The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-06
CHEMICAL USERS IN
U. S. ASK PROTECTION
Cable Petition to Wilson for
Licensing System to Bar
Germans.
WANT OVERS KEPT OUT
Assert High Tariff and Patent
Seizure VIII Not Prove
Sufficient.

Leading American dye and chemical
users to the number of $50 have ad-
dressed President Wilson by cable in
request that the protection Of ! licensing
law be given to native dye and chemical
making as barrier against competition
by the Germans after peace and as q
guarantee of the Governments interest
In American enterprise.
None of the sisners OF tho petition TO
the President are themselves engaged In
the production OF chemicals or dyes. and
may. II they choose. buy and use foreign
products after peace 10 signed instead OF
native ones. But among themselves they
are pledged to support only home manu-
facture, although they will thus deny
themselves the beneft Of products not
yet available here, and will stand also
to suffer a money loss representing the
difference in cost between foreign and
native products.
What Is wanted Is a licensing act SIM
liar to the one now In operation In Eng
land. which will make It impossible for
any seller to put dyes or chemicals on
the American market without a license
from this Government. 1t 10 fully real
lied by everyone concerned that the mo-
and drug makers who once controlled
the markets Of the world will make
frantic effort TO recapture their old pres
tige.
The capital and resources OF the Ger
man producers are enormous and the size
Of their investment such that their need
to regain their old custom 10 not only
urgent but desperate. Everyone inter-
ested knows that they arc prepared to
be tremendous and run into years In Or
der to kill an American competition
which is only just climbing to its feet.
Petition to President.
The following communication was for
warded to President Wilson by cable on
March 90:
The undersigned. representing vari-
Gus branches OF the textile industry,
respectfully submit that In their opln-
ion an independent self-sustaining
American dye manufacturing indus
try Is a national necessity: that such
a dye industry cannot be established
unless competition from German fac
tories, including those in occupied
territory. be cut of for q period Of
years; that no tariff will furnish pro-
lection against the enormous re-
sources and interruptions methods OF
the German trust fighting to regain
its foreign market: and that only a
licensing plan like the British ex-
Guiding all foreign dyes reasonably
obtainable in the United States will
| save the new industry. We respect
| fully urge that immediate steps be
| taken to procure both in the peace
treaty and In legislation the meas
ures necessary to establish such a
| plan.
| We advocate this not merely. be-
cause a domestic dye industry Is es-
sential to the independence Of the
American textile industry and manu-
facture generally, but chiefly because
we believe that only through an es-
tablished dye industry can the nation
secure the progress in chemical edu-
cation, in the application of chem
istry to the arts, and above all in
curative medicine which are indis-
pensable to the national welfare.
The signers are from every part OF
this country. Those signing from New
York are:
United Piece Dye Works, United
States Finishing Company Unior
Bleaching and Finishing Company, Tn,
ing Company. Davis & Quick, The She
tucket Company. Joshua l.. Baily Com
pany. Windsor Print Works. American
Printing Company. Lewiston Bleachery
and Dye Works, Utica Willowvai,
Bleaching Company. Hunter Manutac
turing and Commission Company, Con
verse Company, Joseph Bancroft an,
Sons Company. The Eddystone Manu-
featuring Company. Sayles Finishing
Plants, s. Slater a Sons, Inc. The A.
pinock Company. Albert d. Smith. Clay
smith Company.
The petition expresses in concrete
form the apprehension born in the mind
OF American textile makers and othe
manufacturers who have conferred Will
Joseph II. Choate. Jr., in charge OF tn
New York bureau Of the Allen Propert!
Custodians office. Mr. Choate hai
talked to meetings of men interested Il
every part of this country and has ex
planned to them the dangers OF tn
American position and how means al
ready in effect to keep German competi
ton out are not sufficient in them
selves.
The first protection afforded American
dye making came through the efforts 0