Evening journal., 1916-04-10

letter TO United states senator Oscdl
s. Underwood. under date Of April l,
made public today. denies statements
made on the floor OF the Senate by
Senator Underwood TO the effect that
the DUPONT interests endeavored to
influence members of Congress against
the Mussel Shoals project for a nitric
acid plant for the government. Mr..
DUPONT states in his letter that his
company does not desire to keep the
government or any individual or cor
poratiOn from building plant for
fiXatiOn of atmospheric nitrogen. nor
is the company soliciting the bus.-
ness Of manufacturing nitric acid for
the government
G. b. Lands and Hugh l.. Cooper, in
letters to Senator Underwood. deny
lobbying in behalf OF DUPONT interests
against the government nitrogen plant
project.
President duPont's letter follows:
April I, 1916.
Honorable Oscar w. Underwood. Unit
ed States Senate. Washington, ID. c.
My dear sir:-After reading what
YOU said in the Senate Thursday bear
ing on our nitric acid proposition. I
have reached the conclusion that you
do not understand the position of this
company.
We regret to take exception to yonr
statements on the floor that we had
endeavored to influence Congressmen
against the Mussel Shoals propositions
We have never. in any way, either
directly or through Mr.. Cooper. who
was especially mentioned. made any
such endeavor, nor has IL been ouT
intention 70 do so.
We do not desire to keep the Gov.
ernment OF the United States. or any
individual or corporation. from build.
Ing a plant for flxation Of atmospheric
nitrogen. Nor are we soliciting the
business Of manufacturing nitric acid
FOR the government.
The United States is today in
position never before known to any
nation. Among the greatest. il i:
alone in a condition Of peace. Magnih-
cent i'm its financial and commercial
development. power and strength. Il
is weak to the despair OF its citizens
be they rich or poor. in its prepared
ness against outside attack. Never ha,
there been more willingness to do
coupled with less power for the doinl
than now. Never has there been great
er necessity for mutual faith and FOL
cooperation. Let, then. eao- MAJ
bear his part of the burden as bes
he can in the cause Of preparedness.
Those In charge Of the Z. l. DUPONT
de Nemours & Company have con
ceived IL their duty i'm this crisis q
be that Of performance and not o
influence. We. who Of necessity
must be prominent in military az
fairs, are not the unbiased judges o
the question Of preparedness, III
character and extent Whatever ma.
be our personal conviction Of tn
overwhelming advantages Of peace q
our large commercial business agains
the smaller advantages Of war to on
lesser military interests. we could no
escape from the suspicion OF our fel
low men II we were TO attempt TO ad
wise preparedness. These facts hav
led us TO stand for absolute neutralit
in this discussion. Those who are AM
feel themselves unbiased I'm this ques
tion must decide the amount an
character of preparation. u is for u
TO take action under their decision
The European war brought to on
company calls for assistance that feN
organizations have been made TO face
To the response that has been made
we may refer with pardonable pride
In October, 1914. when the first de
mands for powder came from abroa
our company had capacity to manu-
tacturo military explosives amountin
to lO,0OO,000 pounds per annum: q
this capacity about fifty per cent. ha
remained idle for five years owing {
the activities in manufacture Of GU
own government In fact this surplu
capacity was about TO be abandone,
Today we are manufacturing at a
output OF 375,000,O0O pounds per an
mum and every pound Of material nee
essafy for this vast production find
its source in our own United State
excepting one item alone, nitrate.
The possible failure OF the Chilia
nitrate beds. whose lifetime is mea,
ureable in few decades. has long le
consumers TO think Of other sources
supply. The formation of oxides
nitrogen and Of nitric acid from th
air through the electric discharge Ia
been long known; but those who turr
ed 10 that source OF commercial SUI
ply met with long discOuragemen
though in recent years nitratcs Il
use i'm fertilizers have been made con
mercially through the use Of chea
water power, it was not until the yes
Immediately preceding the Europea
war that nitric acid was produced
quantity, quality and cost to compel
with that made from Chilian nitrat
The activity Of our company in g,
amining all possible sources OF fixe
nitrogen led to a careful examinatio
OF the successful processes OF the MOI
& wegian Nitrate Company and we haN
made purchase of the patent righ
and accumulated the necessary draw
ings, data and Information for n
immediate installation of a nitric aci
factory from designs which have bee
proved commercially successful. "
believe that these are the only plaT
and processes in existence on which
factory on a large and commercii
scale can be produced today. Viii
IL is true that nitric acid is being mad
Tn Germany by processes unknown.
is neither proved nor even suppose
that these processes are commercial
satisfactory, more likely they are d.
vised and maintained under militai
necessity.
Since the acquisition OF the abovl
4 mentioned patents we have failed
find a satisfactory water power i'm n
United States that is privately owne
a and we have recognized existing Law
of the United States which make DR.,
hibitory the development Of wat,
4 powers now under Governmental col
troll. on this account we turn,
abroad for the purpose Of finding