The Penn's Grove record., 1916-10-27
WORK AFTER WAR ENDS
Commercial Products VIII Make
Work For Powder
Makers
From Wilmington Star. Oct. 70

der Co. at Carney's Point, n. j., will
probably be retained after the close Of
the European War, not to manufacture
smokeless powder, but to make soluble
cotton products and Pontine, an artif-
cial silk and similar commercial prod
ucts with which experts of the company
are now conducting experiments.
When it is realized that the company
already makes and sells Psi commodi-
ties and that it's chemists at present are
conducting experiments with many more,
including dyestuffs, it is reasonable 70
believe that the chain of plants at Car
nePs Point will not be idle after the
war.
But suppose the DUPONT Co, were not
thus planning to save for other uses
this and others of their powder plants,
to construct which $780, 200 was ex-
pended. Would it be right from an eco
nomic point of view for the government
to permit these plants to be ~"scrapped?"
Would it be right to allow the army of
expert munition workers to scatter to
the four corners of the earth? Should
this country, which believes in adequate
preparedness, stand back and permit the
demolition of these plants which are
among the greatest agents of prepared
ness and which permit the production of
100000 pounds of smokeless powder
every "a hours?
1t should be clearly understood that
this article is not being written at the
instance of the powder company or any
body connected with it and the company
would undoubtedly deplore any a~rraign-
ment of seeming governmental apathy,
but what applies to the DUPONT Pow
der Co. applies more or less to other
munition companies and it is traditional
that the dupont Powder Co., in the
past, has dealt faithfully and fair with
the government for which it has manu-
.facture powder for more than 100
years.
Concerning the munition companies
of this country, Sydney Brooks, noted
British journalist and former represen-
tative of that government, who has
made an inspection of the munitions
plants of this country, some time ago
said:
"Our demand for American munitions
has enabled America to gather an ex-
perience which will prove when her honr
OIL U6Iu SlIlhC0 I'LL oo0 VI
BILE value. Thanks to American manu-
facturers, America the unready is no
longer unready. We have great reason
to be grateful to the big, f~ar-sighted
and masterful way in which they met our
calls. So has the United States as a
nation and the Americans as a people"
Those who know anything about the
personnel of the company know that 1t
will do so in the future, but those who
are interested in the retention of the
Carney's Point works must realize that
they cannot be maintained for the manu-
facture of powder unless contracts are
received by the company in sufficient
quantity to keep them in operation.
Since 1912 this government has de-
pended largely IN the DUPONT Powder
Co. for it's supply of military powder,
but at no time has it been for the inan-
cial advantage of the DUPONT Co. for
the United States to be at war, due to
the fact that the principal business of
the company is constructive.
The DUPONT Co., it is believed, enjoys
the unique distinction of being the only
concern selling the government powder,
during the Spanish-American War, that
reduced the price of the commodity in
the midst of the conflict. At it's own ex-
pense and risk, solely in the interest of
economy to the government, the DUPONT
Co., at a later day, invented a process
by which alcohol, used in making pow
der, and which had previously escaped
by evaporation, was recovered and nc
turned to the government, at a saving
of more than 100000; later turning
over this process to the government
without a cent of compensation. On
another occasion the company turned
over to the government without com
pensation another process for re-work-
ing powder, preventing it's deterioration
and thereby effecting a vast saving. The
ompan expended 100000 to obtain
for the government a new powder and
kept this secret though it could have
been sold in world markets at In enor-
nous figure. Moreover, the company has
given the government the use of all its
patterns in connection with the con-
~struction of government mills.
In return for these favors the com
pany has accepted, with nothing more
than a few murmers, several slaps on
the other side of the face, among which
were the present administrations act IN
attempting to erect another government
powder plant-a move which was block
ed by The Delmarviai Star, when all
seemed lost-a move, moreover, which
would have driven the duPonts out Of
business so far as the manufacture OF
smokeless powder for the government
was concerned; after this came the i'm
position of the munitions tax of II IL
M IL
to allied nations, under which the $500
stockholders of the company in this
vicinity will be deprived of about $14
on earnings on each share of stock they
hold this year.
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