Evening star., 1916-10-05

ORDERED PUBLISHED
Secretary Redfieid tnstructs
Individual Transactions Shall
Be Eliminated, However.
IMPORTERS WIN FIGHT;
U. S. MANUFACTURERS LOSE

Instructions today were issued by
Secretary Redfield for the publication
OF the dyestuffs census recently taken
by the bureau of foreign and domestic
comnerce. The Individual transactions
wherein the names of firms are used
will not be shown. according to the
Secretary. This was the point to which
the importers OF the foreign materials
objected and to which the department
has yielded. The American manufactur
ers wanted the names published.
Secretary Redfeld said the action
was taken in accordance with a de-
partmental policy not to divulge indi-
vidual operations.
Very great political pressure was
brought to bear upon Secretary Redfield
to prevent the publication. in its origi-
nal FORM of the census, prepared by DR..
Thomas H. Norton of the bureau of for
eign and domestic commerce, 1t was
learned today. The protests came from
importers OF dyestuffs in New York and
manufacturing and exporting dyestuffs
to this country, among them Herman
A. Metz, former democratic member
of the House of Representatives from
New York: American manufacturers
Of dyestuffs and American chemists
generally were clamoring that the CEN
sus should be printed and published in
its original form.
Right to Publish Figures.
A. L. Thurman, solicitor for the De-
partment of Commerce, it is learned
has passed upon the legal end Of the
| matter, and has insisted that the fig
ures contained in the report, obtained
from the customshouse of the United
States entirely, SO far as the importa-
tions OF foreign dyes are concerned.
statutes. The importers insist that they
reveal private business secrets. and de-
mand that the figures showing the i'm
| ports BY various firms OF the different
dyes be Jumped, and only the totals
| Of the dyes published. American
manufacturers and chemists assert that
he yielded to the importers in elimi-
mating the figures demanded by them
| fact that the American industry was
arrayed on the other side Of the case.
The democratic Congress-, under the
inspiration Of the administration, In
| serted in the revenue bill some protec-
tive tariffs on dyestuffs. It has also
appropriated In the agricultural ap-
preparation bill $4,000 to enable the
bureau of chemistry to experiment in
the manufacture Of dyestuffs SO as to
aid American manufacturers with the
4 ACodtLc VI It's experiments
Proofs Public Few Days.
Proofs Of the census as originally
drafted were placed on view in New
York when the chemical. societies were
| In convention there last week and for a
few days were open to public inspec-
ton. The importers Immediately pro-
tested to the department and demand
ed that the proofs be withdrawn from
inspection. Secretary Redfeld ordered
them so Withdrawn pending a settle
ment Of the question at Issue.
The opinion of the American manu-.
facturers In regard to the demands
made by the importers Is expressed in
the statement recently made by Or. W.
H Watkins. chief chemist Of the
Schoel1kopf anfline and chemical works,
| incorporated, Of BuRaao, one Of the
| iargest makers OF coal tar dyes IN this
| country. He said:
ITO my mind the protests OF the i'm
porters are all rot. They amount to an
objection to the estabiishm enf of an
American dyestuffs industry, and that
| is their motive. All these firms are con.
trolled in Germany. I should say that
one group OF figures contained In the
census proofs saved US $1,o0e, 600 and
probably q year OF misdirected effort. j
found by consulting them that certain
colors we had considered important
would have a very small sale"