Evening journal., 1919-11-15
DYE INDUSTRY Is
PROMISING INFANT
duPont's $60,OoO,OOO Plant
for Producing Colors, to
Employ About 10000
LICENSING BILL is
NOW BEFORE SENATE

chemistry went hand in hand unde
government subyenti0n and protection
English inventions We're the basis o
the German dye industry, historicall
considered, but Germany took the Eng
ish inventions and has always i'm
proved, syStematiZed and develOpe,
them, and I'm this instance became su
preme In the trade of the world. say.
the Wall Street Journal tOday For
underneath the German dye industry
lay the war ambitions and war prepa.
rations OF Germany. When the war
opened, England quickly felt her hack
OF fostering care for her dye industry
her chemical works, and her metal
lurgy; but the United States was able
20 supplement many Of her neglected
industries and forces.
IL is not generally known that one
half OF the Allies powder used during
the war came from this side Of the
ocean. Indeed, the dupont Powder
Company Is said 10 have furnished 40
per cent. Of the total. 10 is well known.
however. that the Allies, on their first
order to the duPOnts. for iOOOO0.OO0
pounds Of powder at 81 per pound. ac-
oompanied the order with fifty Millions
cash, that the duponts might expand
their plant. Today. on the banks OF
the James river, the dupOnts have a
S6OOOO,OO0 plant when they hope 10
turn into new lines in the uplift of
American industrial enterprise.
Before the war. the dupont business
averaged S26,0O0,OO0 per annum. and
only D per cent Of this was military
powder. Last year the gros earnings
Of the company were S329.0O0O0O. and
the net Si7,OOOOOO. From 1915 to 1918.
the business OF the company, including
S220OO0O0O Of construction. exceeded
by fourty-nine million the figure OF one.
billion dollars.
After the armistlce. contracts with
the duPonts for s26O.OOOOOO were can
celed. Now the company is scrapping.
as junk, s50.OOO,OO0 or its si5OOOO.OOO
invested In plants. From i25,0OO en-
ployes at maximum construction and
operation, the company is now down
TO 5000 employees, and 1000 are en-
ragged in the dye works.
When this dye plant Is finished and
fully operated, IL is the expectation Of !
the managers TO have employment for !
10000 people. This is expected 10 be a /
most important future business Of the /
dupont Company, next after the invest /
ment OF lis surplus capital gathered /
during the war.
The Importance Of this latter item
may be judged by the fact that while
the gross business OF the duPOnts is
now under 10 millions per annum, it
is expected TO be soon 100 millions per
onnum, and yet be only one-half the
company's gross business; for its in
vestment in the General Motors Com
pany, where Il owns more than 27 per
cent. OF the capital. also represents a
gross business in the motor field OF
another one hundred millions. as the
General Motors gross business Is now
approaching the mark OF 100 million
per annum.
II the entire gross business now un-
der the capital and surplus Of the du-
'0nt COMPANY returns liz per cent.
as expected. on the S2O0OO0.OOO dupont
assets, the resulting S23.OOO,OOO Of net
earnings can pay per cent. on the du-
Pont debentures and present IS per
'ent. dividends. or Sii.ij0,O0O on the
iuPont common.
But what more concerns the people /,
II the United states Is the malnten- ,
lnce and expansion Of the American /
chemical industry in which the du- /
Points ire expected to take the leader /
hip. They have had as high as 500 \
leople engaged in experimental chem
stry in all It's branches. p
Last month the War Board Division !
II the State Department, which has q
AIKEN over the functions Of the War \
licensing Board. gave permits for the :
Importation OF $4,000 pounds Of Ger C
nan dyes, at an average OF four times G
Ire-war prices, or Si.60 per pound. The "a
1ea Is that licenses shall issue for the al
Importation OF dyes that are not made II
n this country, and for the protection
( the 43 dye makers in the United p
tates, who have no protection for the i'
lture IN an average duty Of % per n
ent, and no present protection Wien m
erman marks stand Internationally at u
cents instead Of "a cents. Al
There Is bin now before the Sem ~
tc that will give an ideal regulation. IN
1t functions properly. In place OF :
ne War P0ard Licensing functions.
'lich win expire with the deciirall9n
peace. Unless this licensing bill T.
lssed in due time, more than a hun y;
red thousand tons OF dyestuffs. piled %
p In Germany. may quickly inundaie
lis country. Dyestuffs. at present
riccs. will take lltGe note OF high
Tipping rates. The dye values are by
ie pound. and shipping rates are by
ie ton. The dystuns concentrated in
ermany are understood 10 be OF dou-
g and triple strength.
On Armistice Day. this week. or No
'mber Il, both Houses OF Congress
owed their intention 20 protect the
nerican dye industry by the intro
lction OF a joitn resolution. forbid
ns, until January IS. 1920, any new =
rmhs for import of dyes or coal tar
'oducts. This may give time for
ngress TO formulate plans for the
y protection OF this industry. Il
II The American dye industry IS 20
ntinue, Wall Street must get out
w dictionary The cOlors which are
W arriving from Germany, under H.
1se, are known as synthetic anthra-
le they are the basis for the NJ
zarine coiors for wool, and OF In
nthrene colors for cotton. They work <
e indigo In solution, are Ox'dized in a
iibre, and, therefore, are very fast y