The Washington times., 1914-09-20
u. 5. FACING FAMINE
IN COAL TAR DYES
war Cr'ppIes Industry in Ger
many and Substitute Is
Sought Here.

That the war Is working havoc ., ~.
dyestuft industry and that there ioor,.
before the American public the nrosrse,,
OF gsrbing itself in the sober hnas =,
the Puritans OF even In uncoloyed fab
rics oil white, is the opinion II men
well posted on the dyestuff industry.
Most Of the dyes used today are msds
rom the coal tar products. while the
SUNK far into the background of com
H1erc'ai popularity. Tne coal tar dye5
are stronger In color, CAPABLE OF rnu,.b
greater variety of shade. and more
practical for mn5ern uses becaus,, they
tity than the natural dyes.
The natural dyes are for the most
part procured by the natives of south
Amerlca and Asia from the barks oy
.sses. on. from berries. and from the CO.
This is the way the figures NJ M.
aye imports tell the story, OF a to,.1
ot ,S.,IsI.40S for coal tar djstiIlafss
so,9oo,osa came from Germany
measer S650.407 went for the decoctions
ana an ex.racts for dyeing and tanning.
Peru. ina anu
Values For Year.
For the year ended June 20 ,a,a
the total value for coal tar colorz No.
$3.50 III. Of which Germany had the
hon snare The total value of extracts
and decoctions for dyeing was s2. .32o.oss.
In the face Of the cutting OF of ths
German market which has suppIied NOT
only the United States, but the whole
worio with dyestuffs, the query comes
up whether the deficiency can be naos
dyes. OF
Many in the market who sell colored
GOODS do not believe IL il possible to
develop a domestic dyestuffs industry
able to take care Of the needs of Arner,
can mills and finishers.
Fhe need Of capital to build I'm a
plant as complex as dye plant, the
compeution. as soon . the war is con-
GUIDED, that would have to be met from
tne Old and well-established manufac-
torres IN Germany-these are serious
CONSIDERATIONS in undertaking to es-
laohsn aye plants in the United States.
IT has been suggested there. must be
z return to the natural dyes. A glance
at the table of imports is enough IN
satisIy one that 1t would be impossible
10. 70 naintsin a,n the supply if vegetable
% procure, coming mainly from the
Hnns or South and Central America
'nd the barks. berries and other vege,
soIe matter used does not lend itself 10
-. AeSsuFe IN great quantities az La
rue OF the coal tar dyes.
Much Apprehension Felt.
The Possibility of famine in eoto,.ny
uostances is arousing So much appre-
lension that the Suneau of Ch.ui.t-v
ny ne called upon to put its trajned
nr:nists upon the scent of substitute,
The only coloring substances Tint
Z re now Investigated by the bureau are
nose used in the preparation of food
n9 u would be necessary to make an
aiItional appropriation to Conduct re-
earch along the line of textile dives
Dr Loomis. of the Bureau of Chsm-
'tIy. VINO works with food co,orinrs
nd who is generally informed on Ih.
lo1ect OF dyes declares it wilt b. i'm.
ossibfe. TO ptevide a substitute for tSS. <
yestuns which heretofefe have come Z
'om Germany. Many of the procesns
nat are -used have been patented md
ermany has the advantage of having
heap denatured alcohol. which is used
large extent in the manufacture
DR.: Loomis also asserts that the COAL
ar dyes are the only satisfactory dyes
nd II the United States cannot -et
nem II Is up to the people to dress in