NA TURE 



821 



THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1921. 



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National Aspects of the Fine Chemical 

 Industry. 



IN a speech rarely equalled for its quality and 

 delicately woven argument, Lord Moulton re- 

 cently put into clear perspective the case for 

 -fostering- the fine chemical industry in this 

 ■country. .All who during the war-years shared 

 with him the terror of what the chemical industry 

 ■enabled our enemies to do will accept his view 

 as to the imperative need of treating this as a 

 key industry and stabilising it on a thoroughly 

 satisfactory and efficient foundation. However 

 vaguely we may visualise the boundaries of key 

 industries in general, no one has any doubt as 

 to whether the fine chemical industry comes 

 "within them. 



One aspect of the importance of this industry 

 may be compared with that of the shipping in- 

 dustry, for just as our maritime supremacy 

 depends upon the strength of our Navy, and 

 hence upon the ability to man it with a race of 

 seafaring men directed by able officers, so also 

 does our future position depend upon our chemical 

 ability, and hence upon the employment of skilled 

 ■workers directed by trained chemists engaged in 

 a successful organic chemical industry. The 

 necessary conditions for training our seamen are 

 inherited as a birthright, while those for training 

 our chemical workers have to be created. Such 

 workers as those employed in the manufacture of 

 organic c^hemicals and optical lenses must be 

 trained from early life, and they become proficient 

 only after many years. 



It is reported from many quarters that German 

 NO. 2678, VOL. 106I 



interests are making a determined effort to 

 destroy those fine chemical manufactures already 

 set up in this country by selling the particular 

 commodities concerned at prices well below the 

 cost of production here, whilst charging exorbit- 

 ant prices for those chemicals of which they retain 

 the monopoly. Such efforts should be resisted at 

 all costs. The object is to relegate to the scrap- 

 heap the costly plant set up in this country, and 

 to terrorise those who might otherwise be willing 

 to risk capital in developments of a like nature. 

 As a nation we must in the long run pay more if 

 we succumb to this attack and again allow the 

 German monopoly to be established. Not only 

 will a great loss of capital be incurred, but we 

 shall also ultimately pay very dearly for the pro- 

 ducts now being sold at such low prices, because 

 in a few years' time the far-reaching influence of 

 the war debt will bring about a rise of production 

 costs in Germany. It is also to be presumed that 

 the exchange will become in a measure equalised. 



Research workers in this country naturally feel 

 concerned lest the machinery which the Govern- 

 ment will make use of to effect the desired pro- 

 tection may adversely influence their work by 

 limiting the supply, or increasing the cost, of 

 research chemicals. It is to be hoped that the 

 terms of the Bill will be such as can be inter- 

 preted to give satisfactory safeguards in both 

 these respects. It cannot be supposed that British 

 chemical manufacturers will welcome any measure 

 which seriously hinders research, of which they^ 

 have recently learned to appreciate the value so 

 well. The patriotic manner in which the manu- 

 facturers of fine chemicals responded to the call 

 made upon them at the outbreak of hostilities, 

 and the unselfish service which many of them 

 gave throughout the war, may be taken, we hope, 

 as indicating their attitude in this matter. How- 

 ever, on account of the cost of labour, it is self- 

 evident that the prices of chemicals made in this 

 country must for a time be somewhat higher than 

 those ruling in Germany. German workers to-day 

 are paid the equivalent of sd. an hour, while 

 similar workers in England receive 25. an hour. 

 It is therefore clearly impossible immediately to 

 equalise the prices of chemicals, even should we 

 completely counteract the German effort to destroy 

 the industry. 



It is interesting to follow the course which the 

 prices of many of these organic chemicals have 

 taken since 1914. As soon as the supply of 

 German products in the hands of dealers was in- 

 sufficient to meet the demand, prices rose pre- 



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