West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-09-23
WAR HAS ACTED AS STIMULUS
TO UNITED STATES INDUSTRY
Great Natural Resources of this
Country are Bound to be Utilized
on Vast Scale-American Inse-
nuity Has Promptly Rallied to
Meet Widespread Demands

American Industries through condi-
tions brought about by the European
war has acted as a tonic, has forced
the nation to create new branches and
enlarge the scope OF existing phases
or manufacture, opened the way TO
utilize. on vast scale. great natural
resources of the United States. and
induced manufacturers and mer-
chants to expand their markets into
foreign fields with prospects OF per
manent results, says the Bureau of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce. OF
the Department OF Commerce. I'm a
forecast OF the effect of the war on the
industrial future of the country
American ingenuity has been ap-
piled with success to the making of
articles previously imported, and
among those who have shown con-
spicuous ability in meeting the situ-
alton, an important place is given to
Thomas a. Edison. Americas scien-
tilic wizard" who has had a great
part In the enterprise and initiative
required to build, at moments
notice, some OF the new American
manufactures required by the emer-
gcncy.
A review of the chief Industries
ministering particularly to the tenn
porary needs OF the belligerents ac-
ross the Atlantic shows that the final
outcome will be very material ad-
dition to the manufacturing plant of
the United States. Part of this plant
will be simply anticipatory of the nor
hal growth of the country's mechan-
iCal equipment; part must lie idle in
time OF peace. but is a different asset
I. in the national preparation for an ade-
Qnate defense against attack; the re-
mainder furnishes at once products
needed In the healthy expansion of
Ill" chemical industry Of the country.
Less conspicuous and spectacular,
bGt OF far greater permanent value,
Is the impulse given to the manufac-
tbre on American soil, with American
raw materials OF variety OF articles
for which we have hitherto been de-
pendent upon foreign skill and enter
prlse,In u more or less uncomfortable
way, we have suddenly been brought
to recognize the unwisdom, the folly,
OF shipping vast amounts of the crude
materials of our farms, forests, and
mines 5000 miles across the ocean, and
buying 1t back In a manufactured
form, at vastly enhanced price. We
b have likewise come to recognize the
absurdity OF allowing many natural
products of the tropics. OF South
America, of the Far East, to find their
way to Europe, and of paying foreign
intelligence and skill to transform
them into articles of daily need in our
lives.
American ingenuity adaptation. in
ventive talent, scientific attainments.
and general enterprise have promptly
rallied to meet widespread demands.
and establish on our own soil the per-
manent manufacture OF a number of
wares, some of minor, others of ma
jor Importance. The return of peace
will see them well rooted and able to
withstand foreign competition,
The Bureau of Foreign and Domes-
tic Commerce points to the course OF
events that followed the cutting off
by the war of the analine imports from
Germany and the supply OF potash
from the same source. with the result
Ing tremendous impulse given to the
expansion OF domestic manufacture.
1t also calls attention to the fact that,
side by side with the increased pro-
duction OF artificial colors, has come
the realization OF dyers of textiles
that the possibilities Of the natural
dyestuffs have been sadly neglected
during the past few decades,
The facility and exactness with
which the coal tar colors can be en-
ployed, the endless diversity of tints
and shades readily secured by their
aid, have led the modern generation
OF dyers to disregard, in great meas
ure, those time-honored vegetable
dyes, for centuries the only available
source OF color, which still give their
charm and value to the choice pro
ducts OF Oriental looms The present
"dyestuR famine" has brought them
again into prominence. Not so easily
applied az thWanaline dyes. they still
have their especial merits. As a re-
suit the American works engaged in
the preparation Of extracts from the
yellow oak Of the Alleghanies, from
the ipgwpod of Jamaica. from the red
wood OF Hrazil, from the outoh of Iu-
dia. are providing I'm enormous
amounts the substitutes for the more
brilliant, but often more fugitive, ,hues
OF the coal-tar products.
In the future. natural dyestuffs will
occupy more important position In
the textile world, and a more ample
recognition will be accorded 10 the
highly perfected processes OF recent
years. ensuing their fastness upon
the animal and vegetable fibers. At
the same time, we can look forward
with confidence to the evolution Of a
genuine American, ceal@tar color In
dutry,
OF the domestic potash supply it
is stated that large amounts OF tho
compound OF this element are present
in the vast beds OF keIp floating on