The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-09
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN, Director,
Woshinsfon, d. c.
WAR AS A CHEMICAL PROBLEM

Washington, Feb. By a recent
proclamation all persons |
and firms that make, use or import
ammonia or ammonium sulphate. are
now compelled to take out a federal
license, which will give the federal
and absolute power
over all of these substances produced
in the United States. +
This order has significance and
importance which is not appreciated
by the Iayman. 1t is in effect govern
ment control of the most important
form of certain chemical element
nitrogen-without which the war can
not be carried on or the people fed-
This war from one point of view Is
simply a problem in chemistry, and
one which we have just begun to
solve.
The great world need for combined
nitrogen was explained in previous
production of ammonium sulphate
brings to light much new and inter-
esting information as to the para
mount part which this chemical ele--
ment is now playing in world destiny.
The need for nitrogen may be
briefly explained by the statement that
it is an essential element in food, and
must therefore be put into the soil in
the form of fertilizer. Only one class
of food plants, the legumes. such as
Deans ana peas, nave the power OF
ing nitrogen in the soil. All the 9TH
ers, such as the grains, take it out, but
do not replace it. Phosphorus and
potash are equally important plant
foods, but they are much cheaper and
easier to obtain than nitrogen Since
the war began the need for this ele-
ment has been greatly increased by
the fact that it is an essential in the
manufacture of high explosives.
Now combined nitrogen may be OBJ
tanned in various ways. In Chile it
occurs in largo quantities in the
ground as sodium nitrate, but boats
in which to carry this substance to
the countries that need it are not
now available. Garbage, fish scrap,
slaughter house refuse, and other
substances used for fertilizer are valu-
able primarily for their nitrogen con-
tent, but there is not senough of them
to supply the world demand. The
atmosphere contains unlimited sup
plies of nitrogen, and methods for
extracting it have been perfected ex-
pcrime1tally, but their commercial
use is limited. Germany is undoubt-
edly obtaining a part of her nitrogen
supply in this way. Our own bureau
of ordnance has a special division de-
voted to the study and perfection of
methods of fixing atmoSpherical nitro
gen. This is the SOURCE of nitrogen
not be an important factor for US in
this war.
Our one large available supply of
com b1ned nitrogen is in our coal de-
posits. Coal contains a, large per-
>centage o. nitrogen which may be
obtained i'll the form of ammonium
Sulphate when coal is made into coke
for the manufacture of steel. This
is the resource of which the govern
ment has now taken charge.
The distressing feature of the stu
alton is that more than half of the
made in beehive" ovens, which do
not save the amIponium sulphate. This
year it is estimated that we will waste
in this way about.445, 900 tons of am
monium sulphate which is worth
about s35,60O,OOO. Yet the waste
must go on, for the replacement of
beehive ovens by the by-product ovens
is a slow and expensive process, and
we must have coke with which to
make steel. Germany would not now
be able TO face the world with her i'm
ports cut off except for the fact that
this change from beehive to by-prod-
uct coke ovens which is just getting
well under way in this country Ger
many is also believed to be manufac-
turing combined nitrogen from the
atmosphere, and is doubtless conserv-
duction of ammonium sulphate is the
vital factor in her ability to be self
sufficient.
A study of the worlds production of
ammonium Sulphate, published by an
American corporation and accepted as
| reliable by the United States govern
ment, shows what vital part combined
nitrogen is playing in world affairs
Take the case of Great Britain for ex-
a r1Taln lnr ~
| stuffs is dependent upon the amount
of this fertilizer which she can put
| into the soil; yet she needs the same
substance for making munitions.
Furthermore she has been exporting
ammonium sulphate in large guam
! titles for many years, and she cannot
afford to stop this expectation for
many reasons. For example, she is
now dependent upon Java for sugar
to replace the beet sugar she formerly
got from Germany. But Java cannot
raise sugar without ammonium sui
Britain sent to Java in 1916, S2,92S
| tons of the precious substance which
is SO much needed at home in ships
| which are so much needed for other
| purposes.
| Another very significant fact is that
Japan has. long depended upon Great
| Britain for ammonium sulphate with
| out which her soil could not sustain
| her population And Japan is getting
rather a bad deal In 1913 she got
los, 243 tons of ammonium sulphate
| from Great Britain, which was prac-
tically her total import In 1915 she
got but 1896 tons. This may well
explain in part why Japan is not a
more active participant in the war, fol-
nitrogen is the fundamental sinew OF
war. The dependence of Japan upon
Great Britain for this substance may
also well be one of the strongest ties
that binds Japan to the allies, wher
her interests in purely political ways
| do not seem, to say the least, very
strongly identified with theirs. China
it/might be noted in this connection
produced 10000 tons of ammonium
sulphate in 1915, as against only 1900