The Washington herald., 1918-01-25
MAY PRODUCE
own POTASH
Fmanciers Believe u. S.
Can Do 1t, Says
Holland.

The dyestuffs industry ia not the
only one which the United States can
permanently secure, being thereby
hereafter independent Of Germany,
but In all probability. II certain con-
tinsencies are fully met we may also
be Independent OF Germany with re-
spect to the highly important COM
modity-potash.
II has once or twice happened that
by reason of unexpected develop
ments which have been made possible
through the work Of men Of research
and inventive capacity. the United
States has Of a sudden found Itself In
dependent Of the rest Of the world 81
far as commodities were concerned
which always before science and In
vention had come to the rescue. We
were compelled to import. That Is
true Of sulphur, for now we not only
secure sulphur enough for our own
use, but are, able to export some. 1t
Is also true in a great measure OF
rice, and Of certain fruits.
There Il. however, o romantic IN
terest associated with the new rela-
ton ot-the United States to the pot
ash Industry which supplements the
important Industrial and commercial
interest," associated with our use OF
this product Of the mines For 1t has
been stated and presumably authori-
tatively stated that Prof. Ostwold. one
Of the great men Of science Of Ger
many. said at the beginning of the
war that Germany's ability through
her control Of tire only known large
deposit OF potash salts would be suf-
ficient to dominate other nations and
that this would be- IN due time, fully
recognized.
There were grave apprehensions In
the United States that this might be
true as far as this country was con-
cerned. These apprehensions were
specially prevalent among the far
mers. for more and more the great In
dustriH sections of the country are
dependent upon fertilizers In which
potash is an important element II the
farmers are to be successful In har-
vesting large crops.
when the War Began.
When the war began the American
importers OF potash from Germany
were In possession of fairly large
surplus, but within a few months it
no new supplies they must, with the
utmost care, even as though restrict
ed by the command Of the govern
ment, deal out smaller and smaller
proportions of the potash to the man
ufacturers OF fertilizers and other
chemical products At last none was
left.
Instantly the men OF Science. aided
by men of capital, undertook to dis
cover there did exist in the United
States natural resources which, under
proper. treatment which the men Of
science were to discover II possible,
could be made to yield fairly good
supplies of potash Furthermore, the
hope was expressed that science and
capital would discover a way where
by the prediction Of the Germans that
they would be triumphant ultimately
because they controlled the only
known large deposits Of potash salts.
would be negatived and Germany
would be confounded. Fer 1t was not
inconcelvable that the United States.
being driven to it. might ind that
there were abundant natpral resources
in this country which after having
been subjected to proper treatment
would produce a sufficient supply Of
potash. Should that hope bedome a
reality then, as Is already the case
with the dye industry, the United
States will. directly on account Of the
war, have become independent Of
Germany for this highly important
commodity.
Richard K. Mead, who is a high
authority, recently stated that he
knew Of some millions = OF dollars
q -. -
ing the potash industry. in the United
States If the men of capital could
be sure of one. thing. to use the pre-
else wopds of Prof. Mead: The thing
that keeps this money out of an in
vestment, Of this kind Is the fear, not
that we won't have potash from Ger
many as heretofore, but that we will
have too much and that the German
producers will be SO glad to get Yam
kee dollars to pay their war debts
that they win offer US potash on the
same old 80 basis"
The One Assurance Needed.
This man Of science and others now,
after thorough research work in Amer
ican raw material has been made, as
sert positively that IL men Of capital
Of the United States can be assured
Dy proper leslSlauon Ihdt there Will
be no dumping Of German potash salts
into this country after the war is
ended, because the dumping will be
made AT q price far too low for the
American Industries to match, then
there is no doubt that there can be
developed IN the United States and
Canada q potash industry which will
furnish all Of the commodity that
We need for both agricultural and
chemical purposes and which will be
able to sell the potash at a price which
viii work no hardship on any Of those
who use II.
Therefore II seems as though the
men Of science and OF high authority
are satisfied that we can make our
selves independent Of Germany so far
as potash Is concerned provided only
the industry Is properly but not un-
duly protected. The best expert au-
thority, having taken observation OF
the extraordinary and patient research
work which has been done by men of
science, is persuaded that the chief
future source OF cheap potash avail
able in the United States is in the
iron and cement industry. The ex-