The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-19
GER ANS GOT ACIDS
TO HELP HUMANITY
Hugo S%chweitzer Says Purpose
Was to Make Medicine,
Not Explosives.
DYES HELL FROM ALLIES

Hugo Schweitzer. the German-Ameri-
can chemist of III Hudson street. who
was mentioned in one of the stories
printed in the World as ne OF the men
who contracted for carbolic acid for
shipment TO Germany to make explo-
sives, issued a statement yesterday de-
nying the charges. lie said he used
the acid for making medicines.
The World said Mr.. Schweitzer.
has entirely misunderstood the purport
OF tho contract which | entered into for
the purchase OF a large quantity Of
phetIol, or cartolic acid. l secured by
contract six thousand pounds OF car
bolic acid per day. which | positively
into picric acid. This carbolic acid was
badly needed by the pharmaceutical
trade in his country. The entire out
put of carbolic acid In the United States
was and is greedily sought by ex-
plosEve manufacturers at
prices. IN order to he converted into
picric acid.
II wisi to emphatically state that
all Of the carbolic acid contracted for
and purchased by me Is now and will
be In future converted solely into hlghly
salutary medical remedies. such as salt
cylic acid, silicylate OF soda, salol and
especially aspirin. The quantity OF car
bolic acid purchased by me could be
converted into $4,000 pounds OF picric
acid per day. 1t needs no imagination
to realize how many men would have
bcen killed, wounded IN MANNED by
the use OF this enormous quantity Of
one of the highest explosives SHOWN.
Made Edison Happy.
Il made Mr.. Edison especially happy
/. converting this carbolic acid in
medicines. because, as he personally
said to me. he would dislike very much
that any of the merchandise
tured by him should be used for killing
people. Considering everything. Tle crit
iCism against me has its basis only IN
my slight endeavor to divert from the
manufactures of explosives a large guam
tity Of carbolic acid which Is nov to be
converted into medicines of the highest
value for the relief Of the sick and SUI
fcring.
Il secured assistance from Or. All TT
upon our understanding that this car
bolic acid would be used for Legitimate
Industries only and not fJr the ma: u
facture OF picric acid. How Their, can be
any criticism In this matter is beyond
my understanding"
A. J. MoNham, president OF the Aetna
Explosives Company. issued a statement
Yesterday in which he said that no proof
had been produced yet To convince him
that the Bridgeport Projectile Company
was operating in the interest OF Ger nany
or had been financed by German =. II
has been charged that the bridgeport
company. controlled by Germany. was
buying ammunition for tha. cot Itr.-. On
that point MoNham said
THE contracts in question in; DIV d
400, 900 pounds all told, of which 200.
000 pounds had been transferred 10
Spain. a neutral country, leaving only
3,4OO. 900 pounds. instead Of the six and
one-half million that has been gencrs.!y
discussed"
Inquiry was made among importers
Yesterday regarding q. II. Waetzoldt.
the commercial attache OF the German
Consulate here. who advised his Govern.
ment TO stop shipments OF dyestufs to
his country as a means OF reating sen.
timent against the English blockade
Several importers who were questioned
said they did not know Herr Waetzoldt
and they Insisted that the organization
OF the Importers Committee, headed bS
Philip J. Cunningham, grew out of the
scarcity OF dyes,