Evening journal., 1916-03-30
DUPONTS WOULD END
acid Deficiency
continued rom FIrst Page.

Continued from First Page.
this country and will supply the gov
ernment with nitric acid for military
purposes, at prices to be fixed by the
government. both I'm times Of peace
and war The letter Is as follows:
March 2S, 1916.
"Hon. Newton ID. Baker. Secretary Of
War. Washington. ID. c.
"Sir-On frequent occasions during
recent years General Crozier has call
ed our attention to the menace in
volved by our dependence on foreign
nations for our raw materials for
nitric acid supply, this commodity be-
ing absolutely essential in the manu-
facture of sm0keless powder and
other explosives. and in great demand
as an. essential in the manufacture OF
fertilizers.
Several years-ago the fixation of
nitrogen from the air by the use of
electric arcs was found practical
abroad, and with a view Of implant-
ing the industry in this country (solv-
ing our problem here at homel the
dupont Company sent a corps of its
experts TO Europe TO thoroughly in
vestigate the various processes there
employed.
'As a result OF these Investigations
the DUPONT Company purchased the
righ; of one Of the leading processes
used abroad. which process is now cs-
iahlishcd I'm Europe on a commercial
basis on large scale OF production.
"As you know the process OF secur-
ing nitric acid from the air requires
large units of OF hydrO-elcctric power
nj very low cost
"Coinicidcnt with our invcstigat ions
abroad VIC have been studying the
possibilities for satisfactory hydro
electric power in the United States
and We find that while the power
physically exists II is not available
because OF governmental restrictions.
II enclose herewith for your CON
sderation a tentative draft of bill
which we believe Will protect The
pubic interests and Justify the in
Nostmcnt of the capital essential to
the solution of this problem in the
United States.
You will note the bill we submit
provides that the company shall de-
liver TO the United States for mill
tary or naval purposes all or any
part of the output Of nitric acid at a
price which shall include such profit
as the Secretary-of War shall de-
termine to be reasonable
With the way made clear the du-
Pont Company stands ready to nego-
tate q contract under which they
will begin at once the construction
of a plant in units of such magnitude
as may be agreed upon between the
government and the DUPONT Company.
the dupont Company to furnish the
capital
Should you desire to confer with
me on any OF the phases Of this
question l will be pleased to make a
trip TO Washington at your pleasure.
Very truly yours.
pierre S. DUPONT, President"
Hugh l.. Cooper. consulting engi-
neer for the DUPONT Company, who
presented the proposal to Secretary
Baker. said that the construction OF
the proposed plant would entail an
Investment OF al least 10000. 900 and
that It's establishment was impossible
under the present wafer power laws.
Nation Would Have Prior Rights.
The bill. tentatively drafted by the
duPOnts, would authorize the Secre-
tary Of War to. grant renewable so
year permits for the construction OF
dams or other structures for the pro-
duction Of hydro-electric power on
streams, the United States to have
the first right to the nitric acid pro-
duced as set forth in the letter and
10 be permitted to take over works
that may be erected at a fair value
at the end OF any period. Nitric acid
plants would be constructed under
the supervision of an engineer Off
Ger OF the army and surplus power
developed would be at the disposal
OF the grantees. subject TO the right
OF the United States to requisition
1t for military or naval purposes.
Aside from having made the thor
ough tests of processes as set forth
In President duPont's letter to Sec