Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-10
DYE-STUFF PROBLEM IN AMERICA
Is, FREDERIC J. HAsKIN

! me most amazing Jumps in price hat
th"sc war times have seen. One man.
nfacturer tells o. paving $4,000 for
dyes that nc could buy normally under
$500" Sulphur blacks. for:ncrl. il
cents pound. are quoted around 81.
and the supply Is limited at ,ln,.
statistics furnished by four big manu-.
'a'turcrs OF colorei cotton goods y;yr
an average price OF 81 cents a po,;rd
before the war FOR dyes that arc wo.,s }
800 now. Colored cotton will bc hi..r
This season, and YOU can look for whl,..
as popular color N spite o. li,ura,v
bills.
y point in favor OF multiplying ~.
nestle dive works Is tho nasc win
which they can do q quick change ga,
and emerge as fuN-rcdgcd muni,Io1
works. The head .: ono OF the hi-...,
ayc plants In the country say. tina;
his works could he transformed iutn
q powdcr plant or ten days notice.
ana turned hack inco a dye wor} IN
another ten 1svs when the nccd 80,
powder was past ~" says also ~ - ,
api;Hi OF Zoo, 600 Is waiting Il. .ttil.
tply tn" capacity OF his plant rs j"n.
II tho new tariff bill passes Tho ,uie
facts. both MS 10 muni;ion-maklrp ro-
'"ntiaiit"s aud prospective enlar.-c-
ments. are true OF other plants
England has acted on this rlos, ro
latton between powder aud dyo-nlalfti,
by backing The British Dyc WORK.
ItI.,' 70 tho extent OF tl5.oOn.Gno ,isr.
the WAY began. This plant viii >upu'v
tn dy" needs OF ;hc government, ..nl
can ;Grn 10 making powder ut au..
time.
Dye pInnts Making Munitions.
In Germany tn" encouragement All
protection that the government c.l,s
the d." Industry - rccipruCatcd By n.
taclt agreement that the resources "f'
the factories win be ready 10 .aal
in national emergency. Exact hEu-.s
are not available. but ii is estimated
'nat so per cen; OF the German dSr
works are making munitions now
Th"I- is no Industrial reason Why
IN" United States should not manuf;rc-
,urc her own dyes. Modern colors are
derivatives " coal tar, ana coal TAR
is a nyproduct OF the COX. ovens. w"
have colS ovens In suflici"n; numbers
10 suppl tn" raw material FOR al the
dyes wc need GERMANY won her near
monopoly OF the business by comb!
nation OF high chemical skill and IN
dustr!al cooperation. not through ANY
favor OF natural resource
Out OF .i2 coiors in commercial de-
maud. only seventeen were being MANI
featured in the United states before
the war. Less than 10 per cent If
tie consumption even OF those seven
teen was produced by the home ma nu-
facturor. And not one OF the seven
teen Was produced entirely in the
United states. They were made by
WORKING OH and combining different
atcs.
whit Americans Gun Do.
f!ut The American chemist ana the
the last year that they can pr"duc"
and carry the dye on rs whole course
from bituminous coal TO ball gown.
They have turned out all the most
complex colors at cost not much
higher than Germany was doing II he
fore the war. This difference i'm cost
is what the dye protcctionists want I"
cover in their tariff.
Coaltar is available for making
host Of things besides dyes. 1t is 81
sort of Fortunatus. out OF which the
chemist can take almost anything II"
is looking for. High explosives. pho
toSraphic chemicals. navorinG en-.
tracts. mcdicincs-all these can ID"
made from coaltar "crudcs" The wori.
done on the coaltar derivatives rep
rcscuts some Of the highcs, achieve
incni Of chemistry. Many of tho com
pounds are Of diHZying complcyity, ana
cal FOR the most expert skill and the
widest theoretical knowledge I'm their
uV".
" ia - fnr assumption that much %
'"t'tHuh'E high position in chemist.
that stands her In such good ste:d.
both IN ponce ana war, is due to h"r
hiE iii"rrHts In the coaltar products.
piinil"r H'imulus to scientific pros
ross ~ America would nave effects
NOR" fnrrsnching than yet re-
aliE".