Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-28
Nitrogen and Preparedness.

One or the most interesting and useful sec
tons in the House army bill as it came from the
committee was that empowering the Government
10 establish. or aid in establishing plant for the
fxation of atmospheric nitrogen. This provision
unfortunately was.yoted down, on the rather himsy
fear that it involved too costly and too doubtful
an experiment. 1t supported by the entire
Georgia delegation, and will be urged in the Sen
ate.
Objections to the plan on grounds of expense
will not bear analysis. Our annual imports of nj
trats from Chile. the only present source of sup
ply. cost approximately twenty-one million dol
lars. On these shipments, the Chilean Govern
ment levies an export duty of sixty per cent That
is to say. for every dollars worth of nitrate we
buy from Chile We pay the Government of that
country sixty cents. tax which in the course of
year amounts 10 twelve million. six hundred thou
sand dollars. Authorities estimate that by apply
ing this sum to nitrste-producing industry of our
own we could break even the first year or so
and thereafter save money.
The prscticabiIity of extracting nitrogen from
the air and converting it into forms available for
the manufacture of explosives and fertilizers is no
longer be doubted At the outbreak of the pres
ent war Germany cut OF from Chilean nj
trates. but by efficient application of scientific
principles she soon had independent and album
dant supply within her borders From the air
itself. she drew the element without which her mu-
Rition factories would have been helpless
To "a very limited extent. the same methods
have been turned to account in. the United States
But this country still depends Chile for a prod
uct That is indispensable in the manufacture of
sunpowdeT and fertilizers. Our army and navy
would be in grievOus plight if that far on source
OF supply should be closed to us as it might be in
the event of hostIities between the United States
and some foreign Power. The European war has
demonstrated the supreme importance of NUM-
lions. For year more the Allies were at
disadvantage which sometimes threatened to be-
almost fatal, because of their unpreparedness
and their enemy's wonderful preparedness in this
respect. During the first four days of the battle
Of Verdun- more than one hundred million dollars
worth of ammunition was consumed. If the Unit
ed States is TO be at all adequately prepared it
must have ample means for producing ammuni-
ton; and that is equivalent to saying that it must
have ample means for producing nitrates.
Plants for the fixation of atmospheric nitro
gen would be no less useful in peace than in war
Their products would enter into the making of
commercial fertilizers well as into munitions
The advantages which thus would accrue to agri-
cultural interests. particularly those of the South
are obvious. The sixty per cent duty which now
is paid the Chilean Government would be saved:
cheaper. As a measure of both military and eco
nomic preparedness, the Government can well af-
ford to lend its encouragement by one means or
another TO the development of this urgently need
ed industry.