The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-30
CHEMISTS AND
 THEIR WAR WORK
By HOLLAND

By HOLLAND
 New York. May 29.--(Special) Again the American chemists are dem onstrating their capacity to meet ex-
 traordinary or even entirely new de-
 mands in order that the government
 may be better prepared to maintain our 1 armies in France against German att tack. The chemists have solved tho dye problem. They have shown to the l government authorities how to obtain I from an inexhaustible resource-whicn l is the atniosphere--ali the nitrogen l that is needed both for war purposes and after the war for peaceful indus
 try. Chemistry in association with other science is gradually but surely utilizing the various potash deposits i'll the United States so that in some
 measure we may be relieved of the l emergencies occasioned by a scarcity of this important product.
 1 Science and invention have perfected 1 apparatus. which is to be used in the war. of a kind which three years ago | would not have been dreamed of. Now fairly authoritative announcement comes from Washington that the chem | sts have matched or overmatched Ger ! many in the production of military 1 gas, for our chemists have discovered | a formula by means of which the dead ] Hest of gases, easily handled and to be conveniently utilized by the armies, may be made.
 l Early in the winter the inference was strong that the government was preparing for the manufacture on very large scale of poisonous gasee ;1l, sr. Lrx<,x. 1r,1Id 1 be supplied American chemists and manufacturers have perfected the best of the gas macks the basis of which l is a peculiar weave of cotton. A mil ] lion of these masks are now under con struction But there are only for de- fense against German gas attack. The poisonous fumes which our chemists | have discovered are said to be as dead 1 ly almost and as instantaneous in their effect as are the fumes of prussic acid l or carbonic acid gas The formula is 1 in the hands of those who are operat- l ing great poisonous gas plant. Early in the winter representatives I of the government visited manufactur- CTS at Niagara Falls for the purpose of 1 learning whether or not the industry there established could furnish an enormous amount of electrodes. The l managers of this industry informed the governments representative that It would be essential for the government to lift certain restrictions upon the use of electric power at Niagara if q con- tract of that kind were to be accepted and executed. Washington must have received information of that kind by telegraph. for almost immediately the restriction was moved The govern | ment wanted very large amount of electrodes Electricity of high power and great heat, it is understood is used in the manufacture of poisonous gases And there is no apparatus which can safely and economically be employed in the use of this great heat electricity excepting these electrodes. The purpose to which the electrodes were to be put was of course no affair of the manufa cturers of this apparatus. but it was inevitable that they should surmise that the government was about to begin the manufacture Of poisonous gas upon a very great scale, with intent to supply this gas to our soldiers in France.
 Now it is learned that this inference was fully justified. The chemists have shown the government formula by ! means of which the deadliest of gases of kind that can be utilized for war purposes can be economically manu- factured and the. government in it's great plant is utilizing in the manufac-
 
 electrodes.
 So also other appartus which may be of the highest avail for our armies that are fighting in France and Flanders has been perfected. The belief prevails that within a short time it will become a matter of common knowledge that science and invention combined with patience and perseverance have per
 fected the best kind of aircraft and the best motors for driving the aircraft.
 British military authority who was recertlv permitted to witness a last ef the improved Springfield rifles did not hesitate after the test was ended to- say that in his opinion the Americans had perfected the best army rifle and he hoped that the entire Americn> army would be speedily equipped with it. He spoke of it as wonderful gun. So also our machine gun when finished will be unsurpassed by any other, and the ordnance department if the war continues will be able to supply our armies and the navy with the best type of great guns.<
 On the first day of the campaign for subscriptions to the Red Cross war fund there came announcement that in the early business hours of that day George r. Baker had subscribed $1 .o00,00o In the mid-weelS of the campaign announcement was made that Andrew Carnegie had SubScribed $1.o00.0oo. It was inevitable that the comment should, be made that in all probability John D. Rockefeller was waiting till the closing hours of the campaign before making his subscrip- tion.
 MT. Bakers subscription was en- tirely personal although 1t was an- nounced through tho committee of which his daughter-inAlaw. Mrs. GeorgA F. Baker. Jr.. was theAchairman. Tho Carnegie subscription was made in tho name of the Carnegie foundation. AL though the Carnegie faundation was established by a gift ofAAndrew Car negie. vet the subscriptiAn of mill lion dollars which was made in the name of the foundation was not An drew Carnegie's personal subscription The Rockefeller foundation, which was established bv urnificent aft from John D. Rockefeller. might make a subscription to the Red Cross fund. but
 that would not be John D. Rockefel- lers gift. One gratifying feature as- sociated with the campaign for Red Cross subscriptions last week was the
 payment of much the larger part of
 the subscriptions in full although
 under the terms of the proposition 1t was possible to pay in it insta1lnents
 So also throughout the country. the
 Understanding is that the larger part of the subscriptions were paid sipon the Spot in cash