Nov., 1918
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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 CHEMISTRY
OUR PREPARATION FOR AFTER THE WAR
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I
Address prepared by BERNHARD C. HESSEf o r the Philadelphia Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, October 17, 1918
The AMERICAN CHEMICALSOCIETYhas long since ICAI. SOCIETYnor the American chemical profession completed its preparations for active assistance in should be found among the unprepared. But i t would our war; its participation is in full swing and opera- be an entirely mistaken policy for us t o become so tion and is capable of all needful expansion. The intent upon after-the-war preparedness t h a t we were real business now in hand is for each of us t o contribute thereby and in any way t o neglect, overlook, or omit all t h a t we can t o every effort t o bring t h e war quickly t o even a single win-the-war activity. I a m convinced t h a t there is much of such preparation t h a t we can a successful issue. However, all t h e belligerent countries, including do without taking any of our attention from the our own, have been engaged for some time past, and paramount business before us. Necessarily, some of in more or less official manner, in tentatively consid- these preparations are now in nebulous outline only, ering after-the-war conditions and how best t o pro- b u t they can undoubtedly be made sufficiently convide for them. Some of these tentative conclusions crete for effective treatment if wc seriously take counhave found their way into print. Due t o this neces- sel among ourselves betimes. sary tentativeness all these discussions leave a feeling R E S P 0 N S I B 1L I T Y R E CIPR 0 C A L of confusion on a great many points, yet in them there It is clear t h a t when time comes for action on behalf clearly stands forth the unanimous decision t h a t hereof the AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETYsuch action will after each nation must be as independent of all other have t o be determined and taken, and perhaps taken nations as its resources in men, minds, and mapromptly, by a relatively small number of persons; terials will enable i t t o become. Our own Government has not yet, so far as I a m they can act the more intelligently for t h e Society the better informed they are of the thought of our aware, given out any statement as t o what it may or members on such subjects. There is therefore a may not be thinking of for after the war. I n view reciprocal responsibility. Our Society officers must of t h e greatly increased public appreciation of a n d get the views of t h e members and t h e members must wholesome interest in chemical endeavor as a factor in get their views t o their officers. What individuals our national life,it seems highly improbable t h a t the will have t o act for t h e Society a t such time is now chemical requirements of our nation will not be unknown. Hence, members should proceed now or thoroughly considered in any such plans. Further, with a s little delay as possible t o formulate as well it is not inconceivable t h a t t h e AMERICANCHEMICAL as they can what they want done and get it in such SOCIETY with its more t h a n 12,000 members, meeting in j4 local sections in 33 states of t h e union, may shape t h a t i t can be revised from time t o time and be called upon for assistance, not only in the making promptly handed over in as concrete shape as possible t o those who will have t o carry the burden, when of such plans, b u t also in their execution. Whether so called upon or not, i t is clear t h a t in t h a t time comes. To do this calls in the first instance, a t least, for consequence of t h e very great changes and gigantic no new machinery nor committees nor appointments. readjustments t h a t will then surely take place in t h e economic life of practically t h e entire world, t h e Our splendid Society organization is admirably adapted AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETYand all its members t o take on t h a t load. Our Council is a n advisory body will find ready t o hand many problems of varying t o our Directors and t o our executive officers. Each of our local sections has a councilor for every I O O of scope t h a t must be solved b y us, and solved right and its members or fraction of I O O members. I n addifairly promptly, and which are not connected with tion, we have I 2 councilors-at-large. This machinery Government functions in any way, if we wish t o live ought t o enable us t o get something concrete together up t o the proper and just demands of loyal citizenin a relatively short space of time. ship and of professional responsibility. N o doubt PROPOSED GENERAL P L A N O F ACTION there will be many who will then believe in close affiliation with or even in actual control by t h e Federal As I see i t , if the councilors of each Local Section Government of many matters which others will re- will get the views of t h e members of their respective gard and have heretofore regarded as belonging t o sections and will p u t them into one document with a non-government a1 agencies solely. separate and consecutively numbered paragraph for I n t h e tense industrial, commercial, and financial each recommendation, these j4 documents can then world-wide struggle t h a t is bound t o ensue directly be thrown into one document of numbered paraafter t h e close of hostilities, success will in all proba- graphs, and this single document can go back t o t h e bility fall in a greater measure t o those who have, in local councilors €or additions, if need be. I n t h a t way advance, prepared a comprehensive workable plan we will have compressed into a smallspace the ideas adapted for immediate development and operation, of all our individual members and make them, thereand sufficiently elastic t o allow of effective adaptation fore, promptly available for comprehensive analysis t o changing or unforeseen conditions, t h a n t o those and treatment. Even so, we must not look for a comwho have not so prepared themselves. plete job a t the first trial, and while reasonable care When t h a t time comes, neither t h e AMERICAN CHEM- should be taken a t this first attempt yet the work
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should not be held up merely because it is not a polished job in all respects. Before a job like this is finished there will have t o be a lot of “ironing out” of rough places. Yet it can be done. It has been done, b u t of course on a much smaller scale, by t h e New York Section in respect of the three symposiums held by i t on the relations between universities a n d the industries.’ T h a t r&um6 does not pretend t o offer a complete solution b u t i t nevertheless is a n accurate and workable summary of the papers there treated. This is the same kind of a job, only v e r y much larger. With such a document before them our executive or other officers acting for us a t t h a t time can proceed with greater Confidence, t h a n they otherwise could, t h a t they are acting in reasonable accord with the best obtainable judgment of our members and our members could then look forward t o such action, assured t h a t their proposals had all been given consideration. With me personally this is not wholly a n academic or supposititious matter. If the time for action comes before January I , 1920, I , a s a member of the Advisory Committee t o the President of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY,will, no doubt, have t o bear my proper share of responsibility for decisions reached and actions taken on behalf of our Society. There is ample room for errors both of commission a n d omission. Whenever I consider the large number of rqew and strange problems t h a t may come u p a t such a time I confess I become somewhat uneasy. On some subjects I have very definite convictions, on others I a m less certain of myself, and on still others I have neither information nor opinion. Withal there is the uncertainty arising from the question t h a t applies t o each problem: “ W h a t do the members think about this?” And, again, there is the vexing question: “Have I overlooked anything vital?” With a document obtained as above outlined before me there is no doubt in my mind t h a t I could and would act, with far greater confidence than otherwise, t h a t I was properly considering t h e best judgment of the membership and t h a t I was acting in t h e light of t h e best and most comprehensive information and help obtainable from our members. Beyond question such a document would be of great help t o me personally and I cannot imagine t h a t it could fail t o be so for all those who will have to act in a similar capacity, although I a m in no wise speaking for them nor any of them but myself. MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE
These are extraordinary times and call for extraordinary measures. The membership must take extraordinary steps t o get its views on these topics before those upon whom the burden of wise decision a n d effective execution must fall. Any member who has ideas on these subjects and fails to get them before his councilors is not “toting fair.” Each of us must regard himself as a Committee of One t o do this job and do it promptly. We owe this to our country, t o our profession, and t o ourselves. I a m making this suggestion t o t h e membership 3
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as a whole, because I a m thoroughly convinced t h a t if I did not do so I would fall far short of dealing fair with the members who have honored me with their confidence by placing me among the councilors-at-large a n d upon the Advisory Committee to our Society’s president. When time for action comes we will be standing upon the threshold of a new order of things. We must leave nothing undone t h a t can be done t o make sure t h a t those who are t o carry our burdens for us have then been given every help t h a t it is within our power t o give. Cooperative effort the world over will take o p new impetus and we must not fall behind the new standards of efficiency and cooperation t h a t the world will then begin t o set. Our aim should be to lead in this effort a n d not t o trail after anyone. We cannot then afford t o experiment very much; we should get things right t h e very first time. Of course, those who will have t o make the decision will have the advantage of being guided by events as they t h e n s t a n d , whereas any attempt now to reach a decision as t o desirable or needful policies will be disadvantaged b y the absence of the event. Nevertheless, there must be certain fundamental policies t h a t will have t o be settled regardless of t h e specific event and as to which there is legitimate present difference of opinion. These we should decide as far in advance as possible so t h a t we will have much of our talking out of the way and permit our getting down t o action along these predetermined lines a n d t o meeting new problems as they arise. I n order to visualize a n d t o make as concrete as I now can what in general and in part is in my mind I will proceed to illustrate, with as little detail as may be, some of the problems t h a t have presented themselves to me. Broadly, these divide themselves into two classes : internal a n d external, a n d under each are the two subheads, with or without co-action with our Government, Federal or otherwise; some are of a mixed nature. I shall not now a t t e m p t t o arrange this material in a n y rigidly logical or connected order for I regard t h a t a t present more a hindrance than a help. DIRECTED GROWTH O F CHEMICAL K N O W L E D G E
Our Society was organized in 1876 for the “advancement of chemistry a n d the promotion of chemical research.” Through its general meetings, t h e meetings of its Local Sections, a n d the publication of three separate journals, much has been done toward disseminating chemical knowledge among American chemists and providing efficient vehicles of scientific record and communication. This is no small accomplishment. But t h a t is now out of the way and is running itself. Can we not now do something new t h a t is just as necessary as the above was in 1876,a n d just as nebulous and difficult as the problems then tackled? Shall we continue merely t o be a recording agency a n d a means of communication? Can we not take a n active and effective part in determining, at least in some degree, how and in what directions and t o what extent chemistry shall advance a n d chemical research shall be promoted? Are we to-day engaged
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in the kind of pioneer work that the founders of our Society did in I’876? I a m inclined t o think t h a t t h e answer must be “No!” t h a t is, we are not breaking new ground, although we are very effectively cultivating old ground. Ought we not do more? I think the present war has taught us t h a t we should a n d must. Certainly, t h e creative part of research, in its truest sense, we cannot expect t o control or guide. Nevertheless, it is of importance t o t h e country and t o our science, once a general reaction or property has been discovered, say, b y Mr. A, t h a t t h e full details and scope thereof shall become known a n d recorded with the least delay. Why should not Mr. A (or Miss A, for t h a t matter) be placed in a position where, through the cooperation of others, those details can be promptly worked out carefully and under good supervision? There is no insuperable obstacle t o giving A credit for t h e reaction and B, C, D, and so on, credit for t h e detail.: t h a t they may determine and fix, b u t it is not a n easy thing t o do. If t h a t could be done it would relieve those who do not have a sufficient number of cooperating students t o enable them rapidly t o work out t h e large amount of requisite detail, from such detail work, and would permit them freely and without the restraining thought of not having completed t h a t other work, t o engage in new work in which they could use their creative and constructive ability t o better advantage. POOLISG M E N , M I N D S , A N D M A T E R I A L S
But, t o take this subject out of t h e field of clashing priority and similar claims, let us consider another phase. There are gaps a-plenty in our knowledge of theoretically foreseeable preparations, inorganic and organic alike. Why n o t have these gaps charted and the work of filling them in by our colleges a n d universities codrdinated, directed, and, if need be, s u p p o r t e d b y our Society? To be sure, we would have t o feel our way very carefully a t first, b u t the fact t h a t i t has not been done is, in this case, no reason why i t should not be attempted. Not t h e smallest good from such a work would be closer acquaintance between our various instructional and investigational laboratories and encouragement to investigation by students, b u t fields abandoned by their original workers would be kept in mind and further developed when opportunity offered; continued a n d balanced growth of our store of fact-knowledge would result. Further, there must be any number of reactions for identification and differentiation, modes of separation, and the like, which are awaiting discovery and recording. Can it be t h a t it is impracticable for t h e laboratories of this country t o “pool” their resources in students, instructors, and facilities, a n d systematically t o work out these fact-details? I a m convinced t h a t it can be done and I believe t h a t our Society is t h e proper agency t o effect such “mobilizing,” t o use a war-time expression, of our country’s resources in men, minds, a n d materials. It will not do t o say, “it can’t be done.” I t is proportionately not as difficult as t h e job t h e founders of our Society tackled in 1876. I a m convinced t h a t t h e AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETYhas become so strong and so large t h a t it is under obliga-
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tion t o the country t o do everything t h a t can be done once and. for all for t h e benefit of all the chemists of the country. This particular job of getting a line on t h e unworked and abandoned chemical fields, lining up our country’s resources i n institutions and personnel, distributing t h e work t o be accomplished, publishing the results, attending t o i t t h a t t h e “moppers-up” follow as close on t h e heels of investigators as circumstances will permit, and keeping t h e whole work in proper alinement is peculiarly one t h a t our Society should undertake. GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF CHEMICAL R E S E A R C H
If we do not do it, i t is not unreasonable t o expect t h a t our Federal Government will, sooner or later; perhaps t h a t may be a good thing, b u t I a m inclined t o think not. If we chemists cannot efficiently direct t h e new growth of chemical knowledge, the Federal Government also probably cannot; if we will not then our Government would be perfectly justified in taking a hand, an event already foreshadowed in proposed legislation of t h e Sixty-fourth Congress. We must be prepared t o find t h a t hereafter those governments t h a t are spending large sums on chemical research are going t o view t h e field as a whole and are going t o determine in large measure what is t o be investigated a n d t o what extent and, further, t h a t they will not be over-communicative on such matters as may affect national interests, external or internal. I n t h a t event, our country will be disadvantaged. On t h e other hand, if we so order our affairs t h a t our resources are “pooled” or “integrated,” as the latest stylish legal expression has it, and our efforts are directed as a unit and t h e other countries do not, we will not be a t any disadvantage a t any rate. The choice, th’erefore, as I see i t is: if we do we will surely not be h u r t ; if we do not, we may be hurt. The answer is not in doubt: The Boards of Editors of our “Journal,” of our “Chemical Abstracts,” and of our “Journal of I n d u i trial and Engineering Chemistry,” will serve as an excellent starting point. The final answer lies with us, as members, and with no one else. A ME R I C A N H A N D B 0 0 K S E S S E NT I A L
I n ISOI seven of t h e European languages were spoken by 161,S00,000people. Arranged in t h e order of t h e size of their percentage participation, these languages are: French..
.....................................
......
Spanish ...................................... Rnelish ...................................... Italian ..... Portugu
......
......
......
......
......
19.4
19.0
16.2 12.7
9.3 4.7
I n 1911, jS~,ooo,ooopeople spoke these seven languages; arranged in t h e order of their percentage participation they are:
...................................... ......................................
English German Russian ...................................... French . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Italian. .........................
..... ..... .....
.......... ...........................
27.3 22.2 17.1
.
11.9
8.6
8.6 4.3
If now we divide t h e 1911 plercentages by the 1801 percentages, we will get t h e “growth-rate” for each of these seven European languages; t h e result is
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Fortuguese .
..... . . . . . ... . . ....., . ... . . . . ......
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T h a t is, English a n d German were t h e only languages t h a t really grew and English grew 181 per cent as fast as German. To-day our Society publishes three chemical journals, each in its field t h e equal of anything published in any language; this was not t r u e 5 0 years ago nor even 30 years ago. This progress is highly gratifying a n d augurs well for the future. But how about those storehouses of t h e s u m total of our chemical fact-knowledge and references t o t h e original sources which are t h e indispensable tools for research? Has not t h e time come when for very good and practical reasons, we should have our nwn handbooks? Why should we be compelled t o go t o Beilstein for fundamental information in organic chemistry, t o Gmelin-Kraut for inorganic, and t o Stohmann and Kerl for industrial information? O r t o Morely and Muir of England or Thorpe of England? Or t o Wurtz of France o r Fremy of France? We have made ourselves independent of t h e Centralblatt; why can we not go t h e whole length? Why should not th,e leading publications of this kind be in t h e world’s leading and most rapidly growing language? I t is clear from European experience t h a t t h e only way t o keep publications of-this sort u p t o date is by putting t h e m under t h e control of organizations like our Society, which provide continuous editorship and can expand i t if need be, and we all know such need. These are only a few of t h e things t h a t can be done once and for all for the benefit of all American chemists and I earnestly propose t h a t the AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY do them. Of course, we cannot hope t o do all these things or substitutes for them at once, b u t if we members will set down in black and white all t h e things we are convinced our Society should do and keep t h a t list of “Wants” u p t o date, our responsible officers can plan more wisely t h a n t h e y otherwise could, what things shall be undertaken, and how and to what extent. The initiative lies with us as members and not elsewhere. Without a complete picture of t h e enterprises t o be undertaken our officers cannot as safely proceed as they otherwise could. If our Society will undertake these new enterprises o r some of them, then we will be “advancing chemist r y and promoting chemical research” more nearly in the sense our founders had in mind in 1876, t h a n if we refrain from so doing. I T HAS B E E N D O N E B E F O R E
The physicians, t h e medical societies, and t h e medical colleges of this country about IOO years ago and after almost 3 years of cooperative labor published the first U. S. Pharmacopoeia (which has been revised decennially ever since and latterly in cooperation with pharmacists, pharmaceutical colleges and societies a n d several of t h e United States Government services) and have produced a work which for decades has been t h e premier publication of its kind in t h e world. I t
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simply cannot be t h a t we chemists cannot do equally well b y t h e fact-material of pure and applied chemist r y , inorganic, organic, physical, and theoretical. The procedure involved in effecting these proposals is not a t all new for this country; t h e only novel feature is t h e materials upon which i t is proposed t o operate; t h e critical, painstaking research and sifting inseparable f r o m the Pharmacopoeia would not be so prominent a part of these proposals where close reading and full, accurate recording, based upon systems already in existence or t o be created, are the prime essentials. Other like successful cooperative American efforts are, no doubt, known t o each of you. If we undertake t h e work now under discussion there will still be gaps between revisions during which i t might be desirable or even necessary t o publish supplemental volumes or independent systematic records of interim progress like one or t h e other of t h e yearbooks t h a t have been published abroad in the past, or on t h e general plan of t h e annual progress reports which, for a short time, our Society published, or of those published b y t h e American Pharmaceutical Association for so many years. O U R J O U R N A L S A N D OUR G O V E R N M E N T
There is probably no government t h a t is so lavish in publishing, in good readable form, matter from all parts of t h e world for t h e benefit of its citizens as t h e Government of t h e United States. It is probably true t h a t there is no people t h a t is so indifferent t o t h e efforts of its Government t o enlighten i t as t h e people of t h e United States a n d t h a t includes us chemists. Apart from a very limited number of our trade publications, our chemical journals have not made any sustained or systematic effort t o go through the valuable material so made accessible, digest i t for their respective readers so t h a t we could with any degree of confidence go t o t h e volume for a n y one year and find, for example, t h e important features of t h e world’s and our own development along lines of chemical industry and its specific trends and particularly t h e extent and nature of our dependence upon foreign countries in this regard. It took this war t o wake us u p t o this matter and our Directors have recently set aside a fund t o enable The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry t o try t o supply t h a t feature, a n d our first efforts in t h a t direction are t o be found in its September 1918 issue. To be sure, this is a new venture and it would be unreasonable t o expect t h a t We are doing t h e best we had scored a “bull’s-eye.” we can in this, to us, new field; we are feeling our way; you may want t o call i t “groping” and perhaps you are right. If any of our members have suggestions for betterment they can rest assured t h a t those suggestions will be welcomed b y those who have charge of t h a t field. This work is couched in modes of expression and proceeds from points of view t h a t are unfamiliar t o most of us; t o grasp its message in all its bearings we will be compelled, in effect, t o acquire a new language a n d a new mode of thought. But t h a t is ouuy job. If a n d when we get our bearings in this branch of Government publications, we will t r y t o extend our
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work t o other suitable branches. It is not too much t o hope t h a t in t h e course of a few years we will have developed this work t o such a n extent t h a t THIS J O U R N A L will annually contain a bird’s-eye view of international trade and production, by countries, of chemicals, chemical products, and materials of and for chemical industry practically t h e world over. There is so very much room for varied elucidative presentation a n d treatment of matters of this kind t h a t i t is earnestly t o be hoped t h a t other chemical publications in this country will enter this field each with a n eye t o t h e main requirements and viewpoints of its own readers. T h e more angles we can get from which t o view these matters t h e better for our country and our profession. Among t h e benefits of this work t h a t I look forward to is not only t h a t of giving us of t h e present day a bird’s-eye view of t h e chemical industry of t h e world a n d more particularly of this country, t h a t is, a view of t h e thing as a whole, b u t further, t h e opporturity it will afford for t h e oncoming chemists of to-morrow gradually t o absorb this viewpoint b y specific instruction or otherwise on their way through college o r other courses of learning with the result t h a t when they take their places in our profession and our business, comprehensive view and understanding of their function in t h e industrial a n d economic fabric as a whole will come almost as second nature t o them. T h e proposals I have so far made call primarily for no extraordinary help from our Federal Government, though i t is no doubt t r u e t h a t as we progress i n those fields we will be able t o make practical and practicable suggestions for betterment or expansion of such Governmental publications and activities. O U R CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE
There are, however, matters in which special Governmental work is necessary. AS a n example, take t h e matter of t h e nature a n d extent of our dependence on foreign countries for chemicals, chemical products, and materials of and for chemical industry. The material published prior t o 1914 was not adapted t o giving effective answer t o t h a t question. There was not enough detail. The first step in this direction was taken when t h e Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce late in 1916, under t h e direction of Dr,. Thomas H. Norton, published what has since come t o be known in general usage as t h e ‘(Korton Dye Census.” Early in 1917, as t h e direct result of a suggestion made b y Dr. Norton in THISJ O U R N A L , arrangements were initiated b y our Society with t h e Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce for similar treatment of imports in 1913-14 of all chemicals, chemical products, a n d products of a n d f o r chemical indusf r y other t h a n dyes, and along t h e general and composite lines followed in a number of foreign countries and our own country. It took considerably over a year t o get all those details straightened out a n d then it took several months t o locate a chemist t o supervise t h e work and then some considerable time t o get t h e necessary invoices and working staff together. B u t all t h a t , happily, is now behind us a n d we can look forward t o a list of about 4000 items for which t h e Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce will give
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us t h e amounts and values of each item and t h e countries of origin of our imports for t h a t period, t h e last peace-year before t h e war. Now t h a t we are practically “out of t h e woods” on t h i s phase of the work, i t seems incredible t h a t we should have had t o spend so much time getting where we now are. The reason is not Government “red-tape”-not by any means. Very little of t h a t was encountered. T h e answer is not simple: in t h e first place i t took a long time t o analyze t h e problem into its elements because we chemists did not know exactly what we wanted and of course t h e Government officials could not guess what we wanted. I haunted many offices in Washington and in New York trying t o find out what we needed a n d t o get i t into workable shape. I n t h e second place, when we got things boiled down t h e only available way looked t o be such a tremendously rocky road t h a t we spent quite some time looking for “short-cuts” b u t t o no use. There was nothing for it b u t t o arrange with t h e Treasury Department t o have each of t h e approximately IOO ports of entry segregate from a total of over 500,ooo invoices those invoices containing t h e desired material. T o pick out this material from Table 9 of t h e Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce did not take long, once I h a d made u p my mind t h a t I could not get a n y substantial help in t h a t direction from t h e membership-at-large of our Society, although certain few Sections did give me great help. I a m perfectly fair when I s a y t h a t t h e greatest single cause of delay was due t o my attempts t o hear from our membership, a n effort of great magnitude consuming practically eight months. The reason behind t h a t is no doubt our own inexperience in these matters, and I a m very sure t h a t i t was not due tounwillingness in any degree. However, t h a t is behind us. When t h a t publication appears, as I hope i t may in February 1919, I a m sure t h a t t h e Committee on Import. Statistics of our Society appointed last month a t o u r Cleveland meeting will have t h e benefit of every constructive criticism our membership can make. I t is too much t o expect t h a t our first effort is perfect, b u t we do hope for “better luck” next time. This publication, then, in connection with t h e Norton Dye Census, will be t h e best information we can get as t o t h e nature, extent, and scope of our chemical dependence upon foreign countries in 1914. Excepting dyes for t h e moment, which seem t o need no further help from our Society, and turning t o t h e other materials, there is one thing t h a t cam be done once and for all for American chemists a n d which should be done and is being done b y t h e AYERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY;t h a t is, t o translate all manufactured and semi-manufactured products into needful raw materials a n d their amounts and t o classify these a s of mineral, animal, or vegetable origin as well as t h a t can be done. Unless present tentative plans go wrong t h e Geological Survey and t h e Department of Agriculture will tell us in suitable publications where those raw materials come from and which of t h e m can be (and perhaps those which ultimately shall be) obtained in t h e United States, t h e object of these being t o enable us more speedi1.y and more certainly t h a n otherwise t o
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give full force and effect t o our Declaration of Chemical Independence towards which we now have such magnificent results t o our credit, and whose advantages we should never relinquish but, on the contrary, should unremittingly protect a n d energetically develop. I hope t h a t when we similarly record the imports for the first peace-year there will be only 2 0 0 0 items of imports with big reductions each succeeding year until we have brought our chemical dependence t o its irreducible minimum. I n order t h a t this result may be further hastened the Tariff Commission may tell us in a suitable publication about the industrial uses of each of these entries. PROMPT SPECIFIC RESPONSE ESSENTIAL
I h a t e dwelt upon this particular enterprise of our Society a t this length not only because it is important as such b u t also because it shows t o what extent a cooperative effort can be blocked through oversight. If more of our Sections t h a n did had notified me promptly t h a t they could not be of service, t h e work would have been pushed ahead faster in some other direction; but, without seeming arbitrary or highhanded, I could not, in fairness, do otherwise t h a n I did, and I therefore hope t h a t in all future cooperative efforts Sections will understand, and act accordingly, t h a t time limits set must be observed and t h a t before the expiration of t h a t time limit t h e y will definitely express themselves either by giving help or b y stating t h a t they need not be waited for, as one Section did to my great comfort. Then those who have t o do our work know where they stand and can act accordingly. With this piece of work, t h e result of cooperation between a t least six Government Bureaus, Departments, or Commissions and our Society, completed, i t is not too much t o expect t h a t in t h e future when we will have time t o look more closely into t h e s t a t u s and possibilities for development of our industries or t h e betterment of our national research, educational, or other facilities, ways and means of further effective codperation with Government agencies, Federal or otherwise, will readily be found. DUTY-FREE CHEMICALS AND APPARATUS
If the reports, spread both by word of mouth and through the press, t o the effect t h a t our college a n d other chemical laboratories have been greatly hampered since the beginning of t h e war for lack of certain supplies, both apparatus a n d chemicals, which formerly came t o us from abroad have actual foundation in fact, should we not carefully study t h a t question, come t o our conclusion as t o t h e remedy, if a n y , a n d forcefully present i t in such quarters as may be needful t o prevent recurrence? Have we not been too complaisant, both in college a n d out, as t o this dependence upon foreign supply sources? Have we not perhaps too actively helped along t h e idea t h a t foreign laboratory chemicals, foreign filter paper, foreign test tubes, foreign microscopes, foreign porcelain, foreign glassware, a n d foreign-almost-everything were t h e real a n d only things t o use? Have we really encouraged domestic makers of related materials t o ,supply these
IO,
NO.
II
things from domestic sources and manufacture? What percentage of our laboratories in 1913were of allAmerican equipment? Have not our colleges contributed a great deal to t h a t state of affairs by using foreign-made goods so extensively in their equipment of those laboratories where most of us received our introduction t o materials of this kind? I presume we will all agree t h a t it is of vital national importance t h a t our colleges, universities, and t h e like be kept a t all times a t top-notch ability and t h a t measures should be taken to prevent their being crippled a t any time. Would it help matters any t o abolish our practice of many years’ standing ; namely, duty-free importation of materials of these kinds for scientific, philosophical, and educational purposes? Perhaps not, b u t should we not know what O U T opinion on t h a t point is and should we not now a n d thoroughly go into it again with t h e events of the past four years clearly in mind? I will not attempt t o give a categorical answer, b u t will merely ask: If i t be proper t o tax dyes t o t h e end t h a t we may have a domestic dye industry for the ultimate purpose t h a t large domestic dependent industrial interests may never again be placed in jeopardy, may i t not also be proper t o t a x foreign-made educational and scientific materials to the end t h a t these be made here and for the ultimate purpose t h a t our educational and scientific undertakings dependent thereon may never again be placed in jeopardy? This is a question t h a t requires a great deal of thought and one t h a t cannot be settled off-hand; furthermore, i t is a question t h a t may require Federal legislative or other action. CHEMICAL COMMERCIAL AGENTS
If chemistry and chemical industry be really so essential t o national welfare as they are now quite generally accepted as being, should there not be more and effective chemical talent embraced in our foreign consular and similar services t h a n there has been? Should not the AMERICANC H E M I C A L SOCIETY get a t the facts, form an opinion, and be prepared t o express and follow up t h a t opinion? This may involve added Federal administrative action. These problems are some of t h e very many t h a t have been in my mind in a more or less general way a n d are probably fairly typical of all the rest. B u t there is just one other big a n d very handsome thing I should like t o see done, a n d I believe the AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY really ought t o do it. It is not truly a war measure, although its utilitarian side WAS made more readily discernible b y the war. It has considerable utilitarian or sentimental possibilities, as you prefer, through t h e encouragement t h e beginner or even a n “old timer” in chemistry can get from i t when things look very “blue” a n d t h e world is “all wrong,” quite a p a r t from t h e new ideas t h a t i t may help engender. AMERICA’S
CONTRIBUTION
T O CHEMISTRY
What I have in mind is t h a t the contribution o f America’s chemists t o the science and industry of chemistry is n o t as well known as it should be nor is i t a matter t h a t could be readily ascertained, a t any rate
Nov., 1918
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
not before 1914. Professor Edgar F. Smith, by his books “Chemistry in America” (published in 1914)and LL T h e Life of Robert Hare” (published in 1917)has most auspiciously inaugurated the work of worthily presenting the labors and triumphs of America’s chemists. Could the Fiftieth Anniversary of the AMERICAN C H E W ICAL SOCIETY, which comes in 1926, be more fittingly marked and celebrated than by a Jubilee Volume, which contains as compact and complete an account as could then be made of what American chemists have done? From 1768,the date of the earliest known American chemical research, t o 1926 makes a span of I j S years. Just think of the tradition, concrete and tangible, crammed to the bursting point with the triumphs and trials of Americans, t h a t would be contained in such a volume. Could any one appraise in dollars and cents or otherwise the value of the stimulation t o and the enthusiasm for more and better work on the part of America’s then chemists, from beginner to old-timer, t h a t such a volume would create? Could we give the Nation a better or more dependable means of appraising the value of chemistry in its affairs? Incorrect knowledge of national achievements and capabilities is a national weakness; correct knowledge is a nstional strength. I know t h a t our Society has many burdens t o face in the near future, but could we not find time and opportunity for this work also? O U R X E M B E R S I N THE S E R V I C E
It may safely be taken for granted t h a t those of our members in Service, both at home and abroad, are acquiring new points of view as t o what the future course of action of America’s chemists should be
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and t h a t they are formulating more or less definite CHEMICAL SOCIETY. lines of action for the AMERICAN When they come triumphantly home they will expect to find our Society prepared to receive, consider, and t o act upon their suggestions. N o doubt, a t meetings of our newest Section, “for the entire territory of France,” this subject will be threshed out more or less formally and conclusively. Should we not then be able t o match their plans with something we have planned so that we can compare the two programs and act upon the result with the least delay? Would any other course be fair to them? CONCLUSION
I a m fully aware t h a t in proposing pre-peace preparedness a task of very great dimensions is being opened up. Rut can we, in good conscience, do less? Our faces are set toward a future filled with perplexing problems; much effort will have t o be p u t forth, not all of i t can succeed. Many or even all of my suggestions may be impracticable or impractical, my present view to the contrary notwithstanding; t h a t is something we must each and all individually be prepared t o face; t h a t should not and must not, in these extraordinary times, deter any of us from making all suggestions t h a t t o us seem proper. An imperfect suggestion may well contain the germ of a valuable plan. Neither personal pride nor fear of chagrin must in these times make us shrink from contributing whatever we can; fear of personal failure must resolutely be put t o one side. We must accustom ourselves t o “thinking out loud;” not all thoughts bear fruit, but t h a t is no reason whatever why we should not now (‘think out loud.” 25 BROADSTREET N E W YORE CITY
CHEMICAL MARKETS IN THE U N I O N OF SOUTH AFRICA B y 0. P. HOPEINS.Washington,
The Union of South Africa is a self-governing British dominion comprising the Cape, S a t a l , Orange Free State, and Transvaal provinces, the total area of which is 473,075 sq. mi. with a population of 5,973,394, of which 1,276,242are whites. Mining and agriculture are the chief industries, b u t the output of gold and diamonds easily exceeds in value all other products. The principal mineral products in 1914 were gold, $173,560,000;diamonds, $26,703,000;coal, $10,847,000; copper, $3,369,000;tin, $1,515,000. Manufacturing is still in a backward state despite the war stimulation and recent earnest discussion of plans for promoting industrial development. The manufacture of wattle-bark extract for export, in place of the bark formerly taken largely b y Germany, is a war industry, and there has also been a marked increase in sugar production. The diamond and ostrichfeather industries, on the other hand, have been very adversely affected b y the war. As a whole, the Union has had its share of war prosperity, the fly in the ointment being the high prices of necessities, which, as in other countries, have counteracted t o a large extent the high wages received b y the poorer classes. The per capita purchases of heavy and fine chemicals
D. C.
are high, so t h a t the Union is a more attractive field for the sale of such products t h a n many of the more thickly settled countries t h a t receive more attention from our manufacturers. The principal difficulty lies in the fact t h a t the mother country does the bulk of the business and in all likelihood will continue t o do so. American products are well and favorably known, however, and a steady expansion of the business should be possible, especially in view of the fact t h a t there are certain German lines t o replace, although it should be recognized a t the start t h a t this is one of the markets t h a t Teuton chemical products did not dominate. An idea of the extent of the market for chemicals and allied materials and products can be gained from t h e following table, which shows imports b y principal classes for the calendar years 1914, 1916 and 1917. It should be borne in mind t h a t there was a dislocation of trade during the latter part of 1914, wherefore t h a t year should not be considered normal. The total imports of all classes of goods into the Union in 1914fell about 2 0 per cent below the total for 1913;in value, the imports for 1916 correspond very nearly t o normal.
