The Washington times., 1916-04-26
Says Waste PoWer Is
Factor in Lining Cost
AlIerton S. Cushman Speaks Be.
fore Electrical Engineers In
Session Here.
Adequate Plant Food Supply
Another Great Element, He
Declares.

power Is a contributory factor to the
higl cost of living. according to Aller-
ton s. Cushman. of Washington. who
spoke before the American Institute OF
Electrical Engineers at the Willard
tOday.
Mr.. cushman Is director OF the Blu
rear of Industrial Research Of this city
duccrs of food 10 perhaps the most i'm
portant problem of the age" he said
"Afr:cultural bankruptcy Is threatening
the soil OF the United States, on account
OF the wholesale waste OF fertilizer ma.
terial and the failure on the part oil
tho government and business capital e
Provide adequate means OF refertiliz'
Ing - soil"
The speaker cited census statistics ia
show the great increase In city popula-
ton as against rural. the large decrease
In farm animals. decrease In the yield
of crops per acre. and the relatively
sfnall eren under cultivation.
Plant Supply q Factor.
Among those who took al active part
in the arrangements for tho meeting
here il John II. Finney, OF Washing
ton. who IL a member OF the committee
on development OF water power.
The question Of an adequate food
supply FOR growing population re-
solves itself, In the last analysis. into
an adequate plant food supply" con-
tiAued DIR. Cushman. unless we feed
the heritage OF the earth, we cannot
feed ourselves. As almost everyone
knows. the three principal plant foods
are fixed nitrogen, potash. and phos-
pilates.
FOR our principal supply OF the first
two OF these mineral plant foods, we
are now mainly dependent on foreign
sources. IL Is just this lack OF a native
supply which the chemists and the en-
gineefs OF the country are prepared to
meet. just as soon as the powers that
control our capital, finance, and legis-
lation have adjusted their differences
or opinion and become prepared 10
order the work to go on.
The main reservoir on which we
must draw for our supplies of fixed
nitrogen in the future, both for agri-
culture and for national defense, must
be the free nitrogen OF the atmosphere.
Al present signs seem to show that
the fxation or atmospheric nitrogen
into products OF manurial value can be
best brought about by the deveiopmen>
OF wster powers properly and econom-
ically located and financed for the end
In view.
Nitrogen For Half Century.
1T has been computed that every
cubic mile Of our atmosphere contains
enough raw material. in the form of
free nitrogen. to satisfy our total pres
ent consumption for more than half a
century. | know OF no stronger argu-
ment than this for the immediate de-
velopment of our available water now
ers. These same water powers. pu, to
work on nitrogen fertilizers, could at
the same time provide tho material
necessary for the national defense In
case o: war"
Adoption by the Government OF a
policy as to the use >of the water power
sites of the public domain. liberal
enough to attract the large investments
necessary for hydro-electric development,
was advocated by Lawrence Addicks, OF
New York. Mr.. Addicks is president Of
the American Electro-Chemical Society
country to develop a home supply OF
nitrogen, the basis OF explosives and
fertilizers. as military recklessness in
these troublous eimes."
Subsidy For War Supply.
THE fixation OF atmospheric nitrogen"
said Mr.. Addicks. lis one Of the largest
technical problems which this nation has
to face today. As matters stand now.
however. II may be necessary for the
Government to subsidize this industry,
In order to guarantee a sufficient sup
ply OF explosives In time OF war. II
we had $4,000 horsepower available at
aS W" Edtc Us ODtdlnH III NORWAY,
for example, this great industry would
develop at once on a peace basis on ac-
count OF the fertilizer demands"
l.. b. Stillwell. of New York, said
water power sites OF especial value, in
connection with the identification OF
railroads. are those situated among
western mountains. where coal and oil
are comparatively scarce and expensive.
This speaker discussed the relation
or cheap power and waterways. He
said the argument that the construction
OF waterway has al economic value
to the community. in affecting local
railway rates. Is not sound. in view OF
the fact that railroad rates now are
regulated by the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Water Power Abundant.
I'm certain very important sections OF
our country, where coal deposits are
lacking" said Mr.. stillwcll, "water
power is abundant. and since the cost
Of competing steam power primarily
determines The relative value of water
power II follows that the water powers
on the public domain IN general have
a relatively higher potential value than
they otherwise would possess, owing 40
the fact that they exist in localities
where coal or oil or both are relatively
expensive"
An. evening session will he held. al
which w. r. Whitney viii discuss The
Relation Of Water Power to the Ma
tional Defense" and Gnno Dunn will
talk on The Water Power Situation