Industrial and Engineering Chemistry : industrial edition, Vol. 37, No. 7

Industrial and

Engineering Chemistry

Volume 37 • Number 7 JULY, 1945

R E P R I N T E D I T I O N A D V E R T I S I N G O M IT T E D

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IS S U E D J U L Y 12, 1945 • V O L. 37, N O . 7 • C O N S E C U T IV E N O . 13 DEPARTMENTS

Editorials... 60 5 H e a d l i n e s ...69 7

I. & E. C. R e p o r t s ... *5

A s W e See I t ... *59

Equipment and Design. Charles O w e n B r o w n ... *65

Instrumentation. Raiph H. M u n c h ... *71

Plant Management. W alter von P e c h m a n n ...*77

Last-Minute F l a s h e s ...*122

TECHNICAL ARTICLES Wartime Aluminum and Magnesium Production. Hans A . Klagsbrunn . . . . 6 0 8 Metal Recovery by A nion Exchange... Sidney Sussman, Frederick C. Nachod, and William W o o d 6 1 8 Base Exchange of Crystalline Silicates. Sterling B. H e n d r i c k s ... 6 2 5 Synthetic Ion Exchange Resins in the Separation, Recovery, and Concentration of Thiamine. Donald S. H e r r ...631

A p p le Sirup by Ion Exchange Process. R. E. Buck and H. H. M o t t e r n ... 6 3 5 Gas Adsorption M ethods for Measuring Surface A rea of Adsorbents... Paul H . Emmett 6 3 9 Nature of A ctive Carbon. Jo h n W . H assler and William E. M c M i n n ... 64 5 Water Adsorption Measurements on Silica G el. Roger K. Taylor ... 6 4 9 Thermodynamics of Producer Gas Combustion. A . P. O le s o n and Richard W ie b e . 6 5 3 Factors Affecting Initiating Efficiency of Detonators... R. L. G rant and J . E. Tiffany 661 Empirical Correction for Compressibility Factor and Activity Coefficient Curves. Ralph A. Morgen and J. H o w a r d Childs 667 Conversion of Aromatics. R. C. Hansford, C. G . Myers, and A . N . Sachanen . . . 671 Polyisobutylene Tank Lining. David W . Young and William C. Harney . . . . 6 7 5 Hydrolysis of Titanyl Sulfate Solutions... ....

A rthur W . Hixson and Ralph E. C. Fredrickson 6 7 8 Artificial Bristles from P r o te in s ...

T. L. M cM eekin, T. S. Reid, R. C. W arner, and R. W. Jackson 68 5 Phase Equilibria in Hydrocarbon Systems...

H . H. Reamer, R. H. O ld s, B. H . Sage, and W . N . Lacey 6 8 8 Bacterial Amylases. L. D. Beckord, Eric Kneen, and K. H . L e w i s ... • 6 9 2

* Indicates pas« number In the advertising section.

TER J . M U R P H Y . N . A . Par k in so n

. F. J . Va n Antwerpen . Jam es M . Crow e . Robert F. Go uld Industrial Editor: HARRY W . STENERSON M anuscript Editor: HELEN K. NEWTON M a ke-u p Editor: BERTHA REYNOLDS M anuscript Assistant: STELLA ANDERSON

C ontributing Editors Charles Ow en Br o w n Ralph H . Mu n c h Walterv o n Pe c h m a n n

A d viso ry Board

W. L. BADGER H . R. MURDOCK

H . E. BARNARD C. F. PRUTTON

W. H. DOW A . S. RICHARDSON

G ASTO N DUBOIS W . A . SCHMIDT

GUSTAVUS J . ESSELEN R. N . SHREVE

PER K. FRÖLICH L. V . STECK

C. F. KETTERING C. M . A . STINE

O . E. MAY E. C. SULLIVAN

C. S. MINER E. R. WEIDLEIN

J . M . WEISS

The American Chemical Society assumes no re­

sponsibility for the statements and opinions ad­

vanced by contributors to its publications:

Copyright 1945 by American Chemical Society 32,200 copies of this issue printed A b o v e Is a bentonite stock pile and loading plant o f the American Colloid Company at Upton, W y o ./

plant o f Federal Foundry Supply Company in back­

ground. (S e e article b y Hendricks, page 6 2 5 .)

INDUSTRIAL ^{a n d} ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

^ e c lm o io K f^

G asoline from Natural Gas. E v e r since th e fear of p e tro le u m d e p le tio n a n d w a r sh o rta g es arose d u rin g W o rld W a r I, gaso lin e fro m n a tu r a l gas h as b e e n of g r e a t in te re s t.

I t h a s b e e n re p o rte d re c e n tly t h a t u n d e r p ro p e r circ u m stan c es, gaso lin e c an b e m ad e a t a b o u t 5 c e n ts p e r gallon, u sin g th e F isc h e r-T ro p s c h process a n d n a tu r a l gas as s ta r tin g m a te ria l.

E n th u s ia s ts claim all m a n n e r of fa v o rab le econom ics a n d co n d itio n s fo r th e f u tu re o p e ra tio n of th es e p la n ts. L o w est e s tim a te I. & E . C . E d ito rs h a v e h e a rd fro m th o se com m er­

c ially in te re s te d is a g u a ra n te e d gasoline s u p p ly fro m n a tu ra l g as to la s t te n y e a rs a t o u r p re s e n t r a te of use.

I n I . & E . C . R e p o rts for J a n u a r y (a d v e rtisin g sectio n , pag e 14) we q u e stio n e d th e supp lies of n a tu r a l gas, s ta tin g cor­

re c tly , we believe, t h a t fo r th e long te rm o u r m a in reliance m u s t b e o n coal a n d shale. T h e b e s t s u rv e y of n a tu r a l g as reso u rces places th e m a t 111 trillio n cubic feet. B efore th e w a r th e e s tim a te w as 6 0 -7 0 trillio n . T h e reaso n for th e u p w a rd e s tim a te is t h a t in th e G u lf C o a st a re a in creased re­

serv es in n a tu r a l gas h a v e b e en reco rd e d since th e w ar in th e d e ep -re se rv o ir fields. T h e r a te of d isc o v ery of reserv es is said to b e m o re t h a n o ffse ttin g o u r p re s e n t use. T w o th ir d s of o u r n a tio n a l s u p p ly is lo ca te d in L o u isia n a, T ex as, a n d N ew M exico.

T h e p rice of n a tu r a l gas v a rie s c o n sid erab ly , d e p en d in g on th e a re a . C a rb o n b lac k m a n u fa c tu re rs a re p a y in g a b o u t 5 c e n ts p e r th o u s a n d cubic fe e t of gas, som e c o n tra c ts call fo r 4 c en ts, a n d d istre s s g as is selling a t 1.5 to 2 cen ts p er th o u sa n d cu b ic feet.

T h e claim is m ad e th a t , w ith n a tu r a l gas a t 5 cents, i t is po ssib le to m ak e a 5 -c en t-p er-g a llo n gasoline h a v in g a n o c ta n e r a tin g of 75, a D iesel oil w ith a 9 0 -1 0 0 D iesel index, a n d v a rio u s chem icals in th e fo rm of o x y g e n ate d com pounds.

T h e s e la s t a re e x p ec ted to b e of c o n sid erab le v a lu e a n d m a y be u sefu l in u n d e rw ritin g m u ch of th e c o st of p ro d u cin g th e gasoline.

U sin g n a tu r a l gas, 440 p o u n d s o r 10,450 cubic fe e t a re n e c e ss ary to m a k e o n e b a rre l of g asoline. T h is is th e b e st d esig n a n d in clu d e s re q u ire m e n ts fo r pow er, ste a m , a n d o th e r p ro cessin g facilities. T h e F isc h e r-T ro p s c h E u ro p e a n design w o u ld re q u ire , o n th e sa m e b asis, som e 505 p o u n d s or 11,950 c u b ic fe et. T h e A m e ric an design, th ere fo re, w ould b e a b o u t 8 % m o re efficient.

If i t becam e n e ce ssary fo r th e U n ite d S ta te s to c o n v e rt all av aila b le n a tu r a l gas to gasoline, th e a m o u n t re alize d would be 11 billio n b a rrels. A t th e 1940 r a te of g aso lin e co n su m p ­ tio n , th is q u a n tity w ou ld la s t a b o u t e ig h te e n y e a rs . H ow­

ev er, obvio u sly , all th is g aso lin e w o u ld n o t b e m a d e fro m o -c en t gas, a n d th e co st of p ro d u c tio n c e rta in ly w o u ld b e m o re t h a n 5 c e n ts p e r gallo n . A s rese rv e s b e ca m e low er, c o sts w ou ld becom e h igher.

As fo r in v e s tm e n t, a p la n t c a p a b le of m a k in g 300,000 b a rrels of gasoline p e r d a y , A m e ric an design, w o u ld re q u ire 660 m illion d o llars, a s c o m p a red to a p la n t of E u r o p e a n d esig n w hich w ould co st 1.4 billion. F o r co m p a riso n , p re s e n t-d a y p e tro le u m p ra c tic e w ould n e c e ss ita te o n ly 210 m illio n d o lla rs for th e sa m e c a p a city .

As to co sts, w ith o u t d e p rec ia tio n , b e fo re ta x e s, a n d w ith o u t pro fit, g asoline c an b e m ad e a t 3.6 c e n ts p e r g a llo n w ith 5 -c e n t n a tu r a l gas. W ith d e p re c ia tio n sa n s ta x e s a n d p ro fit, c o st w ould be 4.8 c e n ts p e r g allon. A t p re s e n t, re fin e ry co sts, w ith $1.20 cru d e, a re 5.1 a n d 5.3 c e n ts fo r t h e sa m e co n d itio n s.

Operation Pluto. T h e a n n o u n c e m e n t b y B r itis h In­

fo rm atio n S ervices o n O p e ra tio n P lu to , th e p ip elin e under th e E n g lish C h a n n el, c atn e to o la te for th e J u n e issu e. It d id confirm v a g u e ru m o rs a n d s e n t u s s c u rry in g off t o se a rc h o u t th e e x p erts. A fte r so m e d elay s, in v o lv in g t h e s e c re t w h e rea b o u ts of th e B ritis h P e tro le u m W a rfa re D e p a rtm e n t, we in te rv iew ed C olonel H. R. L y n n , of th e C a n a d ia n Engi­

neers, a n d S q u a d ro n L e a d e r R e id , of th e R o y a l A ir F o rc e , b o th in th is c o u n try as ad v isers.

P lu to d e liv ered som e 120 m illio n g allons to t h e tr o o p s o n th e C o n tin e n t, fro m th e tim e i t w as p u t in to o p e ra tio n A u g u s t 12, 1944, to V -E D a y . H o w ev e r, th e A u g u s t b e ­ g inning w as n o t fu ll-sca le, a n d i t w as S e p te m b e r 21 b e fo re th e tw e n ty p ip es w ere in full flow. W e saw a p o rtio n of th e H A IS cable (H a rtle y -A n g lo -Ira n ia n -S ie m e n s ) w h ic h w as o n e of th e tw o ty p e s u se d a n d w h ich w as m a n u fa c tu re d in th e U n ite d S ta te s . H a r tle y is ch ief en g in e er of th e A n g lo -Ira n ia n Oil C o m p a n y a n d is th e d e sig n er of th e p ip e. S iem ens is th e B ritis h c o m p a n y . T h e o th e r p ip e is called “ H a m e l” a n d is ste el in s te a d of lead . T h e desig n ers w ere H . A. H a m - m ick , of I r a q Oil C o m p a n y , a n d (Continued on page 8)

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& x.ecutiu& L in th e. c h e m ic a l p A o tlu c itu j. a + td c h e m ic a l c x u tlu m iv u j. isu L u lb u eA

5

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Today Today

B. J . Ellis, of B u rm a Oil C o m p an y . P lu to m ean s “ pip e­

lines u n d e r th e o c ea n ” , a n d th e d ru m s on w hich th e pipes w ere w ound w ere called “ C o n u n d ru m s” .

T h e H A IS pip e is h e av y , w ell-p ro tected c o n stru c tio n . T h e 3.08-inch tu b e is m ad e of lead a llo y ed w ith a n tim o n y an d tin . W all th ick n ess is 0.175 inch, a n d all jo in ts are lead -b u rn ed . T h e p a r t t h a t su rp rised u s w as th e p ro tec tio n on th e o u tsid e of th e cable a n d its w eight. O ver th e lead an d from th e lead to th e o utside, in th is o rd er, a re a b itu m e n or p itc h coatin g , tw o lay ers of p ap er, one lay e r of c o tto n tap e , a lay er of steel tap e , m ore p itc h , a la y e r of ju te , m ore p itch , a g alv an ized m ild steel w ire a rm o rin g also d ip p ed in p itc h , a lay er of ju te , a n o th e r co atin g of p itc h , one m ore of ju te , a n d a finish c o a t of b itu m e n . T h e pipe is h eav y , 20 p o u n d s per fo o t; b u t th e d iam e te r, w ith all th e layers, w as n o t allow ed to exceed 3.75 in ch es because of s ta n d a r d couples t h a t w ere to be used. T h e cable w as m ad e u p in 35-m ile len g th s, a n d its b u rstin g p ressu re w as b etw een 3500 a n d 4200 p o u n d s per sq u a re inch.

T ech n iq u e of lay in g w as w orked o u t in p relim in ary tria ls o ver th e B risto l C h an n el, a n d gasoline w as d eliv ered from Sw ansea to Ilfraco m b e e ig h t m o n th s a fte r th e id ea was conceived. F o r th e sea o p eratio n s 4000-foot len g th s of pipe were w elded to g e th e r a n d w ound o n th e hu g e flo atin g d rum s, w hich w ere 90 fe et long, 50 fe et in d iam e te r, a n d cap ab le of c arry in g 70 m iles of pip e line.

Of th e tw e n ty pip e lines, six teen r a n from D ungeness, on the s o u th e a s te rn c o a s t of E n g la n d , to Boulogne, a d istan ce of a b o u t 20 m iles; a n d four w e n t from th e Isle of W ig h t to C herbourg, a b o u t 75 m iles. T h e pip e w as a c tu a lly laid a t night, a n d one W ig h t-C h e rb o u rg line re q u ire d 10 h o u rs;

th e D ungeness-B oulogne pipes to o k a b o u t 5 h o u rs each. One problem was th e co n to u r of th e e a r th u n d e r th e C hannel, as allow ance h a d to be m ad e for v a ria tio n s . F o rtu n a te ly re su lts were av ailab le to th e B ritis h of a to p o g rap h ic al su rv e y of ev ery fo o t of th e E n g lish C h a n n el m ad e a few y e a rs before th e w ar b y th e D u tc h in c o n n ectio n w ith reclaim ing land u n d e r th e Z uider Zee.

P u m p in g sta tio n s w ere h id d en in blit2ecl houses, a n ice cream facto ry , h o t do g sta n d s, a n d in th e original “ pillboxes”

(M artello to w ers). T h ese p a rtic u la r tow ers w ere erected by th e B ritis h as defense a g a in st th e th re a te n e d in v asio n of N apoleon I I I . P u m p in g pressures were increased to 700 pounds per sq u a re in ch a t th e beg in n in g of th e ru n to de­

term in e c au tio u sly w h e th er th e lines w ere k in k ed in a n y w ay.

F u ll pum p in g o p e ratio n called for pressures of 1500 pounds, an d pressure d ro p a m o u n te d to a b o u t 300 p o unds for th e whole d istance.

W ith all th e p ro tec tio n given th e pipe, life was assum ed U be only one y ear. H ow ever, no d a ta on corrosion h av e been o b tain ed because of th e press of im p o rta n t business. Of a to ta l pipe m ileage of 470, o nly 140 w ere m a d e in th is co u n try , which ends o u r re p o rt e x ce p t to s ta te th e reaso n for th e pipe line in th e first place". I t was n o t m ain ly th e d a n g e r to tan k e rs in a w ar zone, b u t th e trem e n d o u s 22-foot tid es in th e E nglish C h an n el w hich m a d e h a n d lin g a n d u n lo ad in g too

h azardous. (Continued on page 10)

N e w P r o d u c ts fro m C o rn . T h e g e n e ra l e x p a n s io n t h a t is u n d e r w a y in th e s ta r c h in d u s tr y is d u e fo r a c c e le ra tio n in th e p o stw a r period. T h is confirm s th e in d u s tr y ’s belief in th e b rig h t fu tu re of ag ric u ltu ra l p ro d u c ts as chem ical raw m aterials. T h is belief is based on th e a ssu m p tio n t h a t th e efficiency in grow ing crops h as n o t ev en a p p ro a c h ed its lim it, w hereas th e costs of som e raw m ate ria ls a re going up.

I n c o n tra s t to th e oil a n d m in in g in d u stries, w here p ro d u c­

tio n m eth o d s h av e a lre ad y reach ed a h igh level of efficiency, ag ric u ltu re is co n tin u in g to ad v an ce. O u tp u ts in th e m in eral e x tra ctiv e a n d th e refining in d u strie s a re leveling off, a n d costs a re rising. Im p ro v e m e n ts in a g ric u ltu re , on th e o th e r h a n d , a re c o n s ta n tly being re p o rte d . F o r in stan c e , th e y ield of corn ow ing to th e d e v elo p m en t of h y b rid v a rie tie s has gone up several bushels p er acre in th e p a s t te n y ears.

C o rn is th e larg e st vo lu m e a g ric u ltu ra l raw m a te ria l going in to in d u stry . L a s t y e a r th e a m o u n t g ro u n d for in d u s­

tria l purposes w as a b o u t fo u r tim e s th e 800,000 to n s of sy n ­ th etic ru b b e r p ro d u ced in th is c o u n try . T h e s ta rc h in d u stry , how ever, h a s n o t confined itself to corn a s th e single raw m ate ria l. W hen th e s u p p ly of co m ra n o u t w h e a t to o k its place. L ooking to w a rd possible new sources, w ork is being done in th e in d u s try o n th e g ra in so rghum s as raw m a te ria l for sta rc h p ro d u c ts.

A m ong th e p ro d u c ts from corn, zein (th e p ro tein ) h as been on th e m a rk e t for som e tim e. A llyl sta rc h , a new d e riv a ­ tiv e w ith in te re stin g p ro p erties, w as re c e n tly developed a t th e E a s te rn R egional R esearch L a b o ra to ry a t P h ilad e lp h ia . P re se n t in d icatio n s of o u tle ts for th is p ro d u c t a re to w a rd resins an d surface coatings.

C o rn sta rch consists of tw o fractio n s— am ylose a n d am ylo- pectin . A lth o u g h i t is n o t now s e p a ra te d in to th ese fractio n s in in d u stry , a v a rie ty of corn h as b een developed in w hich th e sta rc h is all a m y lo p ectin . T h is is w axy m aize, a n d am o n g o th e r thin g s, i t h^s been useful as a s u b s titu te fo r tap io c a.

A m ylose a c e ta te is a new d e riv a tiv e of th e am ylose fra ctio n of sta rch . I t w as d eveloped re c e n tly a t th e N o rth e rn R e ­ gional R esearch L a b o ra to ry a t P eoria, 111., a n d its usefulness in films a n d fibers h as been d e m o n s tra te d . B u t th e u tiliz a ­ tio n of am ylose hinges on th e d e v elo p m en t of a process for se p a ratin g th e tw o fractio n s in c o rn sta rc h or b reed in g a v a ri­

e ty of corn in w hich th e s ta rc h is all am ylose.

A n im p o rta n t b y -p ro d u c t of in d u stria l s ta rc h m a n u fa c tu re is co rn -steep liquor. T h is was found to be an efficient m ed iu m for grow ing th e m o ld used in th e p ro d u c tio n of penicillin.

D esp ite th e req u ire m en ts for penicillin, considerable corn- steep liq u o r is av ailab le for o th e r purposes.

B u t th e fu tu re of corn-steep liquor, w hich co n tain s p ro tein s a n d lactic acid to th e e x te n t of 2 0 % on a d ry basis, lies in its p o te n tia l v alu e as a source of new p ro d u c ts . F ir s t of w h a t prom ises to be a long line of p ro d u c ts from th is m aterial are calcium p h y ta te a n d inositol. P la n ts for th ese new p ro d u c ts a re b eginning o p e ratio n . U ses h a v e n o t y e t been developed for th em , b u t th ese com pounds will be av ailab le in p ilo t-p la n t q u a n titie s for e x p lo ra to ry w ork. A possible o u tle t for th e in te re stin g inositol m olecule, hexahydroxycyclohexane, is in q u ick -d ry in g esters. (Continued on page 14)

8 10

I. & E. C. I. & E. C.

Reports on the n ni h tlr*> Reports on the * Chemical World I j o ^U ams A Chemical World l Jo u w & i

Today Today

H em p, P erennial War Baby. S tric tly a w a rtim e s u b s titu te a s far as ro p e a n d co rd ag e a re concerned, h em p h a s serv ed to s u p p le m e n t sto ck s of th e h a rd fibers, ju te , sisal, a n d M a n ila , in b o th W o rld W ars. A lth o u g h i t is th e s tro n g e s t v e g eta b le fiber know n, its q u a litie s as a so ft sp in n in g th re a d m a k e i t m o re su ita b le for tex tile , ru g , a n d sp e c ia lty uses th a n for ro p e a n d co rd ag e w here th e c h ea p er h a rd m a te ria ls a re p re d o m in a n t. I n th is c o u n try th e sm all p re ­ w ar d o m estic p ro d u c tio n h a d gone p rin cip a lly in to sp e cialty ite m s su c h as shoe th re a d s a n d tw in e.

W ith th e b eg in n in g of th e w ar in th e Pacific a n d th e conse­

q u e n t d en ial of fa r-e a stern sources of cordage, a p ro g ra m of d o m estic p ro d u c tio n w as s e t u p u n d e r W a r H e m p In d u strie s , In c ., a n ag en cy of C o m m o d ity C re d it C o rp o ra tio n , to con­

serv e ex istin g s to c k piles. T h is w as essen tially a n em ergency m easure, q u ite a p a r t fro m th e u su a l d om estic p ro d u c tio n an d sp e c ia lty uses of h em p . ' H e m p p ro d u c ed u n d e r th is p ro g ram w as u sed for ro p e a n d cordage for th e N a v y a n d A rm y as a h a rd fiber ex te n d e r, w ith h em p c o n te n t of su ch m a te ria ls held a t 15% .

E co n o m ica lly h em p c a n n o t c o m p e te w ith th e h a rd fibers, w hich a re c u ltiv a te d in th e tro p ics, a re p eren n ial, h a v e a c o n tin u o u s grow ing season, need o nly cheap lab o r, a n d can b e g ro w n on ch eap lan d . R e q u ire m en ts of h em p fo r soil, clim ate, fertilizer, a n d crop ro ta tio n a re th e sam e a s th o se for corn. B u t w hereas th e co st of p ro d u c in g c o m h a rv e s te d w jth a m ec h an ical p ick er m a y b e 21 do llars p e r acre, th e c o m p arab le co st w ould b e 43 for h em p . M u c h of th is differ­

ence is acc o u n ted for in th e price of seed w h ich is a b o u t 14 d o llars p er acre for h em p co m p a red to S I.25 for corn. T h e n e t incom e on h em p , how ever, will e q u al or u su a lly exceed t h a t o n corn. C u rre n t ceiling prices a re 50 to 30 do llars p er to n of r e tte d h em p . N o rm a l y ields a re 2 to 4 to n s p e r acre.

T h e re is no p re w ar p rice w ith w hich th is can b e c o m p ared because all o p e ratio n s w ere c o n d u cte d th ro u g h cooperatives, b u t th e n e t r e tu r n to th e fa rm e r h a s b een h ig h er a n d h as serv ed as a n in d u c e m e n t to fa rm ers to grow th is p ro d u c t.

A creage d e v o te d to h em p , w hich h a d a v era g ed 14,000 a n n u ally , w as in creased b y c o n tra c t u n d e r th is p ro g ra m to 165.000 acres; fo rty -tw o processing m ills a t a co st of a b o u t 300.000 d o llars each w ere ere c te d b y D efense P la n t C o rp o ra ­ tio n in Iow a, Illinois, In d ia n a , W isconsin, a n d M in n e so ta.

I n 1944 o n ly 63,000 acres of h e m p w ere grow n, w ith sev e n ­ te e n m ills k e p t in o p e ra tio n to process th e crop. S ince th e P h ilip p in es h a v e b een freed, no d o m estic h e m p will be grow n u n d e r th e g o v e rn m e n t p ro g ra m in 1945, a n d D P C p la n ts will be a v ailab le fo r sale or lease as su rp lu s p ro p e rty . T h e la s t m ill will p ro b a b ly close in a b o u t a y ear.

T h e u ltim a te d isp o sitio n or use of th e s e p la n ts is a m a tte r of sp e c u la tio n . F o llow ing W o rld W a r I, eig h teen h em p p la n ts w ere a b a n d o n e d , a n d a t th e b e g in n in g of th e p ro g ra m in 1942 th is n e g le c t w as re g re tte d . I t is p resu m ed t h a t reg u lar so u rces of fiber will b e sufficient to fill a n y n o rm al p o stw a r d e m a n d s. G o v e rn m e n t r e te n tio n of th e p la n ts a n d ex pansion of th e d o m estic h e m p in d u s try a re b ein g u rg e d b y som e, how ­ ev er, in t h e in te re s t of n a tio n a l p re p are d n ess. B u t to u tilize th es e p la n ts in a n y th in g lik e th e (Continued on page 18)

14

scale a t w hich th e y a re c ap ab le of pro d u cin g , th e d e v e lo p m e n t oftnew in d u strie s for h e m p o th e r th a n co rd ag e will be re q u ire d .

E sse n tia l to its u ltim a te a cc ep ta n c e a s a fa rm cro p in th is c o u n try a re im p ro v e m en ts in p ra c tic e s o f p ro d u c tio n , in c lu d ­ in g im p ro v e d m ach in ery . T h e low p re w a r a creag e d id n o t ju s tify d e v elo p m en t o r m a n u fa c tu re of th is ty p e of e q u ip ­ m en t. H e m p h a rv e s tin g m a c h in e ry is ex p en siv e a n d g en er­

ally ow ned b y th e processing p la n t. Im p ro v e m e n ts in o th e r phases of h em p c u ltu re a n d processing, how ever, a re b ein g p u rsu e d a c tiv e ly w ith se v eral re se arc h p ro g ra m s in p ro g ress.

A creage costs a n d g en eral fa rm p ro b lem s a re b e in g stu d ie d a t th e U n iv e rsity of Illin o is, w o rk o n b re e d in g h e m p is b ein g c o n d u cted a t W isconsin a n d Illinois, a n d a t Io w a S ta te C ollege b a c te ria l re ttin g w h ich p rom ises to s h o rte n a n d s ta n d a rd iz e p o s th a rv e s t tr e a tm e n t is b ein g in v e s tig a te d .

C om m ercial d e v elo p m en t of h e m p for c lo th in g a n d te x tile in th is c o u n try h as a ttr a c tiv e p ossibilities since h e m p is b o th th e lo n g est a n d th e m o s t h ig h ly a b s o rb e n t n a tu r a l fiber kno w n . A m o n g o th e r uses fo r h e m p t h a t h a v e b e e n su g ­ gested fo r d o m estic d e v elo p m en t a re ru g w a rp , fire hose, c an v as, tow eling, tro p ic a l clothing, b y -p ro d u c t p a p e r, a n d hom e in su latio n .

Calcium from M agnesium P lants. E le c tro ly tic processes fo r th e m a n u fa c tu re of m ag n esiu m h a v e h a d tw o a d v a n ta g e s over th e ferrosilicon o r P id g eo n process— b y -p ro d u c ts a n d low o p e ratin g costs. I n som e e le c tro ly tic p la n ts i t is possible to reco v er ch lo rin e; in o th ers , v a rio u s o th e r p ro d u c ts , su c h as calcium h y p o c h lo rite. T h e re is a c o n sid erab le d is p a rity in m ag n esiu m m a n u fa c tu rin g co sts b e tw ee n p la n ts usin g id en tica l processes a s well as b e tw ee n th e e le c tro ly tic a n d ferrosilicon u n its .

A v erag e co sts of o p e ra tin g ferrosilicon m ag n esiu m p la n ts co m p are u n fa v o ra b ly w ith th e e le c tro ly tic side of th e in d u s­

tr y , a n d m a n y h a v e com e to re g a rd th e fo rm er a s n e c e ssary b u t u n econom ical w a r p ro jec ts. H o w ev e r, som e re c e n t technological d e v elo p m en ts te n d to m o d ify th is a p p ra isa l, a n d th e re is a p o ssib ility t h a t som e of th e ferro silico n u n its a f te r th e w a r m a y b e ab le to m a k e o th e r u sefu l p ro d u c ts in s te a d of h ig h -co st m ag n esiu m .

O ne of th e p ro d u c ts w hich c an b e m a n u fa c tu re d efficiently in th e ferrosilicon p la n ts is a calciu m of h ig h p u r ity . I n th e P id g eo n m ag n esiu m process do lo m ite is c o n v e rte d in a r o ta r y k iln in to d e a d -b u rn t d o lo m ite. T h e l a t t e r is th e n m ix ed w ith m ag n esiu m oxide a n d ferrosilicon, a n d p re sse d in to b riq u e tte s w h ich a re fed in to a r e to r t fo r th e rm a l re d u c tio n . Som e of th e p re s e n t ferrosilicon m ag n e siu m p la n ts h a v e s ev eral h u n d re d su c h r e to r ts . T h e y a re c o n s tru c te d o f a llo y steels fo r w ith s ta n d in g o p e ra tin g te m p e ra tu re s o f a ro u n d 2100° F ., a n d a v a c u u m of 20 to 40 m ic ro n s H g .

F o r th e m a n u fa c tu re of calciu m in th e s e p la n ts , i t is n ecessary to ch an g e th e ra w m a te ria ls b u t n o t th e e q u ip m e n t.

A lim e h ig h in calciu m c o n te n t is su b stitu t-ed fo r th e d o lo m ite, a n d th e c arb o n dioxide is rem o v ed th ro u g h b u rn in g . T h is re ­ su ltin g h ig h -calciu m p ro d u c t is th e n m ix ed w ith a lu m in u m m e ta l a n d fed in to th e re to r t. T h e p ro d u c ts a re a calciu m m e ta l w hich d istills off a n d a lu m in u m oxide w h ic h re m a in s in th e r e to r t. (Continued on page 22)

18

I. & E. C.

°WorId P o A tw a l Today

One im m e d ia te o u tle t for th e h ig h -p u rity calcium so ob ­ tain e d is for m ak in g calcium h y d rid e, a m ean s of p ro d u cin g h y drogen, a n d th e re a re p ro b a b ly a large n u m b er of o th e r im p o rta n t com m ercial uses for it. I t is n o t inconceivable t h a t research will show th e w a y to th e p ro d u c tio n of o th e r esse n tial m ate ria ls in ferrosilicon m agnesium p la n ts now ow ned b y th e G o v e rn m en t.

T h e D efense P la n t C o rp o ra tio n is c o n d u ctin g engineering stu d ies p re lim in a ry to disposal of th e m agnesium p la n ts, an d in a v e ry ab le ex position of th e p roblem in th is issue of In d u s t r i a l a n d En g i n e e r i n g Ch e m i s t r y, H a n s A. K lags- b ru n n rev eals t h a t th e G o v e rn m e n t’s in v e s tm e n t in alu m i­

n um an d m agnesium facilities re p rese n ts m ore th a n 6 % of its to ta l federal ex p en d itu res for m an u fa c tu rin g facilities.

S u re ly th e c o n v e rtib ility of su ch p ro jec ts to m eet peacetim e needs should b e a n im p o rta n t fa cto r in th e ir disposal a fte r th e w ar.

F u e l from W astes. W o rk is p roceeding a t th e N o rth e rn R egional R ese arc h L a b o ra to ry to w a rd finding a liq u id m o to r fuel t h a t c an b e m a d e from farm w astes. O riginally $410,000 w as a p p ro p ria te d for a th ree -y ea r in v estig a tio n of th is p ro ­ cedure. P rogress is a lre a d y re p o rte d . T h e g o v ern m en t ch em ists h a v e b een ab le to o b ta in 90 to 95 gallons of liq u id fuel from one to n of w aste, a n d th e w o rk is being en larg ed to sem icom m ercial scale. A new b u ild in g will be co n stru cte d in th e n e x t six m o n th s . C o n tra c ts h a v e been le t to th e m a n u ­ fa ctu rers, a n d eq u ip m e n t, for th e m o st p a r t, h as been de­

liv ered to th e p la n t site.

T h e p ro d u c t is m o stly e th y l alcohol, o b tain e d th ro u g h sacch arificatio n a n d fe rm e n ta tio n of w astes su ch as corncobs a n d c o tto n se ed hulls. T h e p ro d u c t is now a b o u t 5 0% e th y l alcohol a n d th e re s t b u tan o ls, acetone, a n d o th e r flam m ables.

N o co n sid era tio n is given to th e u tiliz a tio n of possible process b y -p ro d u c ts su ch as p lastics, sugars, e tc . T h e p ro b lem is to see w h a t k in d of m o to r fuel can b e m a d e w ith o u t co n sid eratio n of c o st. T h is is far-reach in g research a n d h a s its being, n o t in econom ics, b u t in th e w elfare of th e N a tio n d u rin g tim es of em ergency.

I t h as b een e s tim a te d t h a t 100 m illion to n s of fa rm w astes m ig h t b e a v ailab le for th e p ro d u c tio n of liq u id m o to r fuels.

C orncobs will b e th e first of th e w aste m ate ria ls to b e trie d on a larg e scale in th e new p ilo t p la n t.

Inflation Report. R e c e n tly th e re cam e across o u r d esk an a rtic le o n a ch em ical process in C h in a. O ne of th e in te re stin g ite m s w hich will p ro b a b ly b e e lim in a ted in th e final d ra ft p u b lish ed in I. & E . C . is th e c o st of chem icals in t h a t w a r-to rn lan d , w hich show s a d e q u a te ly th e v iciousness of inflation.

P rices a t C h u n g k in g in A u g u st, 1944, fo r th e follow ing chem i­

cal ite m s will give o u r tech n o lo g ists a n id ea of w h a t i t m ean s to t r y to -ru n a b u siness in a c o u n try w here in flatio n is o u t of h a n d . L im e is selling a t 6000 d o llars p e r to n , cau stic so d a a t 200 p e r p o u n d , coal a t 300 p er to n , a n d firew ood a t 3 dollars p e r p o u n d . A s fo r w ages, o n e p la n t m an a g e r will b e p a id 20,000 d o llars a m o n th . B u t before b ein g off to th e F a r E a s t, re m e m b er th e s e figures a re in C hinese dollars.

Reports <

Chemical

22

July, 1945 I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

^ ead for th is m o n th is an excellent article of th e w artim e

« • record of m agnesium an d alum inum production in the U n ited States. K lagsbrunn, of th e Defense P la n t Corporation, tak es a p a rt th e complex financial stru c tu re of every governm ent p la n t m aking these m aterials an d th e result is a very interesting sum m ary. Some of th e costs and production records shown in th e article are given for the first tim e outside congressional hear­

ings an d th is article will be a v ery im p o rta n t addition to the p erm an en t literatu re on th e subject. T he am ount of m oney the D P C has invested in th e p lants thro u g h o u t th e country is shown an d m aps locate the production facilities.

A feature of th is m onth is ion exchange, an d we have combined th e sym posium , given by th e Division of In d u strial an d Engi­

neering C hem istry la s t y ear a t C olum bia U niversity, w ith several papers on the subject th a t have come to us v ia th e regular channels. F irst article from th e division is by Sussm an, Nachod, an d Wood, of th e P e rm u tit Com pany, on th e recovery of m etals by ion exchange. T his is th e paper th a t h ad th e editors puzzled last year, when th e A.C.S. News Service began to get inquiries on a process which th e correspondents said we h ad publicized, a bout an “electrical m ethod of recovering m etals” . Clue came to w hat was m ean t when some inquirer used th e words “electrical m ist” , an d gave th e editors th e inkling th a t th ere are ions an d ions.

T he authors investigated the use of anion exchangers for m etal recovery, though cation exchangers h ad been used often for th a t purpose. T he m etals to be recovered were complexes, and satis­

factory results were obtained w ith chromium, gold, iron, m olyb­

denum , and a host of other m etals. T he m ost extensive results were obtained w ith chromium, and th is m ay have im p o rtan t m eanings for the m etal platers who, industryw ise, suffer from acute loss of chromium . Now, perhaps, th is disease m ay be cured.

Sterling H endricks, of the U. S. D ep artm en t of A griculture, looks on p lan ts as ion exchange agents, giving u p hydrogen ions for n u tritiv e cations from th e soil. T his is only one of th e in ter­

esting concepts th a t are expounded in his paper on the crystalline silicates as base exchange agents. T his also comes from th e sym ­ posium , an d th ere you can read all a bout th e sm allest statis­

tically n e u tral system know n to m an.

H err, of th e Resinous P roducts and C hem ical Com pany, dis­

cusses the use of ion exchange resins as a m eans of separating and recovering thiam ine from solutions containing riboflavin. T he m ethod holds prom ise as an analytical tool, according to the author, and in conclusion he points o u t several commercial ad­

vantages of the resin exchange agents.

Buck an d M o ttern , of the E aste rn Regional R esearch L abora­

tories, rep o rt on processes to m ake apple juice, now used as a tobacco hu m ectan t, p alatab le for food uses. T h ey use an ion ex­

changer to elim inate th e malic acid, which forms th e b itte r ta ste in apple juice. One of th e benefits th a t accrues from the tre a t­

m en t is th e rem oval of the m etals used in insecticides and pos­

sibly present in th e juice as a co n tam in an t from the apple pressing.

B ack to th e sym posium , though away from ion exchange, we have th ree p apers on gas adsorption. One by E m m ett, of the M ellon In s titu te , on m ethods of m easuring surface area b y gas adsorption, a n o th e r by H assler and M cM inn, of th e W est Vir­

ginia P ulp and P ap er Com pany, on active carbon, an d th e final pap er of th e sym posium group in th is issue, b y R oger K . T aylor, of th e D avison Chemical Com pany, on w ater adsorption m easure­

m ents on silica gel.

N oncorrosive m aterials of construction are alw ays of consider­

able in terest to those in th e field w ho are anxious to m ake one ta n k do where tw o served before, an d Y oung an d H arn ey , of S tan d ard Oil C om pany of New Jersey, extensively re p o rt on th eir efforts in developing w ays to m ake polyisobutylene linings stick to m etal tanks. T h e m ethod th e y describe yields linings capable of w ithstanding a pull of a b o u t 700 pounds per square inch, and th e chemical resistance extends over a v a rie ty of chemicals.

G ra n t and Tiffany, of th e B ureau of M ines, are w orking on th e efficiency of detonators, a troublesom e problem t h a t keeps de­

signers of these playthings aw ake nights. R esults in d icate t h a t hexogen base detonators are th e big noises as far as th is branch of science is concerned.

Silica-alum ina catalysts convert xylenes to toluene, d iethyl- benzene to xylene an d toluenes, an d are responsible for a h o st of oth er reactions and an in teresting p ap er b y H ansford, M yers, an d Sachanen, of the Socony-Vacuum Oil C om pany. T h e results of th e stu d y are of prim e im portance to th e petroleum in d u stry which to d ay is in a d ith er ab o u t such cataly tic m ethods.

Artificial bristles from casein is a technique t h a t has been sub­

jected to th e pryings of a research team from th e E a s te rn R e­

gional R esearch Laboratories, and th eir m ethods are in th is issue.

Coarse fibers m ay be produced by extruding a m ixture of casein an d w ater th rough a suitable die, an d th e fiber is stre tc h e d an d hardened under tension, w ith quinone.

Sage, Lacey, R eam er, an d Olds continue a now -fam ous series on “ Phase E quilibria in H ydrocarbon System s” . T h e p resen t article on volum etric behavior of e th an e-c arb o n dioxide system s is No. 45 in th e group, w hich is still going strong since it began w ay back in 1934. As long as the w ork continues, we hope to bring th e results to I. & E. C. readers.

(W ith the Departments. Brow n in E q u ip m en t an d Design, page 65, continues his sto ry from last m o n th on m eans of accu­

ra te m easurem ent. M unch, page 71, has inform ation a b o u t m ethods of continuous chemical analysis w ith reference to th e infrared gas analyzer and visible recording polarograph. Von Pechm ann, page 77, in a column a b o u t in te rd e p artm en tal com­

m unication gives our readers an o th er in his series on how to m ake a chemical business m ore efficient. I. & E . C. R e p o rts on th e C hem ical W orld of T oday, pages 5 to 22, begin w ith gasoline from n a tu ra l gas, tell of an interview w ith B ritish engi­

neers who w orked on O peration P luto, an d th e n continue for several pages m ore in reporting on its usual interestin g r6sum6 of chemical happenings.

S ■ ¡ 'I k * * .

RIAL ^{a n d} ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

I S H E D BY T HE A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L S O C I E T Y

- W A L T E R J. M U R P H Y , E D I T O R

Cessation of Controls

T ^ R O M here on, the fight against inflation becomes -I grim and hard. As a nation, never before have we been faced with problems o f more importance to our economic future. The chemical industry m ust take a vital and active part in their solution. W ithin the country at present are the makings of a vicious infla­

tion which, if n ot checked and prevented, will give us economic jitters for generations to come, if it does not actually ruin us. E very businessman, every chemist and chemical engineer, who has felt the desire to take a more active part in the social and political life of the N ation, should carefully contem plate every aspect of the coming of peace and the cessation of economic con­

trols. Part o f the problem came w ith V -E D ay, and the announcement b y J. A. Krug, chairman o f War Pro­

duction Board, on the need and methods o f conversion.

H is statem ent on the partial reconversion is masterly, and some of the facts bring home to us the strength and im m ensity o f the industry of the U nited States.

H e reveals that our production o f m unitions has risen from $500,000,000 a m onth in 1941 to $5,000,000,000 a m onth today. Our munitions program this year will equal the 1943 rate— the year when m ost economists were saying that the United States had succeeded in building a war econom y on top of a peace economy.

Krug also claimed that,' o f a total em ployment of 51,- 000,000, only 6,600,000 will be affected b y the cutbacks of partial conversion. H e pointed out that in most cases workers could reconvert w ithout shifting jobs.

This can be interpreted in another w ay. Part o f our labor force will be working at rates th at leave much to spend when the necessities are satisfied. Another, probably inadequate labor force, will be available to supply normal peacetim e goods. There will n ot be enough such goods to go around, and the com petitive bidding will be high. T hat is, it will be high unless our war controls are continued.

Such a situation can have an even more serious ef­

fect. I t can cause the prices on war m aterials to rise and our war effort to become much more expensive if re­

converted industries vie w ith war industries for available labor and materials. This m ust not happen. These are the factors that m ust be guarded against. I t is doubted that W PB means to allow any such thing to happen. In fact, although the major portion of Krug’s statem ent is fairly bubbling over with promises and intimations of control relaxation, the concluding paragraphs are indic­

ative of the action that will probably be followed.

There he states that W PB ’s main objective will con­

tinue unchanged, “to see that munitions schedules are m et” . “Desirable though it m ay be”, he continues,

“to attem pt to prevent temporary economic disloca­

tions, the experience of those who have lived with con­

trols during the war clearly dictates that controls are not suited to that job. Moreover, reason and history indicate that in any readjustment from a war to a peace­

time economy, temporary dislocations are inevitable.

We m ust not be stampeded by such dislocations into elaborate controls or special dispensations. Our econ­

omy is a jigsaw pattern. * * * Finally let me repeat, war production is still our first job. We m ust not re­

m ove controls until it is clear that war production will not be adversely affected.”

M any of the other war controls will remain in effect even though W PB relaxes some of them. The Office of Price Administration, the War Manpower Commis­

sion, and others will still be with us. Krug’s plan makes available to the Nation the unneeded raw materials and facilities of war, within a framework of the other economic controls. This is as it should be. A t the end of World War I, inflation did not begin at once but took some time to make itself felt. We m ust be on our guard against these factors.

The Committee for Economic Developm ent has is­

sued a cautious analysis of this problem and with great courage it recommends that “the timing and the manner in which controls are to be ended m ust be coordinated not only with the progress of war produc­

tion cutbacks, but with probable economic conse­

quences. And, since the future will not always be cer­

tain or the consequences clear, the administrative sus­

pension of controls m ight wisely precede the legislative authority. It is universally conceded that if the author­

ity to control is ended and later needed, its timely restor­

ation would be difficult, if not impossible.”

A t the end of World War I, von Hindenburg isreported to have said about American industry: “Her brilliant, if pitiless, war industry had entered the service of patriotism and had not failed it. Under the compul­

sion of military necessity a ruthless autocracy was at work and rightly, even in this land at the portals of which the Statue o f Liberty flashes its blinding light across the seas. They understood war."

Once again we have shown that we understand war.

Once again we have an opportunity to show that we understand peace and peacetime economy. When, in 605

the future days of partial conversion, and probably in the days o f total peace, some wartime control irks, let us remember th at it is the means of fighting an­

other enem y that would destroy us. W e do n ot advo­

cate controls for American industry. We believe that the chem ical industry should show an interest in the controls th at are retained and in controls as they are released. We believe it ought to protest those kept un­

necessarily and to protest those th at are dropped at the insistence of any selfish lobby or group that would work to the degradation o f free enterprise.

After World War I, according to reports, it was Herbert H oover who wanted the controls maintained temporarily. The inflation that followed showed the wisdom of his suggestion. Business should approach such relaxation w ith even more care than it used in ad­

vocating the application of controls at the beginning of the war.

Research A tm osphere

F

ing a system atic plan of obtaining technical train­

ing for its young men by sending them abroad for ad­

vanced study. E ven during the war this plan has been continued. One such student, recently flown here from China, has com pleted his first semester of graduate study in a large university which normally maintains an extensive research program. B u t owing to depletion o f the staff, the university cannot offer this student fur­

ther course work in his major field, chemistry, for the present semester. Since he is permitted b y his govern­

m ent to remain in this country for only six semesters, he is confronted w ith the prospect o f starting his re­

search before he is prepared for it, and o f stopping it when course work is resumed in the fall.

The victim o f this circumstance is the only able- bodied m an in that particular graduate school; and although it is deplorable th at nationals o f our allies who have greater foresight than we are compelled to suffer the same injustices, the fact that he is Chinese is irrele­

vant. The situation serves primarily to illustrate the dangerous depths to which science, education, and re­

search have fallen in this country because of the short­

sighted policy o f the High Command. The fact th at it happened in a large university indicates a general situar tion. There are others in which conditions are worse.

M ost fundam ental scientific research and study at the college level have com e to a halt in this country. The loss in scientific manpower, which is both cause and effect, has been deplored m any tim es from this page, and the dearth o f results from fundam ental research will soon m ake itself felt in diminishing returns from applied science. B u t these are n ot the m ost im portant losses.

T h e depletion o f research staffs has affected the ability of even our greatest university laboratories to do, and teach, research. I t has robbed them of that intangible

thing called “research atmosphere” . There are not enough scientists left to keep it alive.

Research atmosphere is a m ysterious q uality that transforms a scientific workshop in to a research labora­

tory, a group o f scientists into a research team . Through it the knack and spirit of research are passed from teacher to student, from one class to the next, and from the college to industry. It requires the coordination and teamwork of a staff to survive, but size alone will not guarantee it. H ow it is acquired no one knows.

Those that had it do n ot know how they obtained it, and how to recapture it is a serious problem. Once lost it m ay never be regained.

W ithout research atmosphere, a laboratory devoted to research is a hollow shell— fruitless and sterile. B y its loss the threads of fundam ental research in this country have been broken. This is the loss, this is the damage wrought b y the shortsighted policy o f those in command. It is nothing less than tragic.

The extent of the tragedy cannot be measured at this time, nor can the damage be repaired. A t best, there is a long, dry period ahead until departm ents can be re­

staffed and new students brought up the long p ath to graduate study. H ow long this will take cannot be predicted; this m uch is known, it cannot be done w ith­

out teachers and students. B oth are necessary. W e m ust stop this foolish policy and begin restaffing a t once.

A way has been made available. The M cD onough Bill, H .R . 2827, pending in Congress, would provide for the release of scientists now in m ilitary service and for the deferment of a minimum number o f students annually to pursue science studies in the universities.

T he passage of this bill would begin the restitution th at m ust be m ade to rebuild our scientific resources. T h e responsibility for active support o f this bill lies w ith every scientist in America. W rite your Congressman now and enlist the support of others in your com m unity to back this bill. It m ust be passed!

Health Needs

N

m ensity of this task y e t to be done can be seen in a study released b y Senate Subcom mittee on W artim e H ealth and Education.

In rapid-fire order let us present facts about the N a ­ tion ’s health and disease-preventive facilities as gleaned from the report: 40 per cent o f the 22,000,000 m en o f m ilitary age are unfit for m ilitary duty; the average m ale worker loses 11 days of labor per year on account o f illness; only 60 per cent of our counties have a full­

July, 1945 I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y 607

tim e health service; sanitary facilities are especially bad with 5000 com m unities needing new water system s, 7700 needing sewerage system s, and 2800 com m unities pos­

sessing no sewerage system at all; the national average o f hospital beds is only 3.4 per 1000 o f population and some states have less than half this ratio.

N o single fact in the above summary is startling or critical when viewed alone, t u t the facts put together indicate that there is y et a great deal for the sanitary experts, the biochemists, and the medical scientists to do before we attain the health goals we are seeking.

C ourtesy Y et in Order

O

has received com plaints to the effect that prospec­

tive employers and employees using the So c i e t y’s

w ant ad pages failed to answer letters of application and inquiry. A t first it was assumed that such complaints were isolated instances, and that our membership was, on the whole, m eticulous concerning the courtesies normally expected in the business situation that job seeking and filling represents. N ow for the first time we have at hand q uantitative data and the results cause concern.

The director o f research of a large corporation stated that recently, in replying to all letters re­

ceived from 47 want ad applicants, the com pany re­

ceived acknowledgments from only 22. This is a reply rate of 47 per cent, and represents, nonmathe- m atically, bad manners on the part of 53 per cent of this particular segment o f our profession. N aturally we hate to believe that such a percentage would hold throughout A .C.S. membership, but the figures in this isolated case give us no hope to the contrary.

N o t only do courtesy and manners require that ap­

plicants and employers answer all letters, even anony­

mously if necessary, but the high ethics and standards of the profession demand that this be done. Frankly, we are ashamed that the subject m ust be mentioned.

L et’s hope it is the last tim e it will be necessary.

Forthright Defense

S

Therefore it was with a general feeling of applause and gratitude th at we read a recent speech b y Beardsley

Ruml, chairman o f the Federal Reserve Bank of N ew York and treasurer o f R. H . M acy and Company, on the protection o f individual enterprise. Ruml minced no w ords:

T h e p ro tec tio n of in d iv id u al e n te rp rise is n o t a n en d in itself, a n d our in te re s t in its p ro tec tio n com es from a profound conviction t h a t p riv a te e n te rp rise is a b u lw a rk of h u m an freedom * * In d iv id u a l e n te rp rise is in ex trica b ly b o u n d u p w ith p rofits * * T h e u n d e rly in g a n d un ify in g force, releasing all o th e rs a n d giving a m ean in g to all else, is pro fit. I t is n o t m erely th e s p a rk plug, i t is th e s p a rk w ith in th e p lug * * I t is n o t w h a t business is for, i t is n o t th e ju stificatio n of business a c tiv ity ; b u t it is so im p o rta n t in g e ttin g business p ro p erly done t h a t it is som etim es m is ta k e n ly ta k e n to be th e en d a n d th e pu rp o se of business. W e can p ro p e rly d en y to p rofits th e e x alted positio n of being th e en d a n d p urpose of business a n d a t th e sam e tim e recognize th e crucial im p o rtan ce of p rofits in releasing a n d g u iding th e pow ers residing in p riv ate e n te rp rise * * Of th e goods a re sold sq u arely a n d priced com ­ p e titiv e ly , if th e costs of p ro d u cin g th e m a re governed b y th e in telligence a n d b y th e use of fair an d legal m ethods, an d th e re is no d ire c t or in d ire c t pu b lic su b sid y t h a t m ak es prices h ig h er or costs low er th a n th e m an ag ers of th e business th em selv es could m ake, th e n th e hig h er th e profits, th e b e tte r th e in te re sts of all a re serv ed * * P u b lic opinion to d a y is sk ep ti­

cal of a cc ep tin g th e h ig h est o b tain a b le p ro fit as a desirable social s ta n d a rd . T h is skep ticism is th e re su lt of practices w hich h a v e u n d e rm in e d th e p restig e of business. These p ractices a re: im p ro p er re p re se n ta tio n a n d m isb ran d in g in selling; con tro lled a n d n o n co m p e titiv e prices; e xploitation of lab o r; a d u lte ra tio n of q u a lity ; th e re c e ip t of subsidies in the form of franchises, tariffs, ta x exem ption, a n d g ran ts of th e p u b lic d o m ain ; an d , finally, u n d u e m onopoly privileges in th e use of p a te n ts , tra d e -m ark s, a n d cop y rig h ts * * W hen p rofits a re m ad e (1) w ith in th e law , (2) u n d e r com petitive en terp rise, (3) w ith o u t pu b lic subsidy, or (4) w ith o u t public p ro te c tio n of exclusivity, th e hig h er th e profits th e gre ater th e h o n o r to th e p ro fit m ak er. U n d e r th ese circum stances, th ere should b e no lim ita tio n on th e a m o u n t of profits w hich a business can m ak e, b ecau se th e g re ater th e profits th e g reater th e service * * T h e d a n g ers to in d iv id u al en terp rise arise in larg e m easu re fro m neglect an d abuse of th e pro fit system . T h e p ro tec tio n of in d iv id u al e n te rp rise will b e su b sta n tia lly accom plished if th e p ro fit sy ste m is re h ab ilita te d .

These are strong words, from a man who knows business and who knows government, having served both. H e recognizes danger to our system and he tackles the problem by defending with vigor a principle which seems fundam ental, but which recently has come in for more apologies than defense. There will be a scrap, whether business goes by the back road or not.

T o us it seems wise to get out the old principles upon which true free enterprise is founded and to polish and sharpen them as the best weapons.

Science has made of the world one community.

We must expect to learn from every culture and regard every human being as a person entitled to some measure of our respect and consideration.

— Ja m e s G. Va i l

A R TIM E ALU M IN UM AN D

M AGNESIUM PRODUCTION

H ans A. K la g sb ru n n

D EFENSE PLANT CORPORATION, WASHINGTON, D . C.

I

m ent. W ith th e aid of governm ent loans, facilities for alum inum were b u ilt by R eynolds M etals C om pany an d for m agnesium by P erm an en te M etals C orporation.

W hen it becam e a p p are n t t h a t trem endous increases were necessary, D efense P la n t C orporation, a t th e request of W ar P ro d u ctio n B oard, constructed two alum ina plants, nine alum i­

nu m reduction plants, an d th irteen m agnesium m etal plants.

T hese additions gave a to ta l designed capacity of 2286 million pounds of alum inum (about seven tim es th e 1939 Alcoa peak) an d 586 million of m agnesium (about eighty-seven tim es th e D ow high of 1939). A ctual production, however, showed a larger cap acity for all of th e alum inum p lan ts an d for nine of th e m agnesium . E ven w ith o u t full use, supplies cam e so rapidly t h a t cutbacks w ere ordered for alum inum by Decem ber, 1943, an d for m agnesium in M ay, 1944. D uring Decem ber, 1944, alum inum had been c u t back to only 48.5% of capacity, m ag­

nesium to 16% . T h e problem of ad eq u ate supply of these m etals h a d , w ith in a space of four years, been com pletely overcome.

G overnm ent investm ents in th e alum inum a n d m agnesium facilities have been sizable, representing o ver 6 % of th e govern­

m en t’s to ta l expenditure for m an u factu rin g facilities. T h ey w ere d istrib u ted as follows (in thou san d s of d o lla rs):

A lu m in a a n d a l u m in u m A lu m in u m f a b ric a tin g M iscellaneous (in clu d ­

in g s in te rin g p la n ts , pow er, etc.)

$263,648 365,575

41,435

M a g n e s iu m m e ta l $365,773 M a g n e s iu m f a b r i c a ti n g 21,292 M iscellan eo u s (in c lu d ­

in g p o w er, gas t r a n s ­

m ission, e tc .) 2,234

T o t a l 670,658 T o t a l 389,299

D P C g r a n d t o t a l a lu m in u m a n d m a g n es iu m , $1,059,957

I n addition to th e D P C investm ent, R eco n stru ctio n F in an ce C orporation g ran ted loans of ab o u t $58,000,000 for alum inum and m agnesium plants. Of this, approxim ately $35,000,000 w ent to Reynolds M etals for alum ina an d alum inum cap acity a t L isterhill an d Sheffield, Ala., an d for alum inum a t Longview W ash. P erm an en te M etals received a b o u t $22,000,000 for m ag­

nesium, w ith an additional $1,000,000 for m iscellaneous facilities.

M eanw hile th e N av y invested around $1,800,000 in two alum i­

num pow der plants.

608