SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
STANDARDIZATION IN BUILDING INDUSTRIES. 
The housing problem, which is intimately-related to the high cost 
of living, industrial unrest, and degenerating influences on the moral 
fibre and physical well-being of a uation, was one of the main subjects 
discussed at the first annual meeting of the United States of America 
National Federation of Construction Industries, held at Chicago last 
March. Special attention was directed to the subject of standardiza- 
tion and quantity production, and the Federation proposes to work out 
the standardization of materials, building practices, and business usage. 
It is not intended to carry the idea so far as to restrict the exercise of 
initiative and individuality in, architectural design, but it is believed 
that there is room for considerable uniformity in the sizes of materials 
and the dimensions of component parts of buildings; for example, 
uniformity in the dimensions of doors, window frames, staircases, and 
the placing of studding and joists, would not restrict architectural 
expression. It was also pointed out that standards of size would permit 
manufacturers to keep their plants operating continuously instead of 
being forced to produce intermittently according to the flow of specific 
orders. Engineering as well as commercial standardization will be 
given attention by the Federation, and in this connexion the United 
States Bureau of Standards, the American Society for Testing 
Materials, the American Engineering Standards Committee, the Divi. 
sion of Engineering of the National Research Council, the United 
States Bureau of Mines, and the American Institute of Architects, all 
of which were represented at the Convention, have offered their 
co-operation. ! 
THE BRITISH DYE INDUSTRY. 
The effort made in Great Britain during the early days of the war 
to recapture the German dye trade is being well sustained, and is 
meeting with substantial success. At a meeting of the Bradford Dyers’ | 
Association, a month or two ago, it was pointed out that, whereas 
before the war not 10 per cent. of the aniline used in the United Kine- 
dom were made in that country, and the total weight manufactured did 
not exceed 2,000 tons a year, the production now was 25,000 tons a 
year. These figures show an excess of the total weight of aniline dyes 
consumed in Great Britain immediately before the war. Up to the 
present, however, the variety is more or less restricted, and some of 
the best colours are lacking. In the February number of Science and 
Industry, Lord Moulton was quoted as having stated, so far’as the 
United Kingdom was concerned, there was no dye of any importance 
which could not be made when the plant was available. Increase in 
range, however, was not the sole objective. Quantity as well as quality 
had to be supplied. | Last year, the value of dyed and printed textiles 
exported reached a total of £181,990,350, and the total weight of aniline 
dyes imported from all sources amounted to 3,234 tons, of the value — 
of £1,826,574. When it is remembered that the industry shad to be 
built from practically no foundation the results reflect the greatest 
credit on the scientific power of the chemical industry. While the 
British dye makers are struggling for the efficiency attained by the 
Gernaan chemical works, the Manchester Chamber of Commerce is 
giving the lead to a movement for securing a State subsidy. 
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