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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 C H E M I S T R Y
grade stationery attractively embossed with the SOCIETY pin, which is used in the offices of the President and Secretary. I feel that these contributions t o the SOCIETY’S welfare should be known to all of our members and, accordingly, make this grateful acknowledgment here. CHARLES L. PARSONS, Secretary WASHINGTON, D. C.
LECTURES IN PREVENTIVE MEDICINE HARVARD UNIVERSITY Harvard University announces that Dr. Thomas M. Legge, Chief Medical Inspector of Factories in Great Britain, has been invited t o give a course of Lowell Lectures and the Cutter Lectures in Preventive Medicine for the coming year. These lectures will be given under the auspices of the School of Public
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Health of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Division of Industrial Hygiene. Dr. Legge will lecture in Boston on November 18 and ensuing dates upon the following subjects. The completed schedule of lectures will be issued on October 20. Twenty Years’ Experience of the Notification of Industrial’ Disease. Twelve Years’ Experience of Workman’s Compensation Act and Industrial Diseases. Medical Supervision in Factories. Industrial Poisons and Their Prevention. Anthrax. Fumes and Gases. Industrial Fatigue. Industry as a Subject for Art. Manufacture under the Mediaeval Trade Guilds.
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B y J. B. MCDONNELL, Union Trust Building, Washington. D. C.
So far as Washington is concerned, the question of what protection will be granted the American dye industry by Congress, probably overshadows other things of interest t o the chemical world. The Longworth measure, in brief, provides for increased ad valorem duties, imposes higher specific duties, and has embodied in it the 45 amendments t o the existing tariff law which were recommended some time ago by the United States Tariff Commission. The fight that is certain t o take place on the bill, however, will come upon its provision for a dye import licensing commission which shall have control of all imports and from whom it will be necessary t o obtain licenses for importation of dyes. Passage of the measure, without changes t h a t will make i t materially different, is probable, although the opponents of the measure both among the dye consumers and dye importers have been busily endeavoring t o strengthen their lines in Congress. With what success they have met yet remains to be seen; there is, however, little doubt of its passage. The Democratic members of the Ways and Means Committee, led by Representative Kitchen. of North Carolina, have solidly voiced their approval of an import licensing commission as a means of protecting the dye industry. They have also vigorously scored the tariff imposed in the measure as entirely too high, and unnecessary in view of the licensing feature. Republican members, on the other hand, are in support of the high tariff feature, and the majority are willing to accept the licenqing provision if they are convinced it is necessary. While Chairman Fordney of the committee has declared that “he has little faith” in the licensing provision, he has promised that he “will vote with the majority of the committee members in favor of the bill as it stands.” The sentiment in Congress is practically unanimous t h a t the American dye industry should be protected sufficiently t o insure its continued growth and development. The Republicans are, naturally, protectionists, and the Democrats have before them the fact that President Wilson specifically mentioned the dye industry as one whose growth should be assured through protection. The question remaining t o be solved is the method of protection. So ably was the case of the industry presented before the committee that, with the exception of one or two, members have been satisfied that the main essentials of the Longworth measure are necessary t o proper protection. Representative J. Hampton Moore, of Pennsylvania, recently chosen as the Republican candidate for mayor in Philadelphia, is the chief opponent of the licensing commission. It was the absence from Washington of Mr. Moore, who under a leave of absence from the House was conducting his campaign in Philadelphia, which has been the principal cause of delay in consideration of the bill. Plans t o have the measure called up on September 15 met with failure because of the absence from Washington of Chairman Fordney, who under the rules of the House is formally in charge of the bill reported out by his committee. Representative Longworth has been active in rallying leaders t o t h e support of his measure, however, and several members of t h e Republican steering committee are among its supporters, Representative Moore has been determined in his opposition. It was at his instance that the hearings before the committee
were reopened and several consumers and dye importers were heard by the committee. The reason for his opposition, it is believed, is t o be found among certain textile interests in Philadelphia. Mr. Moore also has held several conferences with Herman A. Metz, who is active in his efforts t o defeat the licensing commission proposal and has charged several times that the American dye industry has not developed as has been stated by the dye manufacturers. The great body of the House will follow the leaders in voting on the measure. Republican leaders will support it because of its high tariff, and Democratic leaders will support it for t h e licensing provision, and although the latter probably will attempt t o reduce the tariff rates, they are expected t o lend sufficient votes t o pass it. Following passage by the House the bill will go t o the Senate. There i t will be referred t o the Finance Committee, of which Senator Penrose, of Pennsylvania, is chairman. I n all probability hearings will again be held on the nieasure before the Finance Committee, and it is safe t o assume that opponents of the licensing feature will attend in greater force, and perhaps, better prepared, than was the case during the hearings before the House Ways and Means Committee. As t o the probable fate of the measure in the Senate, it is yet too early t o speculate. Senator Penrose, however, has said t h a t he will not strongly oppose the licensing commission, having been convinced that a greater number of dye consumers had offered their support t o it than had opposed it. Chairman Fordney has put off consideration of the dye bilk until all of the several other tariff measures which have been acted on by his committee have been disposed of. Early in August the House passed the measure introduced by Representative Bacharach, of New Jersey, which provided tariff protection for laboratory glassware, laboratory porcelain ware, optical glass and scentific and surgical instruments. It provides a tariff on glasswares and porcelain wares, laboratory apparatus, a n d other apparatus and appliances wholly or in part of glass or porcelain, for use in the sciences, or in analyzing or testing or for use in education, of 60 per cent ad valorem. A duty of 45 per cent ad valorem is imposed on philosophical, scientific and laboratory apparatus, utensils, instruments, and appliances a n d parts thereof, finished or unfinished, and preparations, including boxes and bottles containing the same. Dental and surgical instruments are given the protection of a duty of 60 per cent ad valorem and optical glass and instruments, are assessed 45 per cent a d valorem. Some other tariff measures have been passed by t h e House, but these, together with the dye bill, which still is t o be acted upon, must go t o the Senate, and when they will be acted upon by that body depends largely upon the speed with which the Treaty of Peace is disposed of. This may be passed within a short time or it may take several weeks before action is taken. It is hardly possible t h a t either the dye bill or the scientific instruments measure will reach the floor of the Senate before the middle of October a t the earliest, according t o present indications. A supply of German vat dyestuffs, and possibly some other chemicals, is expected t o be received in this country within the next sixty days. Dr. Charles H. Herty, editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, sailed for France
