The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-04-22
DYE INVENTOR
NOTED ATHLETE
Dr.. Rittmdn Not the Pale Ira
diti0na| Student.
HIS WIFE WAS A GREAT AID

Improved Processes For Making
Smokelsss Powder and Dyestuffs
Will Render This Country indsPend-
snt of Germany-Patsnts Viii Be
Turned Over to tho American People.
DR.. Walter F. Rittman Of the United
States bureau OF mines, whose i'm
proved processes for making gasoline,
smokeless powder and dyestufs are
founded on some of the most revolu-
tionary discoveries that ever originated
in government bureau, Is only thirty
one years old. He got his Phi. D. from
Columbia only seven months ago and
went to work Phi. Ding before the ink
on his license or the paint on his Office
door was dry. Some folks think that
when you get a college sheepskin all
you have to do is to look sheepish.
But that isn't the Rittman idea.
Mrs. Rittman really ought to have
gone in the first paragraph. but she
begged for the background and this
is the best that can be done. For she
has worked side by side with her hus-
band in the laboratory and has been
an indispensable aid In helping to look
up 5000 separate articles bearing on
his subjects. She has also acted as
official translator from all languages,
including Russian. The simple posses
sion of a working knowledge Of that
language by anybody except native
is enough to make whole family dis
tinguished.
Dr. Rittman has been in Washington
since the announcement Of his great
achievement Nobody else will make
any definite statement for him about
the scientific aspects of the discovery
But a series of experimental questions
fired off in the laboratories at Column
bia drew out a few facts about the
man and his work.
Scope of New Process.
According to the statement by Sec
rotary Lane. the new process viii rem
der America independent of Germany
in the production of dyes and smoke
less powder.
Were it not for this discovery" said
Mr.. Lane. 1T is possible that in an
emergency we might be compelled TO
rely largely on the greatly inferior ex-
plosives that were used in the time of
our civil war. and This would spell ma
tional disaster"
Besides this. DR.. Rittman his found
a method of increasing the supply of
gasoline. Henceforward, In addition
to dog fanciers, dranatiSts and cam
paign button manufacturers, several of
the more common grades Of business
men, such ats guards national and sub
way). smiths tblack and gold and
sauerkraut favorers, will be able TO
run automobiles to San Francisco on
their own gasoline.
To so back to the title page. Walter
Frank Rittman was born in Sandusky,
O., on Dec. =, 1888. He got his first
degree at Swarthmore college In 1908.
He was Il member of the famous foot
bali team that cleaned up everything
in sight during that period. Walter
Camp picked him for the ideal All
American team. In other words. he
was a born. predestined athlete, with
Incidental propensities for pausing In
the serious business OF sport to do a
little thinking. He was intercollegiate
wrestling champion too and great
swimmer on the side.
Practical Work In Shops.
But that didn't prevent him from
spending three or four years In the
shops around Cleveland. And he wasn't
above serving as chemist of the United
Gas Improvement company OF Phila-
dolphin. He was getting so old by this
time that he felt life was too short to
spend working for one company. So
he hung out single and let 'em all
come and ask him. But he used to
tell them what he thought of them.
Over In Germany, it may be recalled.
the business man will plan his schedule
for ten years ahead. Then he'll decide
what he's likely to want to begin to
do about the beginning of the second
decade. fit up laboratory about twice
as large as his factory and tell the
chief chemist to take his time. with a
vear off for travel. hotel tips included
The American manufacturer turns over
a converted hen coop TO his chemist
and says:
'Invent a new process for making
China silk out of spider web. | shall
begin work Immediately. If you can
give me a few specifications to look
over so much the better
Next Came to Columbia.
Now Dr. Rittman scolds about this
habit: then he turns around and meets
the demand. But after he had worked
awhile as consulting chemist he decid-
ed he didn't know enough. SO he came
TO Columbia for graduate work. He
had added an A. Nj. and an Nj. E. to
his titles. He is a great adder. A lit
tle over n year ago he added the wife
already credited to his account He
lectured in the summer school just to
fry out the things he was absorbing
himself.
And the best of ii is he's working FOR
Uncle Sam, which is all of us. When
the patents for the various processes
are secured they will be turned over to
the American people. Anybody that
o,+s 70 hui1d n factory and make