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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVI. No. 1188 



we need safe hypnotics to insure blessed 

 sleep to sufferers in home or hospital, we 

 need a long list of products to relieve the 

 numberless ailments to which man is sub- 

 ject. Many of the best of these products 

 are protected by patents, but the Adamson 

 law will make it possible for American 

 manufacturers to prepare these remedies 

 in this country. There is nothing wonder- 

 ful about their preparation — the scientific 

 skill and experience of American chemists 

 is coping with them as easily as an expert 

 chess-player solves his problem in chess — 

 and indeed with much the same kind of en- 

 joyment. For instance, the obstacles in the 

 way of the preparation of some drugs, most 

 peeded but prepared with considerable 

 difficulty, such as salvarsan and atophan, 

 have already been overcome in a way that 

 leaves no doubt, if any ever existed, as to 

 our ability to stand on our own feet, once 

 Congress has removed the legal disabilities. 

 University men and industrial firms have 

 united in the vigorous attack on this prob- 

 lem. 



This question brings me to another phase 

 of my subject. Looking beyond the im- 

 mediate future to the years ahead, why 

 should we ever again be dependent on any 

 foreign country for such fundamental 

 needs of a nation as the best remedies for 

 its stricken people — 'Or, enlarging the ques- 

 tion — for such fundamental industrial 

 needs as dyes and dozens of finer chemicals, 

 the need of which has seriously handi- 

 capped manufacturers and to a certain ex- 

 tent is still interfering with normal activ- 

 ity? It has been publicly urged in Ger- 

 many — I am quoting from an excellent ar- 

 ticle by our friend Dr. Baekeland — that 

 Grerman dye manufacturers after the war 

 should allow only a limited and conditional 

 quantity of dyes to go to foreign countries, 

 including the United States, in order to 

 give her home industries a great lead in 



recovering the commerce of the world in 

 textiles. Even if this suggestion should 

 not be put into effect, for Germany has 

 more to lose than to gain by a policy of 

 trade-war after the reestablishment of 

 peace, we may be sure that her own manu- 

 facturers will get the best of her supplies 

 and every possible advantage. Our textile 

 manufacturers and many other branches 

 of industry will be at the mercy of com- 

 petitors, assisted by government direction, 

 unless we have a declaration of chemical 

 independence in this country! Every 

 thoughtful chemist, I am convinced, and I 

 trust that every other thoughtful citizen, 

 will acquiesce in the policy that henceforth 

 in our iasic needs, at least, we be independ- 

 ent of the friendship or enmity of foreign 

 nations ! And that conclusion brings me to 

 one of the most important points in my 

 discussion this evening: What are some of 

 the main conditions, from a chemist's point 

 of view, that must be fufilled, if we are to 

 look forward to successful industrial and 

 scientific development and independence, 

 when the tremendous competition of peace 

 must be met. These conditions are to be 

 sought not only in the field of applied chem- 

 istry—and applied chemistry includes 

 every great national industry, from agri- 

 culture to the manufacture of steel — but 

 they involve also our universities, technical 

 schools and colleges, the great sources from 

 which our chemists come, not only equipped 

 technically for their work, but carrying 

 also the inspiration, the orientation, which 

 will make or mar them and with them will 

 make or mar that part of the nation's life 

 which will be dtependent on chemistry. 



Turning first to the field of applied 

 chemistry, I would like to emphasize that 

 in my opinion the most important single 

 factor which would lead to a tremendous 

 increase in power in our industrial devel- 

 opment is not immediately a question of 



