriculture will continue heavy aaid fertilizer demands will show no letup, according t o wcll-tnformed individuals. iVIcamvkfcilc, we pass on t h e Department of Agriculture's prediction that total
production of all crops will top '43 by 2 to 3 per cent and will be the largest in the N a tion's history with tlw exception of '42. Again fear is being expressed in Wsishington that the postwar crop output will exceed our ability to • .t it. Farm chemurgy will get consider ole at tention in the ' postwar plans of sev -al government departments and agencies.
* * * Production of primary magnesium in this country in 1943 was nearly four times that in 1942 and for the second straight year exceeded the combined domestic output since the founding of the industry in 1915. Literally we now have magnesium running out of our ears.
* * * The United States has investments .. amounting to approximately $35,000,000 in natural rubber properties in the Far East. This figure is dwarfed b y the S700,000,000 spent in establishing our synthetic industry.
* * * With the lifting of import restrictions on beeswax and carnauba wax, the former tight position of these t w o important natural raw materials has improved materially. India and Turkey • may become sources of supply for beeswax. *
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T h e Cuban sugar crop (harvesting completed June 1) is of record proportions with the value of sugar and molasses estimated at §300,000,000, as compared with an average of 8130,000,000 for the years 1937 to 1941. Reasons arc twofold: favorable weather; availability of plants « uncut in the '43 season. A large supply of % molasses will help the industrial alcohol situation.
* * * Only 44 per cent of the goal of 8,000,000 tons of waste paper for 1944 was reached in the first six months of the year.
Latest Selective Service Data Brief and clear directions to employees will be furnished from time to time in CHEMICAL, AND ENGINEERING
NEWS as they become available. The latest procedures regarding Selective Service and the deferment of chemists and chemical engineers will be found on pages 1604, 1719, and 2024 of CHEMICAL, AND ENGINEERING N E W S ,
Vol. 21 (1943); on pages 103,131,258. 337, 361, 39S, on the insert in the March 25 issue facing page 446 * and on pages 626, 681, 688, 732, and 982 of CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING N E W S ,
Vol. 22 (1944); and on pages 290 and 385 of Vol. 36 of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.
Silver Spring, Maryland 1444
CHEMICAL
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