Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1915-03-18
SCIENCE AS THE OVER-LORD
OF THE WORLDS INDUSTRY.
BY Frank Rooster, Consulting Engi-
neer in The Fatherland.
(Continuation.)
Some German Discoveries i'm
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ment Of the present generations as
one of the greatest benefactors Of
mankind, and its policies as one OF
tho wisest ever adopted by human
agencies.
Nor is the immediate effect Of
these policies confined to Germany.
India even enjoys vastly greater
prosperity now than a generation
ago, owing to the fact that the sub
stitution Of coal tar for vegetable
! dyes liberatea Il large body of labor
and large acreage Of soil. to more
profitable uses.
The cheapening of fabrics and tho
finer and more varied effects Of the
dyes increase the volume of manu-
featured goods in allcloth manufac-
turing countries and result in pros
perity in these lines all over the
world
Germany has been particularly
fortunate in the utilization OF by
1 products For long time her steel
industry Jagged behind that OF other
countries, owing 10 the fact that her
iron ores contained a percentage Of
/ phosphorus which made them diff
cult to utilize.
a process, however was presently
developed which effected the sepera-
tion OF the phosphorous content and
from the Stag containing the phos-
phorous was manufactured q form
Of fertilizer OF the greatest value.
thus, where there had been practi-
cally useless iron ores there came TO
/ be highly valuable ore and highly
1 valuable by-products, triumph OF
/ chemistry that has meant and con-
| tinuos to mean enormous material
prosperity not only for Germany, but
for the other countries that adopted
the policy.
The impetus which has been given
/ TO the chemical industry in Germany,
( especially in metallurgy, has resulted
[ in the production of ferromanganese
and other elements which are indis-
hpensable in the manufacture OF the
! better grades Of steels. How impor-
4 tant these discoveries have been is
4 seen from the effect produced by the
stoppage oil imports from Germany
due to the war, for large activities Of
the steel-making industry in this
I country are hampered on account Of
the lack OF these highly necessary in
! gradients, just as the cloth and other
/ textile industries suffer for lack OF
the necessary dye stuffs.
Why the United States is Dependent
Upon Germany
The full Importance to this country
OF uninterrupted communication with
/ Germany has never before been real
lied While il requires no very vivid
imagination to picture the effects Of
such stoppage, the fact that IL has
never before occurred has prevented
q true realization OF the dependence
which this country places in the
superior technical resources of Ger
many
Ii brings home with terrible force
! tho almost suicidal policy Of sloth
| which has characterized the govern
mental policy in this country hereto
fore and emphasizes the fact that we
are dependent upon Germany rather
than Germany on us.
The public press has ceaselessly
famed the flames Of ani-German
! prejudice without realizing the re-
I suits Of retaliation on the part Of
! Germany.
Imagine the results should Ger
many undertake a policy Of reprisals.
If she should shut Off the supply of
dye stuffs, the cloth manufacturing
/ industry in this country and England
would receive q staggering blow. The
importance to Germany Of the loss
Of the value OF the dye stuffs exported
would be comparatively small.
But our cloth industry would be
paralyzed until new sources Of dyes
could be found which would take
many years. for German experiments
of over a generation have been neces-
sary to the production Of her dye
I stuffs, and there is no system Of en-
couragement here or in any other
country which could operate TO re-
produce her results until long after
tho cloth manufacturing industry
would be practically bankrupt
In the meantime Germany would
have seized the worlds cloth manu-
featuring and would be able TO COM
4 pete successfully with the rest OF the
4 world under any and all circumstan-
( ces that might arise.
I How German Science Conquers the
World.
Not only would this occur, but
! German chemical progress will so on
/ all the while with new discoveries
while other countries are merely try
/ ing to follow in her paths The most
1 important of her discoveries, espe-
: cially Id chemical science, are trade
, SCClttS anu tdpuDlt VI DtAhS iIt0itiNN
as SUCH so that by an alteration in
her policy towards other countries,
she could cause incalculable damage
without suffering herself in a slight
! degree.
1t is true that she is dependent
upon other countries for cotton as
raw material but new discoveries
already promise a thoroughly accept
able sustitute for cotton which can
Z be manufactured out Of raw material
which She can herself produce in un-
I limited quantities.
The same disaster as would result
I in the cloth industry by her shutting
off the supplies OF dye stuifs would
result in steel making by her refustal
to export certain elements of which
she has the monopoly, and the same
thing is true Of many other indus
/ tries.