The Detroit times., 1913-07-21

| Wy
gress play Joke on the American
public when, seven
Oenatured years ago. IL enact
Alcohol. ed law permit
ting the manufac-
ture. sale and use OF tax-free dena'
- alcohol This product, which
I'm Vas then expected the farmers
world be able 20 make from potatoes
waste grains. fruits or the refuse
from various crops, would change the
character OF country life completely,
IL was claimed Glowing accounts
were sent out over the country tell
ine how denatured alcohol would be
used 10 light and heat the farmer ;
home. cook the meals. furnish power
70 churn the butter. run the farm
machinery. pump the water and even
take the place OF gasoline as tuel
for the motor car. As one man eX-
pressed il. several days ago, the coun-
| try for a while went "denatured aIco-
lhol clazy" at the time the law was
/ passed.
Congress put the tax-free denatured
alcohol law on the state books. but
/ Americans are doing practically moth.
ing 10 develop the industrial alcohol
! industry. WHY have farmers not
taken 10 the denatured alcohol idea
/ A number OF people have been ask
! inc themselves this question for some
time. but il has remained for Senator
Harry lane of Oregon 10 be the mrs.
! one 10 step up and ask the question
! ont loud having put his inquiries 10
administration officials within the last
! few DAYS. Secretary McAdoo, whose
department administers the law. is
much interested in Senator Lane
ulans 10 uncover the reason or rea-
sons for the law not working out
satisfactorily. and he has requested
! the Oregonian To furnish him with
/ brief on the subject,
Senator Lane believes that the law
: end regulations which now govern the
making Of denatured alcohol are
/ drawn so that IL is practically impos-
( sible 10 make the product at price
tc compete with gasoline He wants
changes made 10 benefit the farming
interests The regulation which re-
stricts the daily output OF an indus
trial alcohol distillery 10 100 gallons
! is the principal trouble maker in the
starting OF the industry in this coun-
I try. no factory can operate econ
omically on such a small output. EX-
! pcrts in both the agricultural and
! treasury departments agree that the
! 100 gallons daily production restric-
tion makes the law as it now stands
somewhat Of a farce. 4 system OF
! inspection by government revenue or
! ficers is prescribed. which is so cost
! ~ 10 the distiller that II becomes inn
possible 10 manufacture industrial al
cohol AZ cost even to approach the
price Of petroleum products.
Farmers canno; distil their own
denatured alcohol now. because the
product must have strength Of not
less than 90 per cent alcohol. To
manufacture alcohol OF such strength
a still costing many thousands OF dol
| lars is required. and department otfi
Gals have yet to find a single farmer
who has been able to go TO such a
large expense Alcohol OF 80 70 60
per cent strength can be made with
a still costing only few dollars, such
as almost any farmer can make
In encouraging the building UP Of
an industrial alcohol industry in this
country, Senator Lane and admins
ration officials with whom he has
talked agree generally that the gov
eminent must guard against the max
ing OF "moonshine" whisky by I'M
scrupulous distillers. who might be
pretending TO make denatured alco-
hol. The Oregonian thinks tnat II
should be as eaEy 10 regulate this mat
ter in the United States as II is in
I Germany, where large amounts Of
potatoes and other agricultural prod
ucts are turned into denatured al
Cohol.
Agricultural department officials
are much interested in the establish
ment Of an industrial alcohol indus
| try In this country, and ii is probable
| that Senator Lane will meet a num-
Der OF them in conference within the
next few days TO discuss the subject.
| According 10 Assistant Secretary Il.
| l. Gallow ay. one OF the greatest needs
Of agriculture today is saving for the
! farmer the money which is lost each
( year in the waste OF surplus or spoiled
crops. which would make industrial
alcohol During the past year the
price OF potatoes was SO low in some
PARTS OF the country that 1t was not
worth while TO dig the crops, and the
! product was allowed TO rot in the
ground. Besides potatoes, the waste
| from corn and other grain crops, sugar
cane, all kinds Of fruits and many
other farm products can be used to-
gether in the manufacture OF indus
! trial alcohol. The denaturing process
is simply the addition of 10 per cent
OF wood alcohol, which is poison. and
one-half OF per cent OF benzine.
! There are approximately one and
| half billion gallons of gasoline used
in the country each year. and Senator
Lane and administration officials do
not expect the petroleum products in
terests to lend much announcement
10 the manufacturers OF competing
fuel which is produced from annual