The Washington herald., 1921-07-16
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GERMANS WITHHOLD
CHrcMlcAL sECRETs.
German science. adopting a var
policy IN days OF peace. has placed
a ban upon the exportstion OF Ger.
tain books relating TO processes for
handling wood pulp ana other forms
OF eeiiuiose. according 90 a state
ment issued by the American Chem
ical Society.
This 10 taken as an Indication that
Germany plans TO keep for herself
as much ne possible the knowledeeI
OF the manipulation Of various va
rteties Of fibre which she acquired
In her efforts to hnd a substitute
for cotton during her conflict with
the allies. DIR. Harold Hilbert.
chairman Of the cellulose section Of |
the American Chemical Society, hss
documentary proof OF the discrim<
ination against foreigners made b
German publishers. -
1T Is now impossible to buy suchv
text books on cellulose from Ger
man publishers without signing al
statement in which the purchaser
agrees not 20 transport the book
outside OF Germany" declares DR..
Hilbert For instance. an appIi-
cation for a copy Of Schwalbe's
Textbook on Cellulose Chemistry
was made by an American profess
sor through a well-known German
publishing house. The application
was met With the demand for a
written promise that the book
would not be taken out OF Germany.
The proposed agreement. a COPY Of
which is in my possession, was sub
mitted on a set form. so prepared
that the name OF the book and OF
the publisher could be Inserted
thus Indicating that these regula-
tions were intended to apply TO a
variety OF similar publics tions"
The important part played BY
cotton during the recent war" says
DR.. Hilbert. "as a source Of high
explosives Of which guncotton is
the base is too well known to call
for special comment. IL should be
pointed out, however. that a salts
factory nitrocellulose. OF guncot-
ton. can also be made from woed
pulp. Thus. a thorough understand
ing Of the chemical and physics1
properties of wood cannot but be
regarded as a national safety faS-
tor for any country dependent on
outside sources for it's supplies Of
cotton. Germany for years has
given the closet possible attention
to the preservation and perpetua-
tion OF her forest resources. AZ q
result of the intensive study Of the
chemisty Of wood. she could in the
event Of any future effort at world
conquest. free herself from ali de-
pendence on outside sources Of cot
ton by drawing upon wood supplies
in Finland, Sweden. Norway, and in
her own forest domain. The policy
Of Germany with regard TO her trees
is in strong contrast with our own
gross carelessness in the matter OF
re-forestration, which will force
publishers to pay materially higher
prices for newsprint in the next
twenty or thirty years than will be
the case in Germany"
The recent remarkable growth in
connection with our knowledge OF
the constitution of cellulose" de-
clares DR.. Hilbert gives every in
dication that within a generation
there will be a revolution in IN.
industries concerned in the making
of high explosives. OF moving MIC
ture films. Of Photographic plates
Of vulcanize fibre used in autono-
bile parts. OF artificial silk needxh
for the making Of stockings. shirt.
and neckties. and OF such synthetic
ivory products as celluloid and
pyralin. The importance OF ceIlu-
lose in so many varied forms has
been recognized by the American
Chemical Society in organizing a
new section devoted exclusively 20
the study Of this substance.
The needs for good scientific and
technical literature on the subject
of cellulose chemistry" SAYS Dr.
Hilbert. has been realized for
some considerable time. To our re-
gret. however, il must be admitted
that we are today dependent to
some extent upon Germany for
scientific data relating to the chem
istry of cellulose in the various
forms OF that substance. such as
cotton, wood and cereals
Does Germany" inquiries Dr. Hib-
bert. propose 70 monopolize this
field? An indication that such is
her intention is revealed in the e1-
tensive financial support which is
at present being given to the study
Of cellulose in the Kaiser wilhelm
Institute and in various German
universities and forestry and textile
schools. The Germans have in the
last few months also started a ne
magazine devoted to paper.
1T is a remarkable instance
the psychology of the German
mind" comments DR.. Hilbert. that
on one hand Germany is begging
admission to DIN the world family,
and on the other displaying In.
narrowest of spirits in what must
be regarded as nothing less than an
intensely selfish desire 20 restrict
scientific information TO her own
horderS"