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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 CHEMISTS AND THE DRAFT
Editor of the .Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: The information contained in the editorial in the January number of the JOURNAL under the caption “The Chemical Service Section of the National Army” must indeed be gratifying to the members of the Society in that chemistry is now accorded, for the first time, a definite and official place in the organization of the War Department’s activities. Naturally, the organization of such a new branch of service must be a t present in its infancy, and subject to such alteration and revision as experience may indicate. At the same time there comes up in the mind of the writer the question-and the same question must present itself to many others-of what will be the status of drafted chemists who may be assigned to this service; that is, whether a drafted chemist will be given the same rank as he might have been given had he sought a commission instead of waiting to be drafted. Any distinction between the rank assigned a volunteer chemist and a drafted chemist of the same training, who does the same type of work, must be an artificial one. Many chemists have been deterred from seeking commissions by considerations such as were expressed in Dr. Parsons’ recent circular letter to the members of the Society; they have had to face the dilemma presented, on the one hand, by the impulse to volunteer their services for work bearing immediately on the prosecution of the war, and, on the other hand, by the obvious desirability of a continuation in their usual work, which, though i t did not deal with explosives or poison gases or gun-metal, was yet a necessary contribution to the public welfare.
By P A U L
WOOTON,
IO,
No.
2
Is the drafted chemist to be given the rank of private, irrespective of what rank his training might reasonably be expected to entitle him to, merely because he has waited for the draft, the selective principle of which may be expected to utilize his ability most efficiently? The question might appear premature, if not foolish, were it not for the fact that some chemists called in the first draft have been put on chemical research in the capacity of privates. One inevitably draws a comparison to the conditions obtaining with regard to physicians. To the writer’s knowledge, physicians drawn in the first draft have been commissioned when they were assigned to medical work. There can be no essential difference between the two cases. To be sure, the term “chemist” (covering as it does everything from a routine analyst to a trained researcher) is a much more flexible one than the term “physician,” which in general represents a more uniform, though not always more intensive, degree of training. Yet it seems almost too obvious to say that the Ph. D. (or in many cases a lower degree) in chemistry, with some years of experience in the practice of the profession, represents as high a degree of training as does the M.D., often without any experience to back it up. The raw M.D. has been getting and does get a commission, if he is a capable graduate of a reputable school. May not the chemist expect equal consideration of the value of his services? The writer believes that some statement on these matters, derived either from information the Editor may have, or from additional information from the War Department, would be welcome and illuminating to many readers of THISJOURNAL. EDWINC. WHITE BRADYUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE BALTIMORE, M D . , January 16, 1918
JAMBS BUCHANAN
WASHINGTON LFTTER Metropolitan Bank Building, Washington
The outstanding feature of the month in Washington was the “workless day” order of Dr. H. A. Garfield, the fuel administrator. Many manufacturers of chemicals joined in the protests against the order which descended almost in the volume of an avalanche upon official Washington. Owing to the shortage in most chemicals, reasons were presented why many manufacturers of chemicals should be included in the exemption list. At the time this is written, however, J. T. Lewis Bros. Co., Lafayette Building, Philadelphia, manufacturers of chrome green, C. W. H. Carter, 8 Ferry St., New York, manufacturers of linseed oil, and all manufacturers of optical glass, are the only chemical industries which have been granted exemption. Numerous others were under consideration, however, and it is anticipated that various manufacturing chemists will be added to the exemption list. During the past two months, decided increases have been attained in the manufacture of many much-needed chemicals. I n fact, the achievements in this direction have been so decided thdt much of the uncertainty expressed as late as two months ago has been dispelled. Greatest concern just a t this time is centered on sulfuric acid, arsenic and ammonia, but the situation in each of these cases has been relieved measurably. Many of the uncertainties, which entered into estimates of the requirements of sulfuric acid for 1918, have been removed, showing that many of the estimates were too high. I n addition, it has been possible to increase the productive capacity of existing plants and it has been found that considerable restriction in the use of acid can be practiced without the serious unsettling of the industries affected. These conditions combine to make the immediate situation less serious, while the activities of the War Industries Board looking to the construction of new plants give reassurance for the future. In this latter work, M. F. Chase is prominent. His new duties made it necessary for him to relinquish his work with the chemical division of the Committee on Raw Materials. A. E. Wells, the superintendent of the Salt Lake City experiment station of the Bureau of Mines, has been assigned temporarily to the War Industries Board to look after the work on acids which heretofore has been handled by Mr. Chase. Mr. Wells has been specializing on sulfuric acid for some time and has just
Vol.
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D. C.
completed a personal visit to practically every acid-producing plant in the country. Special steps have been taken by the Fuel Administration to insure a shpply of coal for the sulfuric acid plants. In order that this may be done intelligently, each manufacturer of sulfuric acid has been asked to report the amount of coal on hand, his monthly requirements and the name of the company supplying the plant with coal. Commendation for Charles W. Merrill has been forthcoming from all concerned in the arsenic industry as a result of the arrangements which he brought about with regard to the regulation of profits and the restriction of use so as to insure ample supplies for noxious gas manufacture and for insecticides. The licensing system has been extended to all those engaged in importing, manufacturing, storing or distributing ammonia, ammoniacal liquor or ammonium sulfate. The enforcement of the regulations which have been drawn up to cover this trade will be in the hands of a n interdepartmental committee headed by Mr. Merrill. The other members of the committee, each of whom is identified, directly or indirectly, with chemical industry, are M. I,. Wilkinson and Carl I,. Alsberg, Department of Agriculture; Maj. Backus, Bureau of Ordnance; I,ieut.-Col. W. H. Walker, Chemical Service Section of the National Army; Maj. M. J. Whitson, Cantonment Division, Quartermaster Corps; Admiral Ralph Earl, Navy Department; Maj. J. T. Crabbs, Interior Department, and I,. I,. Summers, Council of National Defense. I n the campaign for the conservation of ammonia, a propaganda is being carried on looking to the harvesting of as much natural ice as is possible. A price of $75.50 per ton has been placed on the Government’s supply of nitrate of soda. Approximately IOO,OOO tons of nitrates were purchased by the Government in Chile and have been transported to several American ports. It is to be sold directly to farmers, who must agree not to re-sell and to use it on their own farms. Exports uf chemicals during the first eleven months OF 1 9 1 7 reached the unusual value of $171,942,221. This is more t h a n
Feb., 1918
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
$~O,OOO,OOO greater than the value of chemical exports during the corresponding period of 1916. During November, 1917, chemical exports totaled $15,428,809 in value. This was slightly under exports in November of 1916, when they amounted to $17,153,625. Sulfuric acid in November, 1917, amounted to 3,823,898 pounds, as compared with 2,975,602 pounds in November of 1916. For the first eleven months of 1917, exports of sulfuric acid amounted to 57,311,684 pounds, or approximately the same amount exported during the corresponding period of 1916 when exports were 60,361,638 pounds. The more striking increases in exports were in acetate of lime, calcium carbide and glycerine. Increased amounts of chemicals were sent to France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan. Decreased amounts were sent to Russia, Mexico and Canada. I n order to prevent undue inconvenience to the public and to avoid the handling of large numbers of licenses, a very general rule is being adopted by the Government agency issuing licenses to exclude druggists, wholesalers and dealers handling only secondary products. Persons using prime products solely as ingredients in the manufacture of products not subject to license also are being excluded. The Bureau of Standards is taking up a study of methods of analysis for molybdenum, tungsten and metallic products derived from them. Samples are being prepared which will be sent out to be analyzed by a number of experts. Thus conclusions will be reached as to the adequacy of the comparative values of metals employed by various analysts. Out of these returns, it is expected to show just where methods should be improved
I
The absence of opposition to the Garabed invention was emphasized, when, in the midst of a busy day, no one in the Senate objected when unanimous consent was asked by Senator James for its consideration. The bill had been reported favorably by the committee on patents and was passed without opposition or discussion. The Senate Committee made a few corrections in the phraseology but did not alter the salient features of the measure, which had passed the House. I t is believed now that the President will sign the bill. This will put the matter directly up to Franklin K. Lane, the Secretary of the Interior. While there was some decrease in the amount of iron pyrites imported in 1917, as compared with that brought in in 1916, the general policy with regard to imports remained unchanged. Manganese imports in 1917 were somewhat in excess of those of the year preceding. The shipping question has grown more acute, but still there is no organized effort t o promote domestic production of these two important war minerals. In order to meet this situation, i t has been found necessary to attempt to secure legislation. As a result, the War Minerals Committee drafted a bill which would place in the hands of the President, for the handling of minerals, the same wide powers with which he already has been vested for the control of food: The bill has been considered by the House Committee on Mines and Mining. Some amendments have been made, but the bill, with its main features, which follow almost exactly those of the Lever Act, is on the point of being introduced by Representative Foster, the chairman of the House Committee on Mines and Mining.
PERSONAL NOTES
Assistant Professor Reston Stevenson, in charge of physical chemistry in the department of chemistry in the College of the City of Kew York, has been appointed Captain in the Sanitary Corps of the Medical Department of the National Army, and is at present in France. Mr. Howard Adler, assistant tutor in physical chemistry in the department of chemistry in the College of the City of New York, was detailed to duty in Camp Upton, Yaphank, and subsequently placed in the chemical service of the army. Mr. Arthur Davidson, assistant tutor in the department of chemistry in the College of the City of New York, has been appointed in the chemical branch of the United States Army. Dr. Ernest E. Smith, of New York City, has been elected president of the New York Academy of Sciences. Professor Frederick G. Keyes, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has been commissioned Captain in the chemical section, has been granted leave of absence and expects to go abroad soon. Dr. Duncan MacInnes, now research associate in physical chemistry, has been appointed to serve in place of Dr. Keyes. The main laboratory of the United States Fisheries Biological Station a t Fairport, Iowa, was destroyed by fire on December 20. The station is the center of most of the scientific work of the Bureau of Fisheries in the Mississippi Basin. Professor Wilder D. Bancroft, of the department of chemistry of Cornell University, is serving as technical adviser in the U. S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, D. C. On January 12, 1918, Professor H. C. Sherman, of the department of chemistry of Columbia University, lectured before the Harvey Society a t the New York Academy of Medicine on “Food Chemistry in the Service of Human Nutrition.” Dr. R. L. Kahn, pathological chemist of the Montefiore Home and Hospital, New York City, has been commissioned First Lieutenant in the Sanitary Corps, stationed a t the Department Laboratory, Southeastern Department, Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Chas. E. Vanderkleed, formerly director of the chemical laboratories of the H. K. Mulford Company, is now engaged in the manufacture of synthetic chemicals. He is vice president of the Markleed Chemical Corporation, New York and Camden. Dr. Joseph Price Remington, Dean of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy since 1893, died on New Year’s Day. Dr. Charles T. P. Fennel, for fifteen years state chemist in Ohio and later professor of chemistry in the Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, has been appointed to the chair of materia medica a t the University of Cincinnati, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Dr. Julius Eichberg.
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Professor Arthur W. Browne, of the department of chemistry of Cornell University, has been appointed chemical expert of the Ordnance Department. He will continue his work a t Corne11 University. A General Science Hall, erected a t a cost of $60,000, is under construction at Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio. It is expected that it will be completed next July. Mr. C. I,. Brickman was recently appointed chief chemist by the Rex-Hide Rubber Manufacturing Company, East Brady, Pa. He was formerly in the research laboratories of the United States Rubber Company. He is a graduate of Defiance College and the department of chemical engineering of the Case School of Applied Science. The Lenz Apparatus Company, New York City, announces that Dr. W. J. Lenz is no longer connected with or in any way interested in that company. Dr. F. E. Carruth, formerly of the Chemical Division of the North Carolina Experiment Station, is now with the Schaefer Alkaloid Works, Maywood, N. J. The Hon. Sir Charles Parsons, K.C.B., F.R.S., member of the Council of the Institute of Metals (London), is to give the 8th Annual May Lecture before the Institute this spring. The lecturer will speak on the subject of the formation of diamonds. Dr. E. P. Wightman, research chemist of Parke, Davis & Co., of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, has enlisted as a chemist in the Gas and Flame Division of the Thirtieth Engineers of the U. S. A. Mr. Charles S. Purcell, formerly of the Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, Pa., has been transferred to the Boston Station of the Bureau of Chemistry. Professor Charles H. LaWall delivered, on January 17, an illustrated lecture on “Some New and Interesting Vegetable Foods,” a t the Wagner Free Institute of Science, Philadelphia. A society for the furtherance of chemical knowledge and current scientific data has been organized by the technical chemists and chemical engineers of Tacoma, Washington. The president is Paul Van Horst and the secretary, B. H. Bennetts. The work of the National Research Council has expanded so rapidly that it has outgrown the space available in the Munsey Building, and thereforedhe Council has rented the entire building at the corner of 16th and L Streets, N. W., Washington, D. C., occupied until recently by the Fuel Admisistration. The office of the Chemistry Committee will be in Room 24, second floor front.
