Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-07
Congress Should Act
On the Dpestuff Crisis.

The handicap which Americas textile industries
have suffered for the past year through the ever
dwindling supply OF dyestuffs has become critical
Billions Of capital and millions of Iaborers are
threatened with disaster. Our manufacturers of
cotton, silk and wooden goods depended on Germany
for the great bulk of their synthetic dyes which
are practically as essential as the fabric ITSELF
At the outbreak of the European war i'm
ports from Germany ceased. Since then the
mills in this country have stinted along on
such meager stores they could procure at
fabulous prices until now, when these stores are
virtually exhausted. they face to face with an
alarming crisis. A situation that affects so many
people, so many important interests in every part
of the Union, and far-reaching field of the ma
tons economic life demands prompt treatment at
the hands of Congress.
We say Congress, because this problem is one
that cannot be solved without adequate legislation
America has an abundance OF the raw material
from which dyes can be made and 1t has among its
scientists the needful knowledge and skill But
the establishment and prosecution OF dye industries
require large OUTLAWS of capital Says an authority
on the subject:
by far the greater proportion OF all dyes
used today throughout the world are de-
rived from coal tar. There are about nine
hundred OF these dyes, and in order to manu-
fscture them the chemist must have at his
called intermediates, some solid and some
liquid. all obtained from coal tar, all practi-
cally coorless, and none OF them capable of
imparting color. The coal-tar dye industry,
therefore, comprises no fewer than twelve
hundred different products, with as many more
separate processes of manufacture, and it re-
quires hundreds of different sets Of apparatus
OF widely varying capacity and design for the
carrying out OF many hundreds of different
operations
Naturally then, capital will not venture into so
expensive field without some assurance that the
industry can be maintained on a reasonably perma-
nent basis. Investors will not be willing to sink
millions OF dollars in industry which will be
crushed by ruthless German competition after the
war is over unless Congress adopts adequate meas
ures to control such competition In its present
aspect therefore, the problem is essentially of
legislation. The crude materials for making dyes
are here in plenty; American scientists are able and
eager to turn these materials to account; and the
needed capital will be forthcoming if the Govern
ment will only safeguard it against jealous and
reckless onsIaughts from monopolstic interests in
Europe.
Dr. Charles H Herty, President of the Ameri-
can Chemical Society and head of the department
of chemistry in the University of North Carolina,
stated the case convincingly when he said yester-
day in addressing the American Cotton Manufac-
"Our manufacturers and capitalists stand
ready to proceed with all possible haste to the
development of a national self-sustained dye
stuff industry. They ask only that Congress
insure them against unjust foreign competition
which they rightly realize cannot be met on
even terms for several years and which they
have every reason to believe will be ruthless
in its character in the effort to regain lost
markets"
request that is so reasonable and fair and
that involves So broad realm of American indus
try and commerce should not be denied neg
Iected II is not request in behalf of any special
interest which is seeking self.aggrandizement at
the expense of public rights and svefare rather
is in behalf of the countrys common interests which
now are slavishly dependent foreign manufac-
turers and which never be free unless native
enterprise is duly protected against unjust compe-
Triton from abroad. The cotton growers as well as
the cotton manufacturers of the South are con-
eerned. Mill operatives well as mill owners are
concerned. And the rank and file of all Americans
whose prosperity upon free and heathful bust
ness conditions are concerned.
Clearly therefore, as DR.. Herty declares, Con-
gress should timely legislation to prevent the
dumping of German dyestuffs the American
market at cutthTOat prices when the war is over
and also to provide reasonable tariff protection
against that danger Otherwise the German dye
trust will have unlimited power over American dye
industrfes-infant industries which could not sur
vve II their foreign competitors attacked them
with prices less than the cost of production I'M
dOubtedIy they would.
Such legislation can be passed BY a Democratic
Congress without in any wise violating Democratic
principles regarding the tariff, because this is an
emergency case and demands emergency measures
Bills to this end are now before the Ways and
Means Committee of the House They ought TO
be given chance. If they defective, let better
substitutes be brought forward. In any event,
Congress should take prompt and adequate steps to
relieve situation which is one OF the gravest
American industry ever faced.