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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 E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
Vol.
12,
No. 4
EDITORIALS RELIEF FOR THE PATENT OFFICE
On March j, 1920, t h e Nolan Bill, H. R. 11984, which will give t o t h e Patent Office resources for t h e enlargement and improvement of its personnel and general office operations, was passed by t h e House of Representatives. This relief legislation embraces t h e general features which were urged by t h e Patent Committee of t h e AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY,whose chairman, Mr. E. J. Prindle, has worked indefatigably. For a while there seemed t o be difficulty in getting t h e attention of Congress, b u t t h e hearings held before t h e Rules Committee of the House proved t o be a n eye opener. The bill went through t h e Houes without a roll .call, a n d is now with t h e Senate Committee on Patents, Senator George W. Norris, chairman. It is very important t h a t Senator Norris and senators in general should know how strongly chemists favor this bill and t h e pressing importance of its speedy passage. Letters from individual chemists t o their senators and t o t h e chairman would go far toward arousing interest in t h e bill. This seems t o be t h e only thing needed t o assure its passage. It will be a fortunate day for t h e American chemical industry when t h e Patent Office is enabled t o accomplish more adequately t h e purpose for which i t was founded. THE CHEMICAL WARFARE SERVICE
The Army Reorganization Bill passed t h e House of Representatives on March 18, 1920. It contains a section providing for t h e Chemical Warfare Service as a separate unit of t h e Army, with a chief holding t h e rank of brigadier general, a n d with go officers, ranging from colonel t o second lieutenant, and I j o o enlisted men. It was in t h e House t h a t friends of t h e Chemical Warfare Service had most t o fear, for certain members had been outspoken in their opposition t o t h e Service being made a separate unit. This opposition, however, gave way, and now t h e bill goes t o t h e Senate, where i t seems there is absolute unanimity of sentiment t h a t t h e Chemical Warfare Service shall not only be a separate unit, b u t t h a t full provision shall be made for its complete development and thorough efficiency. It is a safe prediction t h a t any changes made in t h e section pertaining t o t h e Chemical Warfare Service from now on will be only such as tend t o strengthen and improve t h e Service. The unexpected announcement of t h e transfer of Major General William L. Sibert from t h e head of t h e Chemical Warfare Service t o the command of Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Ga., was a distinct shock t o all who had been connected with this new branch of our military system. Whatever may have been t h e reasons which led t o this transfer, one thing is certain: As he leaves t h a t Service which he so aggressively developed, General Sibert carries with him not only t h e high personal esteem b u t also t h e genuine affection of all who now
are or who were during t h e strenuous days previous t o t h e armistice members of t h e Chemical Warfare Service. Moreover, while this transfer removes him from t h e Washington atmosphere, nevertheIess t h e clear, logical, and forceful testimony which he gave before committees of both t h e House and Senate made such an impression as t o ensure t h e success of his ideas with t h e Congress, and this we take it is perhaps t h e greatest service General Sibert has performed, for he has done t h a t which will safeguard in large measure t h e future peace of this country. I t is indeed fortunate t h a t as a successor t o General Sibert Lt. Col. Amos A. Fries was available. His fine service in t h e A. E. F. and t h e work he has done for t h e Chemical Warfare Service since his return give assurance t h a t t h e active leadership of t h e Service in t h e future could not have been placed in stronger or wiser hands, Colonel Fries, whom we hope soon t o hail as Brigadier General Fries, can count upon t h e whole-hearted and enthusiastic support of t h e civilian chemists of t h e country. “NOTHING TO EAT BUT FOOD” We have just received Bulletin No. I of t h e Free Trade League, among whose members are noticed t h e The bulletin is directed names of prominent citizens. against t h e bills designed t o protect t h e tungsten, magnesite, zinc, pearl buttons, scientific instruments, and coal-tar products industries. The chief wail of t h e Free Trade League is t h a t great secrecy has shrouded t h e introduction a n d progress of these bills. Secrecy, indeed1 When we think of t h e journeyings t o Washington of all parties affected by these bills, when we think of t h e groaning of t h e Government Printing Office under t h e mass of testimony presented a t public hearings on t h e bills, t h e charge of lack of openness reminds us of t h e plaint of t h e man who sang: Nothing t o eat but food, Nothing to breathe but air, Nothing to wear but clothes and shoes And a hat on the top of my hair.
We don’t imagine Bulletin No. I will have much influence on public thought or on congressional action, b u t we wonder how t h e members of t h e League square t h e t e r m “secret movement,” etc., with legislation which has on two separate occasions been urged b y t h e President in his messages t o Congress, which passed the House of Representatives after a full week of debate, and which now has enthusiastic non-partisan support in t h e Senate. T h e Free Trade League is a little late in getting into t h e game, b u t i t is very amusing t o note t h e combined opposition of t h e American Protective Tariff League a n d t h e Free Trade League t o t h e bill t o make permanent t h e coal-tar chemical industry. The former describes t h e bill as a “grab;” t h e latter says it was GI concocted b y interests.” A strange pair of bedfellows t h a t !
