The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1917-08-16
]. 5. CAN LIVE
" |TH0UT HELP

The chief item of conversation in
Devils Lake at the present time, as We
expect it is in this country in general,
is that of the war and it's probable
time of termination. Not much thot
is given, however, to the after effects
Of the war on this country, but once
in while one gets into conversation
with some person who has given this
thot also. Not all who talk of the af-
~ter-effects look at things in very
optimistic frame of mind, and to con-
verse with one Of those was our priv
ilege the past week. After "boiling
down" this party's views we were sur
prised to find that his gravest- appre-
hension was over the fact that this
country was entirel,; dependent upon
foreign markets sfofsa; great many
things and that after the war these
certain commodities would be unob-
tainable and as u result we would suf-
fer for the lack of them. Germany,
according to the conversation was the
producers Of most of them, but we are
Of the belief that American enterprise
will find a way around the difficulties.
It is true that scores of articles which
contributed to our comfort
needs, have been reaching us for years
in steadily increasing quantities. It
was so much cheaper or easier to have
these things brought in ships, We paid
little attention to what might happen
to that supply. Of late we have been
prospecting our mountains and valleys
-plaines and ocean beds, and are
rapidly bringing to light undreamed
Of resources. Our factories are al
ready manufacturing articles which
three years ago they could not pro-
duce. A few instances will suffice to
illustrate the widespread effort, and
afford great encouragement for the
future. '-"
For years our iron furnaces depend
ed on Germany for a certain kind Of
clay indispensable to their operation.
So far as anyone knew there was no
clay equally good in this country. A
call was sent out and 1900 samples
were sent in. On supposedly worth
less farm in southern Illinois was
found vast deposits Of clay even SUI
perior to the imported. For months
past two steam shovels have been
loading into cars this vital commodity,
which has proved it's ability to with
stand several hundred degrees more
heat than the imported article.
Chemists glassware, such as bowls,
retorts, etc., has for years all been i'm
ported, and largely from Germany.
That supply also ceased abruptly. In
response to the dire necessities Of ou1
chemists, some American glass max
ers were induced to try their hand
with the result that at the end Of a
year some startling results have been
achieved. Not only has our home
made product been brought up to the
standard of the articles formerly i'm.
ported, but is even great deal better
One industrial chemist who operates
q large laboratory ordered a years
supply Of the American product. Now
after eight months use, he finds that
at the average rate Of breakage the
quantity he has been buying every II
months is going to last 60 months;. Of
five years. life for the American pro.
duct gaainst one years. life for the
foreign.
The ssme encouraging reports comes
from many other directions. A scien.
tific easuring instrument requiring
very great accuracy, the manufacture
Of which has never been attempted