The Colorado statesman., 1918-08-03
The need of platinum in war indus.

lHe nteu OF plhtlnuin IN war iuuus'
tries and In the sciences is explained
by DIR. Charles l.. Parsons, chief chem
ist bureau of mines, department OF the
interior, In an argument for discontlnu-
ance of the use of platinum in jewelry.
"The war cannot be won without
platinum" says Doctor Parsons, "and
it is equally essential in times of peace
If our country is to excel Germany in
the development of chemical science
and industry. With the aid of plati'
mum from one ordinary wedding ring
about 100 pounds of nitric acid can be
made every "a hours. This 100 pounds
of nitric acid converted into high ex-
plosives will send a number of three
inch shells against the Germans and
help to bring the boys back home.
platinum rings, pins, cigarette
cases, and mesh bags are not factors
in winning this war-eXplosives are.
wonder II the purchasers and wearers
of platinum jewelry know that explo-
sives cannot be manufactured without
the use of sulphuric and nitric acids;
that the manufacture of these acids re-
quires the use OF supplies Of platinum
that airplanes must have platinum for
important instruments they need; that
platinum Is absolutely necessary in the
manufacture of special promoters; /;
that promoters are necessary in all
steel treatments; and that no guns can
be made without the use of promoters.
"There is a shortage In the supply of
platinum. Russia has a corner on the
worlds supply. and Germany is in Rus
STA. Our domestic production of plati-
mum is negligible, while our military
requirements are increasing at a rapid
rate"
Many housewives have learned from
sad experiences In loss of perishable
foods that next to the ice is not the
coolest place in the home refrigerator.
To the housewife who has not had this
experience the food administration
gives this advice:
MANY put their butter and milk
right next to the ice because they
think this is the coldest place, but, as
a matter of fact, the coolest place is
at the bottom of the refrigerator. Hot
air rises and air that is not being con-
stantly purified by circulation around
the blocks of Ice soon is unfit to
come into contact with the food.
When the warm air In the refrigera-
tor rises 1t carries with it impurities
and moisture which are absorbed from
the surface of the food and which II
allowed to remain In the air spoil
the food. The air which Is warmed by
passing over the food comes in con-
tact with the ice, where the moisture
is condensed upon the surface and the
impurities are carried off by the melt
ing ice. The air is thus dried, cooled
and purified. The cooled air immedi
ately descends to gather up more mois-
ture and impurities and thus the
process Is repeated continually.
"It Is advisable to allow heated food
to cool of before placing 1t in the re-
frigerator. If put in when warm 1t
raises the temperature of the refriger-'
ator higher than it should go and
melts ice unnecessarily. The trapdoor
through which the meltsge passes out
at the bottom of the refrigerator
should be kept in place, because If 1t
is broken or lost a constant stream Of
warm air is allowed to flow into the
refrigerator"
The war department has opened
great storage lumber depot at Gilmer-
ton, Va, to meet emergency demands
of the army for lumber. Through Its
operation 1t Is estimated that a yearly
saving of approximately s250,0O0 will
be effected.
Whenever army constructors In the
past were required to buy additional
lumber the purchases were made at
yards In the immediate vicinity. The
average increase in price for this ma
terial over the lumber originally pur-
chased for the job would run from 50
to S12 per 1000 feet. BY purchasing
in large quantities and charging only
for yard maintenance the greater part
of this excess price is expected to be
saved to the government.
A stock of from twelve to fifteen
million feet of lumber will he carried,
and 1t is estimated that the yearly
turnover will amount to between fifty
and sixty million feet. A fund Of
S500,000 has been set aside by the war
department for use by the construc-
ton division Of the army as necessary
working capital for the yard.
The supply of kerosene will run
short next winter and the government
Is urging every user to do his part
toward making every gallon to do full
war duty by giving forth Its full
measure of light and heat. Saving can
be accomplished, 1t is said, only II
care is given lamps, lanterns. heaters
and stoves.
The director of oil conservation Of
the United States fuel administration
issues these rules for fuel-oil saving: