The Washington herald., 1921-08-05
TELLS NECESSITY
OF DYE EMBARGO
FORFEITURE WARS
Head of U, 8. Chemical
Warfare Service for
Import Ban.
NEED POISON GAS
American Armies Can Get II
From Dye Plants, Gen.
Fries Tells Senators.

The only way 10 aNotu
ton and maintenance of huge war
plants with personnel is the COM
plete development Of our coai-tar
industries, Brig, Gen. Amos A.
Fries, chief Of the army's chemicai
warfare service, yesterday told the
Senate Finance Committee ne
hearing on the proposed emoarso
for the protection Of the American
dye industry.
"The United States can disarm.
so far as carrying wartime sup
ply of high explosives, POWDER war
gases and. medicines 10 concerned
Just in proportion as we build up
peace-tfme industry IN coai-t
products" Gen Fries said.
Use same Machinery.
The whole world is dependent
today for high explosives ana war
gases on the coal-tar industry. The
same materials are used for max
ing medicines, dyes, Photographic
che micaIs, perfumes. flavoring ex-
tracts, and the same machinery is
used in making high explosives ana
war gases in many cases as Tor
making dyes.
That was the whole dependence
OF Germany during the war for the
production of her high explosives
and deadly gases. One German dye
plant was converted in six weeks
making INT at the rate OF zoe
tons a month. Our first govern
ment plant was not producing un-
til fourteen months after We en-
tered the war.
In a future struggle We shall
not build the plants after the war
starts. We shall not have time.
We shall not have the allies hold
ing the battle line for eighteen
months, and we shall start in with
what we have. II we are going 70
have real preparedness and avoid
the construction and maintenance
of huge plants with personnel in
times Of peace. we must completely
develop our coal-tar, industries
I'm this same connection, we are
going to have a disarmament con-
ference in this country in the next
few months. We can disarm so far
as high explosives, powder and wal
gases and medicines are concerned
Just in the same ratio as we build
up a peace-time industry in coal
tar products In other words, II
we can change in a few weeks a lo'
of coal-tar products plants, whether
making dyes, medicines or photo.
graphic chemicals. into high explo.
sive and war: gas plants, then we
can afford to reduce our quantitie:
of those just in that ratio. We can
not do 1t in any other way safely.
Dye Business Preparedness.
still more important is the fac
that the other four countries tha'
will take the most active part II
this conference-Englan France
italy and Japan-have alread!
passed embargo acts-England fol
ten years. They realize, whether
disarming or not, IL there is fight
ing alone, they are dependent OF
those coal-tar products there il
their own homes or to purchas'
them abroad and there when having
a coal industry and specially IL they
have iron and steel. they will maxi
coke and Illuminating gas, anH
therefore will have coal-tar or car
reclaim 1t. 1t is an ,entire loss un
less we do reclaim 1t.
THE whole thing Is hinged OIL
national preparedness and this dy'
business is a species of prepared
ness that is most economical fo
the United States. one that is reall!
self-sustaining and one that W,
must have in war or else we shall
lose or be dependent on some for
eign nation. 1t seems to me W,
should do anything to develop this
Take any action that we feel will
} do it and take il on the side o
safety. II we find in two or thre'
years We have overdone- It. we cal
/ change it, but IL we let the indus
try now grown up be killed, we ma!
=. never have such an opportunit!
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