Evening star., 1928-03-10

or Representatives Will oeCloe tne ldtt
of II. J. Res. 1873" (House Calendar.
No. 1861.
That announcement sounds routine
and uninteresting. but if the II. j. Reso-
luton No. 1873 should pass it would
mean that not pound of cotton could
be legally exported at any time when
there exists war anywhere upon earth.
And when is there time when the
Occident and Orient are wholly at
peace? Since the League of Nations
established and undertook to maintain
peace upon earth, to men Of good will,
there have been approximately an av-
erage of three major wars each year
a new one once quarter. That would
leave very little, If any. opening for
selling our surplus cotton abroad, II
the new Burton resolution No 183 were
the rule and law. For the proposed en-
barge relates not merely to stopping ex-
portation to the field Of hostilities, but
from any place in the United States
or any possession thereof 20 the terri
tory of either belligerent, or 10 any
place-(to any place)-if the ultimate
destination Of such arms, munitions or
! implements of war is within the ter
ritory of either belligerent or any mill
tary or naval force of either bellig-
erent."
x Il y
Cotton is the most important in
gredient OF guncotton and of smokeless
gunpowder, or nitrogelatin. and in the
making of gas masks. So its export
must all be stopped whenever there is
a war anywhere.
But cotton is not alone in that en-
barge. Corn Is king for the Mississippi
Valley. But corn makes glucose. which
Is an essential Of munitions; therefore
no corn may be exported during any
/ body's war. either as corn or corn
products. (MessrS McNary and Haugen
will take note and add another equal
ization clause" TO their farm relief bill. }
The resolution provides against ex-
portation Of:
u3) Poisonous gases, acids, or any
other articles or intentions prepared Tor
use IN warfare.
| (l4l Component parts of the articles
enumerated above If capable of being
used In the assembly or repair OF the
said articles or as spare parts.
| That includes arsenic. OF course.
| arsenic Is poison: it is also medicine
| and an essential in industry and agricul-
| ture to such an extent that thousands
| of tons are used annually In smelters
| and in insecticides.
Without adequate insecticides to keep
down the farmers pests, there would be
| no crops. Every entomologist teStities
| that the warfare between man and in
sects is never halted by any arulistice,
| and some scientists are so peSSiusistic
about the pests as TO predict that ulti-
mately the world will be captured by
them. and mankind will be annihilated.
/ Other scientists are more optimistic.
and assure us that science will yet
master the insects, provided il keeps
eyerlastingly at it,
Sometimes when there appears dan
| ger that desirable species of birds
| or animals Is becoming exterm!nated
by civilization. a remedy is sought by
establishing a "refuge'-a great area
| OF safety where the weakened species
may breed and increase and rep!eaish
| the earth. But If Insecticides are cut
| off that will result in q worldwide
| refuge" for insect pests until the
/ Mosaic plague of Egypt will be repeated,
| not only abroad, but, with the multi
| piled energy OF the refuge" increase.
| the pests will overflow into America
| as we'll.
Cotton must be treated with calcium
| arSenate. fruit trees must oe treated
| with arsenate, efficiently and aoun-
| dainty. That means that the world
| must receive thousands Of tons Of ar
| senate and other arsenic compounds
But arsenic is used IL making gases
| for war purposes. hence the Burton
| resolution. says high chemical au-
| thority. would stop its flow III COM
| mcrce. where today IL is an important
| and necessary, article, indiSputaely
| legitimate.
The same must be said Of cyanide.
| that must he used in treating scales on
| fruit trees. but cyanoSen chloride Is one
| Of the gases used III war, !tS export
| would be wholly stopped. Cyanide Is
| used in immense quantities for extract
| ing gold from ore: what would oe the
effect upon gold mining II II ee taken
| from cOiNnlcrCcF
Chlorine gas IS serious III its effects
when persons without gaS masks are
| expoSea IL it~-aS thousands of British
were at YpreS, when the enemy ng$t
violated hts solemn pledge or The haSae
asrcemeat and poured the poison sSS
over the battlefield. II Is not enough,
according IL veterans III and cut M
Congress. to have voted down the bur
ton amendment 80 the appropriation
btll which would have deprived A,asri~
can soldiers ~ ga$ masks, o0t new
comes tie proposal 10 forbid the eNpor~
tation vi chlngile~~Ir from which. II il
true, chlorine gaS Is made, but without
chloride. water FOR drinking and c>s>,S~
Ing, whether III our large cities or IL
any Army camp. would he very dan
gerouS, There Is AS much chlorine u$ed
In peace as III War. but under aytlcleS
Is and Ia It could no: he shipped out
side cf America whenever there Is a
war In the world 1t Is produced by
electrolySis os salt, IN WESTERN New
York. III West Virginia and Mich,san,
Not only is Ii essential aS a dsSinteS~
tant and for chloStaat,ng gold ami
silver ores, but tor bleaching AL eess<M
goods white.
As to aeixts, there Is nS country mcre
dependent on rycluctnS acids than Is
the United States, Astonishing aS Is
the statement, II Is declared by na lees
an authority than nv. Charles l. Par
SanS, secretary eg the American Casln~
ical Society tthe laySSSt Chemical
society In the war,dl, that - per cent
" articles used for foca and IN the IN
tiuStrleS, during peace ~ we'll Us MAI,
contain Atlphurte w ntusc acid; Yet
lN,th a0lds would hS enteAeGo~'d sFcaa
eXpoGt II there he war IN tAa world
Is essential, hut II ta gCveria a little
nitric acid Is added We have nitro-
glyeern a high explosive. Vet nlsra~
glveeg!ne In required III Industry, III en-
easating, IN farming aud Wining How
can there I've flCnd contT,l Without np
And nitro slycestn ana>Hhed III Wo<sd !
pulp makes dynamite,
These are but a few tyldcAl examples I