Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21
DIR. KNOBS TELLSOF
NEEDS OF BELGIUM
Noted international Authority Ad-
dresses Delaware Section of
Chemical Society.

Lammot du Pom. entertained thc Dela-
ware Section Of the American Chemical
Section last night at dinner which filled
the Hotel du Pont diningroom. Mr..
du Pont, who has been chairman OF the
section during the past year was master
of ceremonies, and there we're several
short speeches during the dinner Fol-
lowing this, over their cigars, the men
listened 10 q very interesting talk on
Belgium and her needs by DR. Alexandra
knops. DIR. Knops was q chemist in
Belgium before the war, and fought, and
was wounded seven times, and also i'm
prisoned and escaped He came over TO
America, and was connected by the we'll
known DR. Bakelind, who is himself =
Belgian, with the du Pont Experimental
Station, in explosives.
DR. knops has great admiration OF
the American largescae method OF manu-
featuring, and told, in an amusing way
OF his first encounter with these methods.
He told DIR. Bakclind, who was trying ia
find connection for him suited TO his
particular experience, that he has been
making sulphuric acid in Belgium. "so?"
inquired Bakelnd. ''how much did YOU
maker" "Oh," answered Knops, feeling
that Belgium was doing wonders in that
iiDC, We HlhkP bbt Io isoto tpSs, 8Ho
sometimes a ton a day" "Yes, well.
don't believe YOU could do that work as
YOU don't talk the language well enough"
said DR.. Bakelind, and changed the sub
ject DR. knops thought it rather fqueer,
as he had not yet spoken in English 10
Bakelind. but only in French. Later on,
however, he learned that the United
States is making 200 tons Of sulphuric
acid a day, and knew how his quantity
production in Belgium must have sounded
to Bakelind
DIR. knops said that reports were going
about that a big American concern WAS
going TO send over several thousand men
20 build houses and renovate the roads
in Belgium There lay n danger, in a
course like this, the Doctor warned, that
the work that thev could do would be
taken away from Belgian artisans There
are plenty of worbmen who can build
houses and roads, and in Belgium, they
should do it, to aid in the industrial re-
adjustment of the country. What Bel
gium could use il executives and trained
technical men, skilled in large scale pro-
duction that could start Belgium off along
those lines
Officers for the new year were elected
rs follows DR.. Chas T. Reese, President;
w. +. Fletcher, Vice-President; Treasurer,
j. +. Garrett; Secretary, r. Z. Dougl SIS;
Councillors, F. w Barker, George Norman
and Charles l.. Reese.
Ii was discovered that tho funds of the
society were showing deficit OF $50 and
in front Of the several millionaire"
present serious discussion took place as
to how to remedy that. Someone laugh
ingly suggested taking collection, and
DR. Squires, director of personnel of the
du Pont Co, made the collection. There
was much jesting, and afterward, when
DR.. SQuires counted his collection it was
$50 and sixpence. He Immediately
proceeded to auction off the sixpence,
and Lammot du Pont got II for 81 130.
When MIR du Pont was thanked for the
be replied saying that be
would cherish that sixpence as a souvenir
Of the occasion.
The wide range of the activities and
of the members is indicated
by the subjects brought to the attention
of the meeting; which ranged from the
of the milk supply, the
provision of city laboratory, in addition
to the reconstruction of Belgium
A resolution offered by j G. Melendy,
providing for the education and training
st the expense of the society of several
orphans of French chemists, dead in the
war. was unanimously adopted
An invitation was extended the VIII
mington and Philadelphia sections of the
association TO hold their spring session
at Delaware College, by DR.. Mitchell,
president of the college.