The Washington herald., 1913-10-31
FOREIGN GOSSIP.
tcOrurisht. lsls. y A. D. I,rob.on.

R~oltAA4nts 1lASt " Ne ~. a1cOD1ousl
The inventor OF the soda now gener-
ally in use throughout the world. the
Belgian chemist, Ernest solvsy. ceie-
brated this month his seventy -fifth
birthday anniversary. also his golden
wedding. and at the same time the
dftieth anniversary of the foundation
by him OF the Solvay Society at Brus-
sells, the first manufacturers of soda
by the SoIvay process. King Albert
OF the Beigians has taken the oppor-
tunIty OF these notable events In the
life OF the eminent scientist to appoint
him grand officer of the Order of
Leopold. and among the other honors
offered TO Mr.. Solvay were the coveted
Layoisier medal presented to him by
the Institute of France" and the
grand medal Of the University OF Paris.
Apart from scientists few persons
realize the great debt which humanity
owes TO Ernest Solvay. Soda has been
described as the bread OF the chemical
Industry. The French chemist, ]. B.
Dumas, has stated that the two great
Inventions of the nineteenth century
were the steam engine and artificial
soda Numerous are the uses to which
the latter is put. It is In daily use in
every household throughout the civil
lied world. in the form of soap lin the
manufacture Oh WHICH IL is the HO8l
necessary ingredient), and IL Is also
used by laundries. paper. glass. and
color manufacturers. chemists. photog-
raphers, for bleaching, and in the man
ufacture of pyroligneous products.
flour. starch. oils, candles. SC. Some
idea OF the immense value of Solvay's
invention to the world, the first patents
for which he took out in the year 1861.
may be gauged by the fact that in 1868
soda cost $55 per ton. 1t is today re-
duced to $50 per ton. At the present
time there are more than 5000 Sol
way furnaces in use, divided over the'
France. Spain. Italy. Germany, Swift
zerland, Austria, Russia, the United
States of America, and Japan.
Solvay's right to be regarded as a pub
lie benefactor Is based upon firmer
grounds than the magnitude Of his in
vention. Solvay is a great humanitarian;
he has been called the Belgian Carnegie.
Born in humble circumstances, (his
father was a salt refiner and respected
for his broad mind and strength of
character. Ernest Solvay, by persever-
ance and energy. saved his invention
from the commercial failure with which
IL was threatened at its commencement.
Like Carnegie also Solvay is great
philanthropist and the fortune that he
has gained as the result of his early
struggles and continued labor he Is dis
tributing for the benefit OF mankind,
more especially in the creation and en-
dowment of scientific institutions and
universities
1t would require more than my allotted
space TO enumerate the different instI-
tutes. universities and schools which
Solvay has either created or very ma
terially assisted. The Solvay Institute.
at Brussels, Is a lasting monument to
the great savants generosity. The
University of Brussels, the Sorbonne at
Paris. the University of Nancy and the
Berlin Imperial Institute of Chemistry
are indebted to Ernest Solvay for his
munificent assistance. Recently he
with the generous endowment
of a million francs each. the Inter-
national Institute of Chemistry and the
Institute OF Sociology, and
again. on the occasion of his present an
he has given several million
of francs to universities, schools. hos
pitfalls and charitable institutes. The Sol
way Society. which was founded to ex-
ploit his process in 1853, is a model in
dustrial undertaking. in the success of
which the workers participate to an ex-
degree.
In politics SOlvay ID a Liberal but.
he was a member OF the Belgian
Senate for several years, be could
never be called an ardent politician. The
lobby was too narrow to contain the
principles and aspirations of such a
master mind. The works that he has
published on ''productivism'' establish
Solvay's political faith, comprising a
system which, based on the principle of
the value OF the individual as a social
force, tends to this logical conclusion
that the only Justice consists in assuring
to each one what he is really worth BY
his productivity.
In recent times Solvay has considerably
helped the educational works OF the
Labor party. but without any political
motive. His firm belief is that the So
luton of the social question will be found
in science, and to that end the working
classes must be educated to realize and
maintain their value as producers.
Among his recent social initiatives Mr..
Solvay has set aside a sum OF LOCO ooJ
frances for the creation OF a bureau to
prepare propositions for social legislation.
a veritable Laboratory of ideas" placed
under the direction OF the well-known
Belgian sociclogist, DIR. Barnich.
In private life Solvay is a man of very
simple habits. In winter he resides in
Brussels, close to his work, and IN the
summer in a suburb. His untiring ac-
tiyity leaves him little time for leisure.
Always an early riser and very late in
at night. he has been the soul
of his many enterprises and when he has
torn himself from his work it has gen.
orally been to study the social problems,
in which he is so deeply interested. Even
when taking a holiday, his tremendous
and energy assert themselves.
as for instance. in his ascent of Mount
Blanc, quite a difficult feat, few years
ago. He is a great pedestrian, and on