The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-04-13
THE HAWAIIAN GAZETTE
IoDl 1oE IDHoR ru ssse s0ssNo SaaT
Serious SITUATION

1 Il ~ 4 =.
DRIEF wireless press messages have been re-
~ eeived BY The Advertiser during the past ten
days telling Of the predictions Of Congressman
Metz Of New York, who Is a dye manufacturer,
that u quarter Of million american operatives
win be thrown out 81 work through the shutting
down of American textile factories should the
supply Of aniline dyes from Germany be shut off
BY the British trade embargo Representative Metz
has led delegation 10 the White House to secure
governmental aid in securing a revision OF the
British order in council while he has belIigerently
ADVOCATED the "kicking few holes in international
law by the United States.
/. In the meanwhile, according to Associated Press
mail adyces to The ADVERTISER representatives Of
the American textile industry are now in London
for the purpose OF bringing tothe attention Of the
British government what is said to be a critical
condition growing out Of the threatened failure Of
the dye supply from Germany. Pressure is being
brought to bear to keep the trade routes open for
dye Shipments from German ports.
II is estimated roughly that an annual output
of FIVE hundred million dollars worth Of silk. wool
en- and cotton goods manufactured in the United
States can reach its finished state only through the
use Of DIVES made in Germany. OF these essential
ply according to information furnished by the tex
tile representatives. Three ships are at this writ
ing In German ports loaded with dyes consigned
to America valued at $60OoO00 sufficient to sup
ply the American mills until August.
The war has disclosed condition with respect
to the American textile interest and its dependence
upon Germany for dye which, while well known
to the experts. will surprise in lay circles
At ante-bellum prices the actual value OF dyes in1
ported annually from Germany was about ten mill
lion dollars or only about two per cent of the total
value Of the product to the finishing and market
ing OF which these dyes are absolutely indispensi-
bic. That such condition was permitted to con-
tinue arose from the fact that the processes of dye
manufacture while not precisely secret, are highly
skilled and may be acquired and applied CONNER
cially only by long and painstaking experimental
ton %i
There are said to be no fewer than twelve hun
dred chemists holding diplomas from the great
German universities, employed in the industry Of
dye-making in Germany II is this highly trained
organization controlled BY IA few big concerns
which gives to Germany such power over the
worlds textile interests At the outbreak Of the
war it is said that German-owned and managed
dye factory located in England was taken over BY
the British government but the new management
has not yet been able TO turn out a single pound
of proper German dye.
While progress in the United States has been
slow in establishing the manufacture of colored
dyes, in the one item Of black dye America may
be said to be independent and if the German sup
ply should be shut off entirely America will liter
ally be thrown into mourning, Variants of natural
white, and black in stripes and checks will tend
to break the funeral monotony
Whatever may come Of the effort now making
to maintain the flow Of German dye to America
t,a str a
tremendous stimulus to dye production in the Uni
ted States. American spirit and energy win hard
ly brook such helplessness as the war has shown.
to exist. Indeed for years past manufacturers in
New England, New York New Jersey and Penn
sylvania, with hundreds Of millions invested and
employing. hundreds of thousands of hands. have
been FESTIVE under conditions which lodge in a
two per cent item the control Of the whole manu-,
facture. To make matters worse there have. ii
is claimed. been abuses growing out Of secrecy and
monopoly Adulteration and bribery have, il IS
alleged, been practised on large scale
The materials entering into the manufacture OF
dye in Germany are mainly by-products Of coke
The flames leaping up from the ovens which give
such brancy TO the prospect as one travels
through the coke regions in America, dispose Of
this by-product spectacularly il not proftably The
statement is made, however. that it is from oil.
rather than by the too expensive rebuilding Of coke
ovens, that it is hoped to develop dye manufacture
in America. The oil interests are understood to
be pioneering very actively for dye materials and
the temporary misfortune of shortage in colors
for silks, woolens and cottons may lead to Amer
lean industrial Independence in very important
field. 80" N.s<1
1t is proposed that the legislative session be ex-
tended for a few days 10 allow the national law