The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-09
PAYING CHEMISTS
 FOR RESEARCHES
Bx HOLLAND

the unwritten law and to ask money recompense for his discoveries, it was looked upon as unprofessional, and un- dignified for chemists and other men or science, especially those occupied Tn making researches, to offer their dls- coveries for sale. Sir William Thomp- son. who afterward was elevated to the peerage as Lord Kelvin, saw no reason why he should not ask or accept pay ment for the use of his discoveries and inventions. Instead of doing harm to his reputation this action of Sir William was more and more accepted as a prop CT course to take until new chemists and other men of science, whether they are occupied in making research work or in perfecting apparatus whereby the re- suit of their discoveries may be avail able for industry or the general well fare, except to receive and in many cases do receive large money returns in payment for those things which they have have discovered and utilized
 Today there are 25,000 chemists in the United States, almost all of whom are occupied in research and in the utiliza- tion of their discoveries so that they may be made available for the war purposes of the government as well as for the in duStries. Chemistry and the applica- tion of it for utilitarian purposes has now become one of the greatest of Amer ican industries, and the truth of that statement was asserted at the meeting few days ago in New York city of representatives of chemical industries particularly those which have been es- a hIiSbal ciYopa haoa IT,
 It has been said that men will win the war, ships will win the war, food will win the war, but it is certainly true that without the discoveries and the applica- tion of them to the industrial advantag ge which have been made by the American chemists it would be of small avail for us to raise armies, cultivate food and send these supplies across the seas.
 What Germany has been occupied for thirty or forty years in perfecting, name ly, her chemical industries, the United four years. The American chemists who recently met in New York are as a whole a remarkable body of men. They are enthusiasts, and while they looi upon money returns as essnetial, never theless they speak of their recen achievements with pride, saying tha' they demonstrate that the United States by reason of the exigencies of war, is certain to become the leader among the nations of the world in the chemica industry.
 WORK OF THE CHEMISTS
 In France and in England the gov ernments are regarding the chemists a: constituting a force which is engaged il essential industries that are of the ut most importance to those countries France has not many chemists in com parison with the number of these mer of science in the United States Accord ing to reliable information there were in France recently not more than 250 chemists on the other hand. in German, the estimate is that at least S0.000 chem ists are diligently occupied in workins out new problems with which to provide the. German military force and to som' extent the German people with needed | commodities.
 | It is the German chemists who have made it possible for Germany constantll to manufacture explosives, utilizing nev formulas, and it is also these chemists
 who provided the formula which enabled | Germany to initiate her gas warfare ant ! to maintain it.
 | Just after the United States entered the war the government felt compelled | to call upon the chemists to manufacture
 gas powerful effective and of more dan gerous quality than any gas manufac | tured by Germany. In a number or th | laboratories chemists set to work upol
 this problem. Nothing like it had eve
 appealed to them before we entered mt 1 the war In few months they dis l covered and worked out a formula t
 which only general reference has beel made, but which, nevertheless is en 1 abling the government to manufactur l at a great plant near Baltimore poison i ous gas of an especially powerful kin' | with which our soldiers in France ar | to be fully supplied. The magnittud | of this governmental undertaking whic | American chemists have made possiol l is demonstrated by the fact that recent ! ly our government called upon manufac I turers of certain apparatus which needed in the manufacture of pofsonou
 gas, demanding the delivery in all with
 in six months of 100000 pounds of thi apparatus. In fact, so urgent was th appeal of the government that 1t oIiere to advance funds needed for the en 1 largement of the plant in which this ap paratus is made There is no doubt tha the chemists who have discovered tn formula for the manufacture of this pol sonous gas rely primarily upon sulphur and very likely it is for that reason tha the government assumed control of tn great sulphur deposits in Louisiana an in Texas. It was said recently Una Italy has placed an embargo on export
 of sulphur ore and the lack of shippin has prevented the export of sulphu from Spain. Germany is relying upo
 Norway for it's sulphur supply. Br the United States is fortunate in hay ] ing an abundant supply. How greati Germany depends on sulphuric acid fo
 the manufacture of her explosives l shown by the fact that she uses 12O,U tons of sulphuric acid month. Shout