New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-25
War Task of u. S.
Chemists Outlined
At Exposition Here
DR.. Herty Declares They
Must Bend All Efforts to
Producing Explosives

The extraction Of toluene from every
foot Of coal gas produced in the coun-
try Is the one great task toward wnich
American chemists must bend their
energies, according to DR.. C. II. Herty,
formerly president of the American
Chemical Society, who spoke yesterday
Mt the opening OF the National Ex.
position Of Chemical Industries, at the
Grand Central Palace.
"Toluene is used In the manufactur.
vi tr'hltrotoluoI. one of the most pow
erful OF explosives, more famiIiarly
known as T n T." Dr. Herty said "Our
men, soon TO tnter battle, should be
protected by the most lavish use nos
slble of high explosives. Every nos.
sioIe pound Of high explosive that this
country can produce should be manu-
IacIured and transported to the Euro
pean oattlehelds. Trench warfare has
met ITS master In high explosives. The
terrible sacrifice OF life can be les
Sehed by the curtain of artillery fire.
mere Is no time to lose. High explo-
SIVeS must Increase faster than our
man power. Every trace of toluene
should De on its way to Europe in the
form of trinitrctoluol."
Train More Chemists. Cry
lie pointed to the fact that the
chemistry courses In many universities
nave practically been abandoned owing
TO the fact that the young chemists
have enlisted, and he urged that large
sums be spent in training still younger
men TO take their places. As to prog
fess being made in the chemical world,
DR.. Herty showed that the most ef-
tcient and modern chemical means are
nov being supplied our army for both
defensive and offensive warfare, that
Congressional apathy has been over
come and legislation enacted protecting
our dyestuf Industry, and that the
newspapers have successfully combat
ed those who belittle the ability Of
American chemists and attack the wor-
thiness OF our chemical products.
DR.. Colin G. Fink. president Of the
American Electro-chemical Society
spoke of the Importance which electro
chemistry is playing in the war.
There is the airplane," he said
'whose light, strong stays are made
from the electro chemical metals
aluminium and magnesium. There Is
liquid chlorine; product Of the cleo
trolytic cell and the basis Of the Car
rcl-Dakin method Of treating the
wounds of our heroes. There is cleo
trolytlc hydrogen, used in all of our
scout and observation balloons, and
there are the numberless electric
alloys entering into the composition OF
nearly every item Of the governments
vast military equipment"
Attendance of $4,000 Expected
Progress in other fields Of chemistry
were discussed by DR.. Charles F. Roth
secretary Of the American Chemists
Society; DR.. Julius Stieglitz, president
of the American Chemical Society, and
DR.. G.. l.. Thompson, president OF the
American Institute Of Chemical Engi'
neers.
1t is estimated that $4,000 chemist:
and scientists from all parts Of the
country will attend the sessions and
view the 400 exhibits, which occupy
three floors.
The chemistry committee OF the Ma
tional Research Council will hold q
meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon, and
at DR.. Alexander Silvermsn, of the
University of Pennsylvania, will deliver
a lecture on the manufacture OF glass