Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-27
DIRECTOR IF Tnt
 STANDARDS BUREAU l MAKES HIS REPORT

The recent activities of the Bureau or Standards. Department of Com- 1hefce, form an interesting chapter in the technical history of military eff clehcV. The report of the Director of the Bureau of Standards issued today covers many interesting applications of science to warfare. The Bureau Of standrds is essentially physical re- search laboratory and as such has been engaged in researches on military instruments: methods for locating ene- my batteries; development of new ma terials, appliances. and methods: and other technical researches on military problems I
 The regular work of the Bureau, however, has yielded interesting and important results. Apart from new re- searches, large volume of testing was completed, more than 100000 separate tests being made The con- struction of the new industrial labora- tory, the completion of the metallurgi- cal laboratory and the building of d number of emergency war laboratories for airplane investigations were events of interest, and fortunately will De of great value in the development of the several branches of technology within the Bureaus field.
 When the United States entered the war, the Bureau already possessed ex- ceptlonal facilities, equipment, and personnal for exact scientific research in physics, chemistry, and engineering. This enabled it to take up promptly many important military researches. The laboratories, so useful during peace, proved of especial importance in war. The specialized equipment of instruments, materials, and supplies were on hand which were then almost unobtainable elsewhere. The Bureau promptly extended its service to all i.nes of scientific work which would assist in the war. Practically every section of the Bureaus regular or gaalzatjon has had military problems of the most pressing nature submitted to it, and invaluable service has been rendered.
 ! The recent expansion of the Bureau has been on lines vital to the success of the war. It is interesting to note, however, that many of these lines are of essential value to our industries in peace. The need for the national pro- vision for master-guage standardiza- tion was only realized by those in close touch with such work. The accurate dimensioning of the funct- loning parts of mechanisms will per- init extending the American system of manufacturing interchangeable parts to it's maximum usefulness. The importance of nationwide standardiza- tion has long been known, but the practical working out of such stand- ardization is best met by national labatory such as the Bureau of Stand- ards. The same principle holds for all the technologies and special bran ches of physics.
 The combination of pure science and technology has proven especially stimulating and effective. The close cooperation of physicists and engi- neers in practical as we'll as theoreti- cal work has given an unusual breadth to such researches. In turn, the tech nologic facilities have proven of great value in the purely scientific work Many cases might be cited where the elements of research problem ramify into laboratories of practically every division of the Bureau The airplane is all example, and a problem ap- parently as simple as the spark plug has called for researches in many diff ferent technical sections of the Bureau. The establishment of new industries in America, such as those of optical glass and chemical porcelain, and the scientific remodeling of older indus tries ara fruits of the more intimate cooperation of science and industry which it is the function ot~<he Bureau to promote.
 In this connection may be mention ed the important fact that fine la boratory for industrial research is nearly completed and will be ready for use in few months. This laboratory when completely equipped will be one of the most effective of it's kind in the world, In no national institution in the world Is the union between pure science and practical technology so in- .imate az in the work of the Bureau of Standards.
 Apart from confidential reports. the Bureau published during the year about 50 new publications, including scientific, technologic, circulars, and bulletins. Thirty-six confidential cir culars were printed on the subject of aviation instruments alone. The estab- lishment of the work on metals in a suitable laboratory building was followed by the establishment of ex- perimental foundry and other research work on a practical basis. An inter- esting branch of the Bureaus work is found in the field of public utilities especially recent developments in re- gard to telephone service standards and the standards of safety and prac- tice for power service, elevator ser vice, crane construction, building construction, and the like.
 Altogether the report of the Direct or shows an extremely. wide range of industrial research problems in prog ress at our national bureau of stand ardization and research.
 It has been proposed that the func- tions of the Bureau of Standards should permit the maker of any stand ard commodity to submit a specimen