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INDUSTRIAL A 9 D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 15, No. 3
EDITORIALS Prepare for New Haven Tc’ SEVERL4Lrespects our Spring Meeting, April 2 to 7, Iyears. will be the most important gathering of its kind in recent The preliminary program, published in the February 20 News Edition, touched upon many of the important and
But when it comes to the old pork barrel-that is different. With an impressive gesture indicating that the people’s interests are to be served, the recommendations of the Department of the Budget and the advice of conservative men have been swept aside and millions added to the sums available for nonessential river and harbor improvements. It is a case of selfish interests vs. an uninformed and indifferent public, and it is a sad commentary on American citizenship that more pressure can be exerted in defense of the pork barrel than for national defense.
attractive features of the meeting. Distinguished foreign chemists have been invited to be present a t the dedication of the Sterling Laboratory. This will be a splendid opportunity to meet them, as well as many prominent American chemists. The SOCIETY has been most fortunate in securing speakers for the general program, and the symposia arranged by the various divisions are sure to prove of great interest. In addition to these features, the AMERICAN CHEXICAL SOCIETY may be called upon to make decisions which will be far-reaching and of fundamental importance in directing the HEN the well is full we forget how much we missed future development of our science. There has already been the water when the well was dry. During the war considerable discussion in various local sections, which should everyone seemed determined to take the necessary steps to give us at New Haven a Council well prepared to consider re- insure a future supply of those raw materials which could ports and suggestions. These men should come with a clear not be obtained in America when importation from many understanding of the opinions of those whom they represent, quarters of the world ceased. Some large investments were and conversant with the problems to be discussed. We can- made to carry out this determination, but to-day there seems not urge too strongly upon Councilors the necessity of fa- to be a general unmindfulness that we were ever at the mercy miliarizing themselves with the topics that may come before of foreign sources for our raw materials. the Council for discussion, so that the final action may without Many experiments for cultivation of our own drug plants question be in the best interests of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL have been discontinued. The development of satisfactory SOCIETY, which is synonymous with American chemistry. surgical instruments has not gone forward and in many lines consumers, forgetting efforts made in their behalf during the war, have returned to old sources merely for a temporary economic advantage. We hear more about the quality of foreign wools than of efforts to meet the demands from our own sheep ranches. The leather industry continues to depend HE WAYS and thoughts of politicians remain unchanged. upon foreign sources and our steel industry imports its mangaAmerica continues t o produce politicians but fails to nese. We are familiar with the battle to retain and develop evolve statesmen. If economy seems to be demanded, the a synthetic organic and coal-tar chemical industry. The politician votes to curtail those expenditures which have the splendid effort made to break a foreign potash monopoly has least effect upon his aspirations and those of his party. met with no American encouragement. One plant continues When politics become involved, economy can go to blazes. its interest in the manufacture of optical glass. The outstanding example to-day is the situation confrontCongress has been willing to discard the best material we have ever had for officers, to reduce our standing Army below ing the rubber industry. A group in the British Empire has the safety point for defense, and to curtail training activities taken steps, which appear to be without economic foundagenerally. The Puavy has been treated with the same short- tion, to advance the price of crude rubber. Some have said sighted policy. There has been no hesitancy in paring down that the debt owing America will eventually be paid by Amerappropriations until our defense of the Panama Canal and of icans who use British rubber and, eventually, British petroour island possessions may be seriously affected. Research, leum. The United States consumes 70 per cent of the which alone can be depended upon to supply knowledge world’s crude rubber, 70 per cent of which is under the control necessary for our defense in chemical warfare, and which of British capital. Notwithstanding prospects for an inis most effective when continued over a period of years, is creasing demand, British legislation has been enacted applythreatened with early extinction for the lack of a few thousand ing an export tax graduated to increase as exportation of crude rubber increases above 60 per cent of the 1920 producdollars. No one, however optimistic, can fail to recognize the dan- tion. There is reason to believe that theaormal demand in gers of our world to-day. Before there has been any appreci- 1923 will be in excess of 1920, so that no legislation was able recovery from the effects of war, if indeed the war has ever required to insure a larger return to the rubber planter. A actually ended, several nations are on the verge of destructive belated inquiry is to be made regarding the possibility of conflict. This is no time for America to throw away her de- rubber production in American possessions and in South fenses. Yet, there are always those to whom the idea of America. We could have no better example of the importance of the saving money by curtailing our military establishment to the point where its effectiveness may be seriously impaired makes element of time in securing raw materials of various sorts. a strong appeal. Some hysterical groups would depend upon Not only does it take years to bring a rubber tree to the production stage, but it takes years to train men capable of mantheir resolutions to abolish all war. Our political friends see popularity for themselves in all aging rubber plantations and familiar with all the tropical these actions which do not endanger their political fences. factors which make for success or failure. We have no schools
The Drying Well
Politics Unchanged
