The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-31
continuod from FVth Paqe.

supplied without interruption, IL will he
able 20 hold lis place; once Germany
learns 70 do without Il. she will never
return 10 IL. And with the inevitable
Improvement OF the manufacture and
the employ Of the substitutes other
countries drawing their supply OF cop
per from us will follow GermauyS eN-
ample.
The case of American cotton in Ger
many IS fully as critical. Here. indeed,
The substitutes have been known for
years; they are IN no sense IN the
experimental stage. They are fiaN,
hemp and ncttles All these plants
grow IN Germany, and. as in tho Case
OF copper. their use was not introduced
] heretofore because the steady supply
OF American cotton made this uuReceS-
sary. But once Il becomes plain to the
German Industrial that he will have
to depend hereafter, as he has de-
pended heretofore, upon a source OF
supply with which England can inter-
fcrc at viii. and. indeed, It has leen
made abundanNy plain to him during
the last six months. he viii call for
he substitutes grown at home. That
German agriculture will be eager to
supply this new deru.ud need hardly
be said, or that II will be able to fur
nish all the material required within
a short lapse OF time. | quote Lead
ing authority. DR. Hugo Schweitzer, one
time president OF the Chemists Club
of this city, and formerly secretary OF
| the New York section Of the British
Society Of Chemical Industry. SAYS Dr..
Schwet;Zer:
"1'he success OF the nettle hbre in
dustry is to-day entirely a matter of
organization, and the cultivation Of the
nettle plant would also increase the use
of f1aN and hemp, as the mixing OF their
tibres with those OF the nettle would
open up new avenues for the textile
industry"
As | have already said, II IL here
chiefly question OF certain changes in
machinery. Is II likely tina. the Ger
man textile manufacturers having been
forced 10 the expense OF these changes
by arbitrary interference with their
supply OF cotton, will scrap their new
machinery to return to the American
staple when t. becomes freely obtain
able again? II is the less likely be-
cause they will remember the lesson
Ohey are not likely to forget it) that
the supply may be cut off again at will
during the next war. even though Ger
many and America shall both remain
neutral The interference with neutral
ltaly's importation OF American cotton
during tho present war is there to
serve as a permanent warning And, be
II repeated, the same lesson Is con-
veyed by Bng,ands Interference with
neutral Hollands imports OF American
foodstuffs.
As with American copper. so with
American cotton II Is not a question
OF interference with our exports dur
ing the duration OF the present war.
1t IL a question Of the whole future
OF these important American products.
Furthermore, other countries besides
Germany VIII make themselves indie
pendent OF IA source of supply that can
be shut off at Will by third Power.
In the case of American petroleum
and it's products Germany had already
begun before the outbreak OF this war
to establish elaborate central electrical
| light and power plants on the American
system, This will do away increasingly
with the use OF petroleum as an illtlmi-
nant These central plants are or
sanized with state and municipal as