The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-06-13
How Science Boosts Business
BY Frederic j. Haskin-
Seopeoce1ceceececeoece sc,esecoss-1aao-Hccacss


Science and industry in the United
more closely. There are two reasons
for this: The Immediate and obvious
one is that the European war has
derived us Of many products for
which we had depended upon Eu-
rope, and which we must now devise
means OF producing for ourselves
The fundamental and lasting reason
is that we have wasted all or our
immense resources that We can al
utilize every by-product With Sc1en-
tfdc thoroughness-
Few persons realize the immense
strides which scientific research as
an adjunct to American Industry has
made within recent years. There are
about 100 manufacturing establish
ments In this country which main
tain efficient chemical research lab
oratortes and at least five OF these
companies are spending more tnan
100000 year In research
The extent to which our modern
lndustry is built upon scientific re-
search is little understood. Because
our supply Of dyestnfs from Ger
many has been cut off, the public has
suddenly become aware that the de-
velopment OF dye making industry
IN this country depends on our chem
fists. But an Investigation conducteo
by the American Chemical Socaety
shows that no less than nineteen IN
dns+Ies in this country are literal
" founded upon chemical research
aThe corn products industry, which
IFS varied output, has produced at
least 100 commercial products which
ara the direct result Of chemical re-
search. Chemical experiments in the
use OF cotton seed oil have added pc
tween $40 and S12 to the value OF
every bale Of cotton grown. II was
chemist who discovered that the
great beds of phosphate rock In this
country could be converted into Ter
tnizer. and thereby founded a new
industry. In the preservation OF
foods. which makes possible such an
enormous saving OF perishable food
stufs. q chemist is the guide of every
successful establishment.
Thus in many industries the Sc1en-
lists OF the United States have been
OF inesfimable value That the Co
oneration Of science and Industry In
this country has not been perfected,
as It has IN Germany. is due solely
to the fact that we have had such
an enormous supply OF natural
wealth. The need for avoiding waste
has not been apparent In en1er-
prise. and in that combination OF
keenness and self confidence which
are required for successful research
american scientists have always
ranked high. The country which
nroduced Franklin, Morse. McCor-
mick. Westinghouse. Bell and the
wrtxhts does not lack the talent to
make it leader In Industrial re-
search. And indeed, some splendid
achievements are in the annals OF
industrial research in this country
In the marvellous series Of d1scov-
erSes which reduced the price OF
aIuminum from $50 pound to p
cents. and made it available Tor
hundreds OF everyday uses. the
scientists Of. this country played
splendid part. Aluminium was dis
covered IN Germany In 1928 by Wohl-
err. In 1856 it stnl cost $50
nound. In 1885 it had been reduced
IN SO. Then the American, Cast
nar. devised process which brought
the price down to 81 a pound. In
s1s9q But the metal was still a
Inury. with few industrial appnca-
hons. Then Hall in America, and
Heroult in Europe, simultaneously
dfscoyered way OF disSo1ving alum
hmm out of its ores and prectp1ta-
ting It by electricity It was then
that the great reduction company at
NIAGARA Falls was formed and the
real production OF aluminium begun
IN 1911, 100000 pounds OF alum
9num were produced, and the market
prfce was % cents pound.
Another striking triumph of sci
ence applied to Industry in this coun-
was the achievement by means
OF which Frasch made the United
go -