New-York tribune., 1918-01-20
Men Of Science Quick
To Meet Wars Challenge
On the Firing Line They Make Use of Many Discoveries Revealed
Years of Research Work Peacefully Carried On in
Laboratory and Ahed

make this clear. We have great M.
for sulphuric acid and our develon.a
sulphur mines have not furnished
full supply. Certain of our industr;.,
largely depend on the sulphur that u.
can roast out Of pyrite ore that coma,
from Spain. The ships that have c.,'
ried our wheat abroad have loadsa
back with Spanish pyrite But shin,
as We have found, are not TO be created
by rubbing Aladdin's lamp. so ON.
pyrite supply fell short of the demand
for the sulphuric acid that cuts tbs
phosphate rock into fertilizer fo,
Southern cotton.
A Mans Job
In studying a map of Southern Gro
deposits with relation to the plac;no
of a nitrate plant it became evident
that pyrite was to be found in stretei
Of the mountains running from north
ern Georgia to central Alabama. And
just when this was found :here cam.
into the office one of the most FORE.
full of Southern manufacturers. who
entered with statement that he wss
looking for a place-"not under the
spotlight, I'm not prims donna; lust
mans job; something somebody else
would shy at"
"Why not find the pyrite ore in your
Southern hills ?" | asked
"Never heard Of the stuff. but if its
there and you say We need it for the
war I'll get it,"
That was almost literally the con.
versation that has led to the opening
of five mines yielding 400 tons q dav
which it is promised before the winter
is over will be increased to 900 tors
a day; and 10000 tons a month is
more than fifteen good ships could
bring from Spain to our coast if kent
in a continuous circle.
Now that our problem is to produce
more than ever before, it is clearly to
be seen that the physical resources Of
the United States are today almost
completely at the command of the
worlds needs. If, indeed. for the past
forty years this nation had been Plan
ming to make war upon its neighboS.
and so seize the continent for itself.
what more would have been done to
make our resources available for suca
an adventure? This is, perhaps, the
hardest test to which the problem of
our internal development cousd be nut.
Yet the answer must be that very little
more could have been done or would
have beer done by people necessarily
doing so much.
Of one thing. however, we may ls
sure, that a nation intent upon its own .
f-sutficlency would not be holding
under what is tantamount to govern
ment withdrawal the two newes.
sources of power-substitute for that
coal which costs the labor OF million
men and is the greatest Of all the bur
dens Of our railroads-water power
and petroleum. 1t may be expected
surely that Congress viii release these
resources by passing those leasing bills
which have been so long pending in
both houses.
What Cooperation Means
But this war is not to be won by
the measuring Of resources, for If
wars were to be so won China pos.
sibly would be our only rival The
spirit of the people is the making Of
the nation, in'war as in peace. The
extent to which people can cooperate
marks the point of civilization they
iioNS ICoSliCd. -NOW, lilC SAS--SSl Out-
fact of the last year, as clear
ment alone, is that under the crystaliz-
ing influence of common danger and
under the inspiring impulse Of COM
mon purpose Americans are quick to
come together The very rush made
upon Washington at the beginning Of
the war by those who wished to help
in any form of war work was evidence
Of the consciousness that life and It's
conduct were no longer matters Of
individual concern, but prominently
Of communal value. Industry itself.
which has been thought to have no soul
above the selfish acquisition OF money
vas foremost in its Willingness TO serve
when shown how it could. And when
ever men come to perceive something
better and bigger than they are them
selves they are in the way of coming
nto the full light of new sun, under
he influence Of which changes that
are miraculous take place. In religion
hey call it regeneration, in industry
'ocialization. the gaining Of new
sense, social as distinguished from
personal sense. 1t is all a matter or
5ision, of seeing clearly-clearly enough
o convert speculation into conduct.
Men are already thinking OF the
.reater America that they believe to
'e coming when the war is done. We
re IN this war as the trustees of social
nd political ideals. most of them un-
ormed. even embryonic, and these we
ope to realize through the strength Of
he nation. Our nationalism. intense,
irile and of the lighting kind, is
art of the machinery through which
We are working to make all men our.
ebtors. Our national purpose is to
ransmute days Of dreary work into
appier lives-for ourselves first and
or all others in their time This is
he large view, the idealistic view, K
ou please. of Americas mission. 1t
the subconscious philosophy Of all
ur history our wars, our public
chool system. our conservation
chemes, our enterprise
This greater America is not to be the
lmy product of a nations fancy. the
ay dream of a monumental national
go. 1t is to be as substantial as hard
hought and hard work can make il.
nlng OF good roads, ships and call-
Dads, we'll fertilized farms and we'll
rganlzed industry, regulated rivers
ut to use, and schools ana schools and
~ioo4e' anu ldooidloiIes ana more !dV
ratorles. War has taught England
nd France much, one thing perhaps
bove all others, how all important IN
his day is the man who has the new
ind of savoir faire.
II we are to meet the full rivalry Of
he world we must rest our chance for
access upon our ability to produce men
no, in character, in trained capaci-
es and IN radioactive Imagination
III outnatch those whom they are TO