South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-07
BY Garrett p. Serviss.

Chemistry is the backbone Of
this war. nobody doubts that, but
what is not so clearly evident at a
| glance is the immensely important
/ fact that the war is reacting upon
chemistry in such a way that. when
/ the fighting is over, there Will be a
great readjustment of the chemical
industries of the world. and the
virtual monopoly, in many lines of
practical chemistry which Germany
has diligently built up during 40
years of peace Will be shattered.
The principal beneficiary Of this
! fateful change will be the United
States The man Of science is even
more deeply interested in the re-
suits of the war than is the states
man. There are already signs of
an awakening of interest in chemi-
cal investigation and manufacture
here which, within a few years will
make these our most promising lines
OF effort for young mel.
If I were asked for advice.
should say to any young American
who is casting about 20 determine
/ the precise direction that his educa-
ton and his lifework should follow.
Take up chemistry. if you think
YOU have the scientific instinct, and
learn all the secrets and processes
which once placed German chem
| lists at the head of the world-in
reputation. at least-and then bet
ter the instruction. as American
! uuickness and energy can certainly
do. The future offers nothing
I finer
one fact very quickly developed
| by the necessity imposed by the war
upon the people at whose throat
the divine right rulers of central
| Europe sprang is that the sup
posed. and once widely acknowl-
edged. inherent superiority of Ger
man chemical knowledge and skill
was. after all. "a mere legend. or
mvth. We mad been taught TO
think that certain very important
things could only be we'll made or
we'll done in Germany.
/ But less than three years of war
have proved that the nations driven
INFO alliance by German aggression
can fertilize their fields, supply
their pharmacopoeias and arm
their defenders with every needed
device Of war and destruction with
out aid or suggestion from Teuton
science. William III. in spite OF
himself has been a great liberator.
( for. contrary 20 his intention. he has
set the science of the world free,
and given II an impetus that VIII
never hencefoIth fail 10 MAINTAIN
its independence.
But there is one thing concealed
| in the swift liberation Of scientlnc
energies that has been overlooked
| especially in this country. viz: the
/ fact that already. when the war
broke out American chemical sci
erce was not inferior 20 any L
was simply undeveloped on large
practical lines. The ability. the
kro,vledge. the means OF investiga-
ton the materials required, the
! skilled teachers. were all here
hut there was a kind or supersu-
ton Of German supremacy that
paralvzed effort and ambition
Read what Prof. J. r. Withrow'
~ the Ohio State university. says:
II have met manufacturers since
the war whose operations were
brought to a full stop by lack OF
some raw material or other VINO
complacently accepted their fate on
the ground that they could not get
, A German chemist. They mad no
bias i'm favor OF Germany at all
They just thought it was a matter
of common information that chem
lists we're domestic animals i'm
ported from the Black Forest
1 ApA even now the American pub