Evening journal., 1921-09-22

mere question OF technical routine;
It requires ceaE>isss research on a
vast scale by a host OF highly train
cd men, In the course OF which
multitudes OF new compounds are
discovered. some OF which may be
useful Immediately. while others viii
add TO tho stock OF knowledge that
may be applied with vital effect at
some moment OF future crisis. It
WAS in this manner that Germany's
forty odd years OF indefatigable re-
search in coal-tar chemistry, yield
ing commercial returns OF enormous
value in the meantime, provided her
with the supplies Of explosive com
pounds and toxic gases that enabled
her to conduct four-year war on a
mammoth scale which for period
staggered the combined intelligence
and physical strength OF the nations
surrounding the Teutonic circle OF
ofrense. General Fries asserted en-
phatically that Germany never could
have produced these munitions OF
war except for the huge develop
ment OF many plants engaged in the
dye Industries, and yet these agents
Of defence had been made only in
a small way before the war. The
dye plants were the potential means
for meeting the needs of her great
onslaughter upon the world.
In the face OF such testimony 1t Is
hard to comprehend the attitude of
certain Congressman who oppose an
embargo on the importation OF dyes
into the United States. They still
treat it as a chemical question, just
as they have quibbled over h e
Muscle Shoals nitrate enterprise.
counting the relatively trifiing cost
and the prospects of financial diff
culties. This would be we'll enough
for a private corporation looking To-
ward commercial gains. but it is de-
void of statesmanship when the Is
sue at stake Is the preservation OF
the national life.
Senator smoot expressed the com
mon opinion OF unthinking men OF
the street when he declared himself
in favor of a protective tariff only
and opposed to an embargo.
tariff leaves the door open to such
nation as Germany. which Is will
ing to absorb vast losses into the
distribution OF aggregate gains in
commerce made by her national
consolidation OF Industries in order
to dominate in the end. Have ouI
Congressman forgotten the story OF
Germany's commercial methods be-
fore the war, when enormous losses
were sustained in the introduction
OF iron and steel manufactures for
years, before she had conquered her
markets so as to be able to recour
her former deficits? The German
dye plants are again in full blast
and the question was asked at the
Washington hearing. What are they
doing with their dyes when four OF
the greatest nations have placed al
embargo against them?' Clearly
they are pilling them up. in so fan
as they are not taken by the other
smaller nations and by China, In an.
ticipation OF breaking down our in.
dependent development OF the coal.
tar industries II we should commi
the folly OF erecting so easily insur
mountable a barrier as a simpl,
tariff wall. Germany can Absorb
the losses OF selling here for a few
years. despite a tariff certain tha
our domestic dye industry will b
crushed. and along with 1t our hop
OF Resisting her when once again sh
shall attempt to overpower us.
This is not a question to be dis
cussed from a commercial stand
point. We must reflect that tn,
German spirit looks to actual ply
sical dominance. She had it in he
power before the war to pursue he
trade propaganda until her com
merce should paralyze that OF tn
rest Of the world, but she threw
away this realizable opportunity Il
an effort TO subdue and administe
politically as well as industrially al
| the nations OF the earth. She cher