The Washington herald., 1918-01-26
PERKIN MEDAL
TO BAEKLAND
Scientists Award Suggests
to Holland Possibility Of
American Recognition.

The Perkin medal, which q awarded
to that man Of science who In a sim
gle year has achieved the most strfk-
ing and valuable results from re-
search, has been awarded to several
Americans. DR.. REQ Hendrick Back
land. whose research work and whose
inventions following them. are es-
teamed by men Of science as among
the most important recently achieved
by an American, received the Perkin
medal a few years ago, and earlier
DR.. E G.. Acheson was awarded that
medal in recognition Of his highly mn
portant and successful research work.
Charles Hall, who by reason Of re-
search and practical application Of
his discoveries made possible produc-.
tion Of aluminium in commercial
quantities. was also in this manner
recognized
Presumably some of the American
men of science who have been since
the war In Europe began, devoting
themselves to research with the in
tent to discover the best methods of
producing dyestuffs from American
resources, in sufficient amounts to
make the American market indepen-
dent of Germany. will be within the
ner recognized for their services.
That would be particularly appropri-
ate. since the Perkin medal founda-
ton was established for the purpose
of honoring the memory OF the Eng
lish lad Perkin who was the first to
discover how dyestuffs that were of
value could be secured from coal tar.
Perkin was a lad only II years of
age at the time when he was conduct
ing research in a self-constructed
laboratory in the basement of his
fathers house in London. At last
one day he triumphantly announced
that he had secured from coal tar a
beautiful mauve color and further
more believed that this material was,
under proper treatment, capable of
producing every color. even those
delicate shades of which the wonder
ful workers in shawls in India pos
sess the secret. some OF which are
almost imperceptible to the naked
eye.
England Did Not Take Heed.
England did not. either through its
men OF business or its men Of science,
take special heed oft he discovery of
this T-year-old lad Germany did,
however. Her men of science took up
investigation and research where the
boy had been compelled to leave 1t of
and at last perfected the wonderful
formulas which gave Germany the
command Of the dye stun industry of
the world and which incidentally
greatly distressed the farmers who
grew indigo for its blue dye or who
collected the cochineaT insect in
Central America which had for years
furnished the brilliant scarlet dye.
There was no doubt in the minds
Of men of science that the united Dos
sessed resources sufficient to enable
American industry to make, with COM
nercial success, as good dye stuffs as
The Germans did and of as many
eolors- But there were no induce
nents for them to do this. Capital
could not be persuaded to make in
vestment to any great extent in the
Hanufacture Of American dye stuffs
and the manufacturers themselves
PhO made use Of he German dye
stuffs incredulous, not believing that
our men Of scienc7 could match those
OF Germany in price. quality. variety
or quantity Of the dye sturs.
War Changed the situation.
The European war instantly changed
the situation After the supply of
German dye stuffs which was in this
country when the war began was ex-
Aausted. the apprehension was great
that the manufacturers of tentile
goods and Of other commodities in
which dye stuffs play an important
part would either be compelled to
give up production or to put a cheap
OF unsatisfactory article upon the
market
Then men Of great capital who pos
ssssed large industrial plants and
who had expended good deal of
money In obtaining expert informa-
ton respecting American resources in
raw materials from which dye stufIs
could be made. were persuaded that
the time had come when the United
States could establish and upon so
great a basis as to make US indepen-
dent of Germany. the dye stun in
dustry.
This week a convention Of dye max
srs of the United States Is in session
ia New York and one of the results
Of their discussions and OF the infor-
nation which the members will give
oHt will be the revelation to the
American people that those things
which men Of industry three years
ago predicted as possible have now
been accomplished; for the people will
be informed that the American dyes
are now fully the equal OF the German
dyes. that they can be produced, all
things considered. as cheaply, and
that the industry IL probably lost to
Germany and permanently gained by
the United States. This will be ac-
cspted as one of the many marvellous
changes in industry which the war
has occasioned. 1t is a change which
Will be Of serious and damaging i'm
port TO Germany after the war Is
ended for she presumably will lose
one Of her greatest markets for dye
STUN. HOLLAND"