The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-10-13

Ell LQlnSS CAN De uLAllLtu III I'D MoAu-
facture and doubtless will be now that
the tax has been removed. The de
naturizing" OF it either impure wood
alcohol, mineral oil, fish oil or some
ether substance that would render 1t
unfit for human consumption. Thus
II could not be utilized in the place OF
taxed alcohol in the manufacture of
cheap WHISTLES, patent medicines, es-
sences, perfumes, extracts and the
like in many of which the poisonous
wood alcohol" or methylated spirit,
are used today.
The interest of the public at large
in the new law centers in the build
ing up Of new industries that is GER
tain to follow the operation of the law.
Alcohol is an absolute necessity in the
organic chemical industry, and in the
manufacture of the great majority of
such chemicals large quantities must
be used. Owing to the fact that de-
naturized alcohol has long been pro-
duced practically at cost in Germany,
manufacturers in these lines in that
country have developed their indus
tries so that they now practically con-
troll the markets of the world. They
sell large quantities in this country,
the cheapness of the alcohol enabling
them to undersell American manufac-
turers despite the high tariff. The
total manufacture of fine chemicals in
the United States is valued at less
+han $5,000.000 while the value of
these articles exported by Germany
annually exceeds $50,000,000.
Denaturized alcohol can be used not
only in the manufacture of chemicals,
but in the making of hats, smokeless
powder, Eliminates, artificial silk,
picture frames and holdings, polished
metal goods, electric fixtures, coal tar
dyes, Photographic supplies, pencils,
For some of these purposes grain al
cohol is used, but the cost is exces-
sive on account of the tax. That Is
$1.10 per proof gallon, which is equiv
alent to tax of $2.07 on industrial
alcohol. This tax has forced manu-
facturers to use substitutes of various
kinds, the principal of which is re-
fined wood alcohol, which has injuri-
Gus qualities, rendering it dangerous
to the health of the workers handling
it.
When the bill for removing the tax
on denaturized alcohol was being dis
cussed before a congressional COM
mittee many eminent physicians and
chemists testified to cases by the
score in their experience in which
blindness, permanent illness and even
death had followed the constant use
Of wood alcohol by workers in various
trades. Blind painters, who had lost
their sight vanishing with materials
III which wood alcohol was used, gave
their testimony and begged the com
nittee, In behalf of the workers OF
the country, to pass the bill allowing
the use Of grain alcohol, tax free.
One of the most promising fields fol
the employment of denaturized alco
hol is as a fuel for automobiles, mo
tor boats, cars and in other ways
where gasoline is now used almost ex
clusively. 1t can be produced much
cheaper than gasoline-seven cents 8
gallon was the low figure quoted BY
experts before the congressional com
mittee-is non-explosive, has no odo1
and is in various other ways far supe
rior to gasoline as fuel. It gives 6
much more intense heat in proportion
to the amount consumed than gaso
line. The ease with which it can b
manufactured from corn, corn stalks
cellulose and other products of tn.
farm give promise to the farmers O
Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and 9th
er states where fuel Is scarce and dea,
that the fuel problem is about to b,
solved.
The "denaturizing" is easily accom-
rlished by the mixture of some sub
stance rendering the spirit unfit TO-
drinking purposes. In Germany it i,
mixed with a distillation of bone OF
or coal tar, the proportions being rig
idly fixed by statute. For the manu-
features of inks and varnishes it II
mixed with oil Of turpentine or anima
oil. Under the law passed by Con
gress a few weeks ago the matter tt
be added to the alcohol for denatur
izing It is to be determined by tn,
Secretary of Agriculture.
To make the alcohol out of potatoe,
First crush your potatoes; Their
sterilize them; then malt them; thel
llet them ferment; then the produc