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
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Vol. 6, No.
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EDITORIALS
ON OUR OPPORTUNITIES While t h e eyes of t h e world are t u r n e d upon t h e military activities of Europe, business strategists in t h e United States will not fail t o recognize t h e tempting opportunities offered for making ourselves more independent of foreign supplies. It must n o t be assumed, however, t h a t t h e gaps left in our stocks can be filled b y a simple twist of t h e wrist. We have received hundreds of inquiries as t o where this or t h a t chemical m a y be purchased, who can design a n d erect a plant for producing some particular product, what concern makes t h e machinery for some difficult process of manufacture, etc. M a n y of these letters indicate a distressing lack of knowledge of t h e problems involved or of t h e magnitude of t h e undertakings. M a n y seem t o lose sight of t h e complicated interlocking of processes a n d products in t h e development of manufacture a n d other equally imp o r t a n t considerations. Unless extremely well advised m a n y of t h e proposed ventures will result in failures. A great responsibility is now being placed upon our profession b y t h e sudden cessation of t h e importation of chemical supplies. Chemists a n d chemical engineers have never been confronted with greater responsibilities nor greater opportunities. Their resourcefulness will be taxed t o its limit t o prevent serious interruption of some of our industrial processes, a n d on t h e other hand, t h e soundest sort of judgment will be required t o avoid t h e pitfalls of new manufacturing ventures. hIaking goods is only one phase of successful manufacture. T h e war i n Europe will soon be over a n d t h e impoverished European manufacturer will t h e n comPete with even greater severity t h a n i n t h e past. T h e fickle buyer will lose his fondness for t h e American manufacturer who tides him over this crisis, just as t h e public lose their interest in our soldiers a n d sailors in time of peace. Colleges a n d laboratories will rush abroad with their orders for glassware a n d chemicals as t h e y have in t h e past, as soon as normal conditions are restored. These a n d m a n y other factors are t o be considered in connection with t h e wholesale advice t h a t now is t h e time t o build great American chemical industries. T h e ability t o build t h e plants, develop t h e processes a n d make t h e products undoubtedly rests with t h e American chemists. T h e investor, however, must be advised of t h e shoals ahead for t h e other phases of his enterprise. Public good-will is needed t o sustain t h e efforts a n d share t h e risks of t h e pioneer. A constructive governmental policy wisely administered t o conserve these industrial developments is essential a n d it is hoped t h a t our government will meet i t s obligation a n d foster these opportunities. T h e great advantages of interlocking processes a n d products in t h e large foreign manufacturing plants of Europe can be attained in America only b y t h e active codperation of our manufacturers.
T h a t great opportunities for development a n d expansion have been forced upon us b y t h e European crisis is recognized b y all. T h e success with which we utilize these advantages will depend n o t alone upon our technical skill a n d judgment b u t upon t h e cooperation of manufacturing, consuming a n d governmental interests with a view t o stabilizing t h e new enterprises during their delicate a n d expensive developmental stages. RESIGNATION OF A. M. PATTERSON, EDITOR OF CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS It is with very great regret t h a t we have t o announce t h e retirement of Dr. Patterson from t h e editorship of Chemical Abstracts, because he has been compelled, for a time, t o give u p all confining work. D r . Patterson first joined t h e staff of Chemical Abstracts as Associate Editor in t h e fall of 1908. H e brought t o Abstracts a fund of experience gained during several years of work as a scientific editor, a n d a spirit of devotion t o t h e interests of our Society which have been invaluable. H e soon took almost complete charge of t h e details of management, a n d a year later t h e headquarters were moved from Urbana, Illinois, t o Columbus, Ohio. Shortly afterwards h e was chosen Editor-in-chief. During t h e four years t h a t followed he so developed a n d perfected t h e organization t h a t , in spite of t h e limited means a t its disposal, Chemical Abstracts now gives a much more complete record of t h e world’s chemical literature t h a n all other abs t r a c t journals combined. *This has been accomplished, on t h e one h a n d , b y t h e systematic arrangements which have been made t o discover all sources of publication of original chemical articles in t h e world, a n d on t h e other b y securing a h e a r t y spirit of cooperation a n d loyalty on t h e p a r t of assistant editors a n d abstractors. During all of this time, with a very limited staff in his office a n d under t h e necessity for t h e most rigid economy i n t h e conduct of Abstracts, Dr. Patterson performed a n a m o u n t of routine work in t h e preparation a n d arrangement of manuscripts for t h e printer a n d in t h e reading of proof which would have seemed impossible t o a less faithful a n d conscientious editor. H e also made a careful s t u d y of questions of orthogr a p h y a n d nomenclature for chemical terms, which has made Chemical Abstracts t h e best authority we have in this field. Somewhat more t h a n t w o years ago he assumed other duties which made i t necessary for him t o drop a large portion of t h e work which he h a d beendoing, a n d since t h e n t h e First Associate Editor, h l r . J. J . hJiller, has t a k e n up t h e details of management a n d has now come into full executive control as Editor. Llr. Miller has been connected with Chemical Abstracts for five years, a n d we are extremely fortunate in having such a n able successor t o D r . Patterson ready t o assume t h e editorial chair.
