Mar., 1921
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
VICARIOUS PUNISHMENT I n t h e enactment of t h e National Prohibition Act, Congress differentiated clearly between alcohol as a beverage on t h e one hand, a n d as a chemical reagent on t h e other. Ample provision was made for prohibiting its use as a n intoxicant, a n d equal emphasis was laid upon t h e encouragement of manufacture a n d facilitation of its use i n t h e chemical industries. I n carrying out t h e former policy t h e Internal Revenue Bureau has been extremely active; b u t only with difficulty, a n d t o this d a y inadequately, has it been roused t o its duties in carrying o u t t h e good will of Congress toward t h e chemical industries. While we clearly appreciate t h e tremendous obstacles thrown i n t h e p a t h of prohibition enforcement b y forces of evil, nevertheless t h e fact stands t h a t through inadequate policing great abuses i n securing permits for withdrawal of alcohol have occurred. I n t h e endeavor t o stiffen up this side, a ruling of t h e Attorney General, as t o distribution of alcohol being confined t o manufacturers a n d wholesale druggists only, has led t o a decision t o make ilzdustrial alcohol suffer, and by this we do not mean denatured alcohol. If these new regulations prevail, t h e facilitation of t h e distribution of alcohol for industrial purposes as intended b y Congress will be seriously interfered with. Another encroachment of prohibition alcohol i n t o t h e domain of industrial alcohol will have been accomplished. These matters are now under active discussion in Washington. Manufacturers of industrial alcohol have joined i n a vigorous protest t o t h e Commissioner of Internal Revenue. It is t o be hoped t h a t before these new regulations are issued, t h e Secretary of t h e Treasury, t h e Commissioner of Internal Revenue, a n d perhaps t h e Attorney General, will give more generous consideration t o t h e needs of t h e chemical industries. These industries a r e performing a service of high usefulness t o t h e nation, a n d as t h e y grow t h e use of industrial alcohol in their operations will constantly increase. T h e chemical industries should not be dealt a vicarious punishment because of t h e shortcomings of prohibition enforcement.
YOUR BROTHER’S KEEPER T h e day’s work is n o t over when our desks a r e cleared or when routine matters have been disposed of. To those i n positions of responsibility a n d power, there are always problems connected with t h e material welfare, a n d with t h e healthy development, in mind a n d spirit, of those who t r e a d t h e p a t h of daily routine. One of t h e broad-seeing a n d deep-feeling men in t h e chemical industry who has given much thought t o these problems is Dr. H. W. Jordan of Syracuse, N. Y. We reproduce with pleasure (page 253) a n article contributed b y Dr. Jordan which, while written i n a facetious vein, nevertheless sets forth a fundamental social principle t h a t requires serious attention from t h e industries. It is hoped t h a t this article m a y catalyze a mass of discussion on this a n d related lines. We should like t o devote a special section of THIS J O U R N A L t o such communications.
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AFTERMATH Correspondence on file i n this office is reproduced herewith: E. LEITZ, INC. New York . December 24, 1920. MR. CHAS.H. HERTZ,[sic] Editor of The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 1 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. DEARSIR: In the December issue of your Journal appeared an editorial “PLAYING THEIR GAME” and inasmuch as no signature is given we look towards you as being responsible for same. This editorial links our firm with a “PINK SHEET” and states that your representative, by telephone, received from some one of our establishment an admission that we are responsible for the writing and printing of the circular in question. We inform you that this statement is a rigid falsehood since you cannot advance the slightest proof substantiating your ascertion [sic]. For one reason or other the accusation has been instituted to cause injury to our business. What means do you intend to persue [sic] to correct this statement? If the desired satisfaction cannot be obtained by us we will have to place this matter into our attorney’s hands for further action as may be necessary and advisable. Yours faithfully, E. LEITZ,INC. per-(Signed) A. TRAEGER, PRES.& GEN. MGR.
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E. LEITZ,INC., 60 E. 10th St.,
Tanuarv 13. 1921. ~I
New York City. GENTLEMEN: On my return from a vacation trip I find your letter of December 24th, 1920. In reply I beg to say that the editorial, “Playing Their Game,” to which you refer, was written by me as Editor oE THISJOURNAL. Letters and memoranda which are on file in this office confirm the statements made in that editorial regarding the writing and distribution of the pink sheet signed “Friends of Science, interested in its development.” The editorial in question was written in the light of the evidence, which includes acknowledgment on two separate occasions by a representative of your firm a t your place of business that the leaflet was written in your office. Referring to the last paragraph in your letter, we shall be glad to give space in THIS JOURNAL to any statement which you may wish to make regarding the facts in this case. Very truly yours, (Signed) CHAS.H. HERTP, Editor Some six weeks have elapsed since our letter t o E. Leitz, Inc., was mailed. Our letter has n o t been returned by t h e Post Office, so we assume i t was delivered. Nor have we received any visit or communication from a n y attorney representing t h e firm. We infer therefore t h a t “the desired satisfaction” has been “obtained” by E. Leitz, Inc. It is difficult, however, t o understand i n what way, for our letter of January 13, 1921, contains practically nothing more t h a n was printed in t h e original editorial. However, as t h e charge t h a t our “statement is a rigid falsehood” has not been withdrawn, we reproduce below t h e evidence in substantiation of our statement. Our representative reported t o us orally on t h e result of t h e investigation as t o t h e origin of t h e “Friends of Science” leaflet, a n d upon this report t h e editorial was written. Later we asked t h a t this report be placed in t h e form of a written memorandum, and still later asked t h a t i t be sworn t o :
