The Washington herald., 1921-05-15

many. IL was declared yesterday in
statement by the Engineering
Foundation, disclosing how new
methods contributed huge stocks CT
explosives and other material to
the army under Gen. Foch-
Improved devices for loading
shells enabred few men to do the
work Of thousands. millions Of gal
Ions of alcohol and bushels of corn
were saved and the time required
for making powder" was cut from
use once was for the humber coins
Of the world. was. II was stated,
An element Of prime importance in
GernAnys downfall.
Tells Of valse.
The Engineering Foundation, an
nouncing that II is working with
the division Of engineering of the
National Research Council to pro-
mote a national system of indus
trial research, made public yester-
day through its secretary, A. d.
Finn. q symposium of evidence on
benefits to industry resulting from
research scientifically carried on.
DR.. chas- l. Reese, chemical di-
rector Of the e I. du Pont de Ne
superintendent of the National
Nickel Co: Prof. Joseph W. Rich
ards, IN charge of the department
Of metallursy of Lehigh University;
Prof Michael L Pupin. Of Columbia
University; J. Vipond Davies, presi-
dent Of the United Engineering So
efsty; H Hobart Porter, of Sander
son and Porter. vice president and
gensral manager of the Brooklyn
city Railroad Company. and George
h Pegram, Of the Interborough
Rapid Transit Company. were
among those who urged the need
OF research on a large scale IL
America vas to reap the full bene-
nts Of the war and continue as an
Industrial nation of the first rank.
The du Pont Company ana the
International Nickel Company. DR.
Reese stated, were able to make
great contributions to the winning
Of the war by the fruits of research
which had been going on long be-
fore the outbreak in 1914. Their
aid began with the allies long be-
fore America participated
WORK of aa Poats.
The du Pont Company furnished
inconeeivable quantities Of explo-
States. and in spite of mounting
wages and the rising cost of liv-
ing, actually reduced the price or
powder" according to DR.. Reese.
The National Nickel Company
supplied practically all the nickel
used by the allies, including the
United States, as a necessary IN
gredient in steel for armament.
munitions and bsyonets
Research in the du Pont labora-
tories. which had its beginnings
more than a century ago. made the
manufacture of explosives safe, and
further reduced the chances of loss
of life or personal injury by the
labor In operations that had been
haxardous.- said DR.. Reese
SAVING m Time.
Ii cut the time Tor making pow
der from months to days IL led IU
production of sulphuric acid and TO
material used in the dye industry
in hinge quantities, which are es-
sentiaI also for the manufacture OF
explosives for national defense Re-
search made possible the construc-
ton Of acid plants without the great
leaa-lined tanks and pipes formerly
stituted the cheap and quickly avail
able iron mad steel. saving the labor
Of thousands of lead burners, a very
special type Of skilled labor, of
whom the thousands that would
have been required did not exist
Research produced mechanical
means for loading the high ex-
plosiyes safely and rapidly into
sheIIs. making possible the produc-
tion in relatively small plants of
the great azInbers of shells demand
ed by the artillery, and II loads
the shells with a few men instead
OF Thousands 1t saves millions of
gallons of alcohol required for the
manufacture Of explosives, and. con-
seauently, saved millions of bushels
OF corn 1T . time during the war
that this food supply was sorely
needed
Prs<re.. Of Nickel.
rhs progress oil nickel as a COM
modify, As told BY Mr.. Wadhsms, re-
yeaIed how the accidental element
in research made possible the prog
ress Of the now highly valuable
commodity. within the memory of
middle-aged men, the standing of
nickel among metals was hardly
above that of = nuisance to the pro- |
ducer Of copper. especially from GER
tain ores Its only use was for the
humber coins of the world. 1t
could buy a shine, a drink. or pay
a far fare, but had few other func- !
tions except for the small quantity
used for plasing other metals. 1t
was only after years of research and
many disappointments that eco
nomical and successful methods were |
discovered for separating nickel
from copper. and then no one knew
quite what to do with it.
Use Discovered.
In the early sos il was dis
covered that steel alloyed with |
nickel was useful in refrigerating |
apparatus. About that time a chol-
era epidemic occurred in our South |
ern States and IL was believed at |
that time that the cholera germ |
could not survive at low tempera- |
lures. Congress passed q bill pro- |
viding for the construction OF q |
nickeI-steel ship in which a re-
frigerating apparatus could be in
stalled so that the cholera victims |
could be kept aboard this ship un-
der low temperatures. The attempts |
to carry out this contract led grad |
ualy to the large use of nickel for |
alloying with steel for many pur-
poses. and Of course was a vital |
element In war equipment"
Specialists Enlisted.
The National Research Councils
Dfvfsion of En1fns.rino - r.