Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
WHAT The GOVERNMENT Is DOING

nNMENl Id UVlNu
which poisons are encountered and
that is when the substance called
dope" is applied to the linen which
covers the body. wings, rudder. etc The
purpose of the dope is to tighten the
fabric SO that it Is absolutely smooth
hitting and to render 1t waterproof.
A great many varieties of dope have
been used for this purpose and even
now new ones are brought forward
from time to time and tested, so that
it is probable that formulas used now
my be changed within a short time.
1t was during the year before the war
that physicians first heard of Industrial
poisoning in connection with airplane
doping, through reports in German meR
zeal journals. Reports were also made
in England. The German reports ceas-
ed. but the British reports appeared
from time to time up to January, 1917.
form of dope was largely discontin-
ued in England. Because of these re-
ports the bureau instituted an inquiry
into the work of doping airplanes in
were used, what precautions were be-
ing taken. and whether there was any
evidence of dope poisoning in Ameri-
can alrplane works. In the course of
iHQuHy clSnCcen factories were
visited. some of which were small.
Doping is simply painting fabric with
llquld dope. Usually five or six coats
are applied and there is an interval of
an hour or SO between coats to allow
Tor drying. II only one part is to be
uoped the men go outside during this
nour and do other kinds of work, but
II tnere are several they pass on to
a ahother part and work continuously.
obviously the larger the number of
parts drying the heavier the fumes in
the doping room. The British ree11Ia-
LIONS advise drying the doped parts in
q room separate from the doping. but
SO Tar this is not done in American
plants. No cases Of death from this
e Work nave been found in the United
states up to this time.
AZ
one OF the most Interesting divisions
OF the Council Of National Defense is
the aircraft production
Wood for board In considering
Airplanes the materials used in
the manufacture of air
planes. the board, early in its work,
discovered at once that the two major
olmcufties likely to be encountered
were in the procurement Of spruce and
linen Because of its lightness and at
the same time great strength spruce
has been almost exclusively used in
struts, beams. etc, of the airplanes
Propellers are made of different woods,
chlefy mahogany and black walnut,
and, while it is not easy to secure ade-
to lack of bottoms, the situation was
clearly well in hand as long as black
walnut, and even birch. could be used
ton.
Spruce. on the other hand, was used
almost universally, and three of the
allied governments have been looking
to America for their supply of this
lumber This resulted in thoroughly
unsatisfactory conditions in the mar
ket. as different specifications were
being used by the three principal buy
ers, each buyer being represented at
various times by several brokers who
were bidding against one another and
exacting exorbitant commissions for
supplying the product to their clients.
The matter was taken in hand by
the production board, and a man of
experience in woodworking operations
in this connection. A delegation was
sent to the Pacific coast, Including
member of the lumber committee of
the Council of National Defense, and
changes made in the cutting specifica-
lions at the sawmi1ls. so that a much
larger percentage of the log would be
available for airplane stock than here
tofore, and also to the end of making
it possible TO purchase much less per
airplane manufactured than heretofore
This had the further advantage of re-
lieving the transportation situation. In
some instances this revision Of speci-
hcations resulted in reducing the
amount of lumber required for one MA
chine from 2,400 to 500 feet, the amount
now found adequate for the average
type of plane.
X 4
Several thousand rulings upon the
AVAILABILITY of matter relating to lot
/. teries and kindred prize
Frauds and schemes prohibited by
A. MI the laws have been
'nS "A's' made during the past
year by attorneys for the Post Office
Department, and in great number of
cases considered the mails have been
closed to the operation of these enter
prises.
officials dealing with this class of