The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-16
ENGINEERS PLEDGED TO AID


 order that the workmen could become proficient in the art of making them.
 ENGINEERS PLEDGED TO AID
 More than 30,OOO engineers, represent
 ing every phase of industry in the Unit ed States, have been pledged to this work of making an industrial inventory of this country and are working with the naval advisory board. I am afraid that when Congress learns how much money will be necessary to complete the inventory we will have trouble getting appropriations to continue it. But the ap- propriations will come, for the congress- men must be brought to realization of the vast import of the movement
 ''The members of the Association of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, I am sure, will see the value of this work from their standpoint. I desire to re- quest that all civil engineers will CO | operate with these other engineers ir making the inventory and to be ready tC do anything in their line when they are called upon. It strikes me that a good way of handling the situation would be for the engineers in the many communi- ties throughout the state, including mem bers of the American Chemical society, to organize into committees to handle the matter in their communities. This would greatly facilitate the work.
 Another important feature of it Is this: All informa ton secured must be treated strictly confidential. We will not ask any manufacturer for information ex- cept that which he is required to give the census gatherer, but the entire work must be confidential. No information of any character will be given out to anyone except to the central committee or the naval advisory board to whom all data will be sent If manufacturer prefers to do so, he may send his own data to the central committee without submitting it to the Alabama district committee "The Birmingham district seemed to have been destined by divine interven- ton to become the center of the munition making of the world. We could provide munitions here for our armies to the last gasp without interference from an enemy by virtue of our position We have within very short radius everything that is necessary for the fighting men, The two highest explosives in use at the present time are both being produced in this district in our byproduct coke ovens We have plenty of waterpower from which to get nitrogen from the air If it should become necessary. With cotton, benzol, toluol. sulphuric acid and all other things needed in the manufacture Of munitions and explosives, we have every thing to be desired. Many other things
 
 especially the higher metals, but I un- derstand that they are to be found in this district also.'
 MIR. CROCKARD SPEAKS Frank H. Crockard. another member of the Alabama district committee. was called upon to explain some of the things necessary from a chemical point of view. Mir Crockard stressed the importance of having high speed steel in the matter of rapid production, and said that toluol is a very necessary material in the manu- facture of munitions. You cannot make toluol without sulphuric acid,' he stated. sIf the sulphur supply were lost the man. ufacture of toluol would cease. Our chemists, therefore, have before them the problem of recovering sulphur from the coke oven gases, and appear to have good prospects of success.
 Another very important matter to be considered is that of iron ore. It is easily possible that the great supply of northern iron ore fields might be readily interrupted by destruction of canals. In that event, the iron makers would look about for source of supply. The ques- ton of cost would not be of necessary importance I believe the Birmingham district can produce at least three times as much iron ore as it does now from the same mines.'
 Major SeWell closed the programme py calling upon all engineers in the state to do their part, especially those in the Birmingham district. ''As men inter- ested in the Birmingham district let us stop and consider what it would mean to have Birmingham made the center of the dyestuff industry and of the munitions industry" he said '"The possibilities are simply unlimited. not only for the na- ton. but for the Birmingham district. It certainly ought to become one of the greate centers of the world for the man. ufacture of war munitions
 The Alabama district of the naval ad- visory board is composed of Mai J. s. Sewell Frank H. Crockard. Priestly Toulmn Theodore Swann and Prof. B. E. Ross state chemist at Auburn. All mem- bers of the committee were present last night except Prof Ross
 MASONIC NOTICE
 King Solomon lodge No. 46O, A. F. and A. N.. will hold special cosnmunf- cation Tuesday, s:3O p. m.. May 16, for the entertainment of visiting brethren Work In Master Mason degree. Mas ter Mason lecture with stereOpti son illustrations.
 All Master MasOns cordially invited. T. A. LAPPAGE, w. M.
 J. $. WHITE, Sec'y.