Show Ri P it 1 The D Dyestuffs estu s Tari Tariff 3 Wl E hear little these days s 's of the tariff once the part par par- to J t t amount political issue of the thc ration nation pation subject to revisions rc upward or downward depending on whether Democrats or Republicans were h in power in Congress One of the bi big reasons for the lack Jack of attention now being given i en the tariff is j's that under the stimulus of war a high protective rote rate is no longer s so o apparent as ag formerly Many Ian American industries have for the If time me being grown out of the class of Infant enter enter- One infant industry however howe needs our immedi ate tc attention This is the tar coal by ts branch of of chemical endeavor basis of all manufacture of oC dyestuffs dyestuffs dye- dye st stuffs explosives and organic pharmaceutical 1 ons Unless protected against German competition until it has grown rown stronger this industry will be unable to to live cheap labor and an oversupply of skilled chemists chern- chern tits in Germany making it possible for the latter coun coun- J try tr tf dump lump vast quantities of dyestuffs and tar coal preparations on ou the idle American market at nt ver very low levy prices To prevent the thc stifling of Americas America's newest industry indus- indus tr try Iry a bill has been introduced in Congress levying lc a I p protective tar tariff ff on chemicals dividing them into three classes the classes the th the intermediates and the finished 0 products The Pic bill increases the r rates tes of oC duty from 15 1 5 per cent ad nd valorem and 2 cents a pound on intermediates inter inter- intermediates I mediates to 40 per cent ad valorem and U G j cents a a. pound and upon thu the finished product from 30 per e cent eat ad nd v valorem lorem and 5 cents a n pound to 45 cent ad cal per valorem I I and d 7 cents a poun pound The measure also provides that for tor two o years no foreign dyes can be imported except under a license gr granted by a n board created in the bill The e reason f for r these regulations is at once apparent p During the war the American dye industry rose f from w what at was an in insignificant ant factor in the thc market to the I place once occupied by hy German manufacturing chemists American chemists developed pe dyes which in in ever ca every y case ase er x were ire the thc equal if no not t the thi superior of the tho German prod prod- rod rod- uc in in color fastness ease case of application and nd pr price ce In some cases the American dyes arc nrc distinctly superior I It f t Ito to the German prewar product More than 1100 di dif dif- C 1 shades of coloring matter for all forms of textiles have been pr produced in this country In the tho pro production of the intermediates used in d dye dve el making ranking g the most elaborate chemical pros proc process S Sand ss is is required I and can be carried out oat without the tho waste of a n large proportion of the raw materials used only by men of ot the most profound chemical knowledge and long available in sufficient numbers numbers num num- not ence Once Such men are arc yet bers in this country Under these circumstances therefore therefore there there- that this industry requires for the fore it it is plain prese present t at nt least a high b degree of protection All Jl this is still more true ot of the finished product which may take one of six differ different nt forms By further chemical processes in tome some cases yer very simple these intermediates may be e converted concerted into d dyes es perfumes Pharmaceuticals tanning materials h. h high h explosives s like T Tl N. N T. T and picric acid or into military p poisonous gases g As s a R class these finished d products requiring as ns they do further labor lubor an and skill shill of a class plentiful in German Germany Germany Ger Ger- need a greater great great- man many but hut still very scarce in this country countr crr er though gh not much greater measure of protection than do the called so-called intermediates The Tho explosive industry in industry industry in- in in- in is directly de dependent on the dye l o industry for its materials anti and The fhe technical led Imo knowledge c and skill tho the materials and the apparatus necessary to tomake tomake make hi high h explosives es as well as poisonous gases rases andr and I r their antidotes are fire precisely what arc to be found in inan nay any an r well swell equipped 1 dye dyc works and nowhere else A na naion inn therefore which has a 11 thoroughly comPlete complete com com- dye c industry capable of supplying ing its dyo dye needs defensive c offensive war var so is always s 's ready for a 11 or and chemical is far as P production reduction of explosives es gases concerned Another important phase of this industry is its bearing bearing upon the advancement of oC medical and in industrial industrial industrial in- in in- in chemistry r It Il is is the one industry which deals on a colossal al scale with or organic anic chemistry and ancI it is isu u upon P on organic chemistry that progress in modern medicine medi medi- eine cine rests rests A recent repent discovery for instance which was developed in a a. a works dye laboratory is the tIle fir first t known certain cure for one of the worst scourges es of humanity It is confidently predicted that upon the Uc further de development devel del l- l will rest the discovery discO of or o of organic chemistry r ot other oilier her cures for for such devastating tlc diseases as tuberculosis tuberculosis tuberculosis tuber tuber- and even cancer This development rests upon the further l effort in inthis inthis inthis this country countr of skilled rc research chemists an and it is only in m a n d dye c laboratory that large larg-c numbers of such Mich chemists can cnn find Tile The economic importance o of or the thc industrial side of this thi question is is illustrated by the filet fact that industries in this country producing nearly 30 worth of goods each ench year are arc absolutely dependent de de- dependent pendent a upon P on tar coal d dyes es and other industries producing pro pro- dilling more annually arc indirectly dependent epen ent upon I tar coal dyes and una kindred kindre materials Unless this industry is protected from German competition competition com corn petition it will he bo stumped stamped out in n a short time tune With i the thc ratification of the peace treaty trealy Germany will be in ina a position to crush the American dye makers by the simple expedient of selling d dyes es below cost sustaining the loss until American competition has been eliminated elim elim- The bill hill in in the tile House of Representatives cs affording affording affording af af- fording protection to this vital industry has been favorably favorably favor favor- ably reported in by the committee on ways ant and means with recommendation for its passage c. c The file committee committee committee com com- is to be commended for prompt action on the bill and und it is to be hoped that the thc House and Senate will viii see ee fit to speedily adopt the measure Any other course coupe cOUl though unlikely in the present Congress Cong would be fatal |