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Show oo CHEMICALS IN UNITED STATES This Country Is Short of Many Things Made in Germany. New York, Aug. 31. Not only tho dyestuffs situation but every phasoof the chemical industrv will bo taken up by agents of tho department of commerce sent here by Secretary Redflold to investigate conditions in those trades caused by the war. Dr. Thomas H Norton, tho chief investigator, inves-tigator, who began work here today, said "We are anxious to learn how we can utilize the coal Industry, In which we are now wasting products worth $100,000,000. "Germany utilized every ounce of coal by-products but only 1G per cent of our coke furnaces are equipped for reclaiming coal tar products On'v a few are actually reclaiming benzol", naphthaline and carbolic acid, which are the bases of most of tho coal tar products. Unfortunately bonzol and carbolic acid are used largely In explosives, with the result that these products are mostly taken up by the ammunition factories "The potash problem Is large. We import annually from Germany $15,-000.000 $15,-000.000 worth of potash, while off the coast there are supplies of kelp which are believed to havo a value of $150,-000,000, $150,-000,000, now going to waste. We have at our door enough potash to meet the demands of the world, and to supply the needs of our crops, tobacco, to-bacco, grain and other produce, in tho way of fertilizer We have always al-ways been dependent on Germany for potash "Photographic chemicals are vanishing van-ishing "Wo do not want to get caught in such a plight again and the department depart-ment of commerce wants to stimulate stimu-late American development so we can supply our own demands and then branch out into tho world's trade In chemicals "After this Investigation is concluded," conclu-ded," said Dr. Norton, "we will bo in a possible position to determine what can bo done to relieve immediate ne- cessitlcs, although I am firmly of the belief that a strong domestic dyestuff industry can be built up eventually." |
