The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-01
KEEPING UP THE
 NITRATE SUPPLY
By HOLLAND

New ork, NoNemDef l1U.-tSpecial)-1n the latter part of March, 1918, almost year before the United States joined the allies in the war against Germany, an offer was made to the war department by Pierre B. DuPont. president of the DuPont corporation located at Whining ton, Del, whereby had it been accepted by Congress, in all probability there would now be in operation a plant suf- ficently large for the manufacture of all the synthetic nitric acid which will be needed by the government for war purposes and presumably a sufficent amount to supply what is needed for the manufacture of fertilizers.
 At that time, as now, we were de- pendent upon Chilli for nftrates, but in case war came or emergencies arose which impaired our ability to obtain nitrates from Chili, the government and the people would find themselves in a most deplorable situation
 General Crozier had frequently called the attention of MT. DuPont and of others to the menace which was occa- stoned by our dependence upon foreign nations for the raw material for nitric acid supply. This product is an essential element in the manufacture of smoke less powder as well as other explosives and is also in great demand by the man ufacturers of fertilizers.
 Science some years ago discovered the process by means of which the fixation the electric arc was found commercially
 
 ergy or heat needed for this purpose it lis necessary to make use of great water power, because in order to secure nitric acid from the air, very large units of hydroelectric power obtained at a very low cost are vital.
 Norway, through the cooperation of men of science and of capital, perfected the process and made it of great com mercial utility. Germany either initiated Norway or obtained from Norway the right to use the process and in that way has secured abundant nitric acid for the manufacture of her explosives.
 DUPONT INVESTIGATES President DuPont decided to make thorough investigations of each of the several processes used in Norway for the manufacture of nitric acid obtained directly from the air by use of the cleo tric arc. It was his hope that investi- gation would show that the process could be conveniently and economically adopted in the United States. A consd- erable number of exports were sent by President DuPont to Europe, commits stoned thoroughly to investigate these processes and make report thereon. The | investigation showed that this utiliza- l tion of the electric arc for the fixation | of nitrogen from the air has resulted in l establishing in Europe an industry upon 1 a very large scale and a satisfactory commercial basis. Thereupon the Du- Pont company began a study of the question: Does satisfactory hydro-elec- tric power for this purpose exist in the | United States? That question was speed l fly answered in the affirmative. But 1t was also discovered that this power was not available because it is under the governments restriction.
 l If the government was willing to per init the iDuPont company to utilize nee l essary water power, providing always l that the public interests were pro- l tected, then there would be ample jus | tification for the investment of capital l in a great plant whose capacity would
 be sufficient for the needs of the gov