Evening star., 1925-06-14

The hundreds of Government agen-
cleS assist very materially our most
important industries in so many and
varied ways that it is impossible to
describe them all. The chemical in
dustry is today one of our most essen
tial ones, and this fact was proven
during the war days. Yet. prior to
the World War we had been prac
tically dependent upon German mo-
nQpoly for our basic chemical sup
plies. The Federal Government has
aided greatly in building up great
chemical industry in this country, eS
pecially in the matter of dyes and coal
tar products, developing sources of
raw materials at home and generally
safeguarding industries which are
more or less dependent upon unin-
terrupted supplies of chemicals-and,
as a matter of fact, this means pra-
tically all industry.
Secretary Hoover, who as much as
any other man had the war needs
scared into his consciousness, when
he aSSume-I the duties of Secretary of
Commerce. in his scheme of reorgani-
zation in .luded a Chemical Division,
headed 1-N practical experts on this
subject. To foster and promote the
introdut tion and sale of American
chemicals and allied products in for
eign markets is the primary object of
this Chemical Division, But the field
ii covers is more extensive than can
easily be imagined. The scientific
and technical features involved. and
innumerable ramifications involved,
present problem of considerable
magnitude and difficulty in the at
tempt to coordinate activities to the
point that the greatest service may
be rendered where most needed.
The following branches of business
are handled by this division: Chem
icals, general, organic and inorganic;
dyes and coal tar chemicals: pigments,
paints and varnishes; fertilizers and
fertilizer materials; botanical drugs,
pharmaceutical and medicinal prepar-
ationS; essential oils, perfumery, cos
metiCs and toilet preparations; ex-
plosives and pyroxylin products, and
1Eval stores, gums and resins.
Though the primary purpose of the
division is to assist in the expectation
of chemical products, large proper
ton of its activities has to do with
questions and problems of domestic
character, since the industry as a
whole, although it has made rapid
progress in assuming a prominent po-
sition among the Nations industries,
is not long established and there is a
lack of information or of sources from
which information may be drawn by
those interested. Assistance of a do
mestic nature is usually handled by
the Chemical Division through direct
correspondence with individuals and
relates to sources of supply and prob
able consumers, and often involves
matters of scientific or technical
nature.
Assistance to the import trade must
'asceSSarily be rendered by the Chem
al -icin
ucts not obtainable in this country
must be secured from abroad in order
TO manufacture finished products
Assistance in this respect is provided
through correspondence in answer to
specific inquiries or through the pub
lication of articles indicating avail
able sources of supply of those non
competitive commodities.
Monthly surveys of the entire field
of chemical imports are prepared and
published with a view to informing
the trade in a general way as to the
import situation.
A special activity Of considerable
magnitude and of great value has
been the collection, classification and
publication each month of all items
of dyes and coal tar products appear
ing in the present tariff act. The
value of this list lies primarily in the
lat lIldl AlIltIiCdH Observation-Disclosures, OF
other consumers, are currently in
formed as to products of foreign ori-
gin with which they must compete or
which may be available in the market
for purchase at the immediate mo-
ment. Distribution of information is
a problem which has been given Sc
rious consideration. In order that dis
semination may be as effective as
possible. a special weekly news
service has been inaugurated, distrib-
uted free TO all who desire to receive
it, divided into five sections-heavy