Woonsocket High School - Quiver Yearbook (Woonsocket, RI)

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14 THE QUIVER fact, shipped the sand to the Germans, who supplied this apparatus to the whole world under the name of Jena Glass. Soon after the war began, this glassware became a scarcity, and the chemical supply companies were swamped with orders which they could not fill. This demand became so great that quartz glass factories were built in the United States. The war stopped the importing of thermometers from Austria, which had almost a monopoly of the manufacture of them. In a short time, the demand was greater than the limited supply, so the American glass workers were called on. Then it was found that they did not know how to make them; but two Austrians who understood the rather complicated process were found. They were put under contract, at large salaries, to teach the Americans how to blow thermometer tubes. One of these men could not stand prosperity and died from overeating; but the other turned out a class of pupils who are able to -upply the needs of this country. At one time it looked as if we should have to do without indelible pencils. The lead for these is made from a coal-tar dye and a peculiar kind of clay. The American chemists could make the dye, but the clay was lacking until someone discovered a field of clay that did the work as well as that coming from Europe. Another branch of manufacturing that was affected by the war was the automobile and machinery concerns. Although the United States leads the world in the manufacture of high speed machinery, all of the high speed steel used in this machinery, automobiles, and machine tools was imported from the great Krupp Gun Company in Germany. This company had installed electric processes, and could furnish this steel at a price that discouraged all thought of competition by the American steel men; but when this supply stopped, the Americans had to produce it, and, as they were in a hurry, they installed electric processes and the most up-to-date methods. The Stassfort mines in Germany had supplied the world with potassium chloride, which is an essential in chemical, electrical, and metallurgical work, and in drugs, fertilizers, and munition powder. According to the United States trade report, the imports to this country of this product for the year ending June 30, 1914, were over two hundred thirty thousand tons, valued at nearly forty dollars a ton. During the last year, however, a process has been invented on the Pacific coast for obtaining a potassium chloride, or potash, from the inexhaustible supply of kelp, or sea-weed, for about twelve dollars a ton. Lately, a man on the Atlantic coast claims to have invented a

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THE QUIVER 13 OUR PERMANENT BENEFITS FROM THE WAR IN EUROPE Although it sounds absurd to say that any country can be benefited by the present European war, this war has been an aid to the United States in one way. The enormous war orders, which have brought millions of dollars into this country and have given employment to thousands of American workmen, cannot really be regarded as a benefit; for, in the first place, it is only temporary, being an abnormal condition which will disappear when the war ends. Besides this, any gain made in this way is counteracted by the loss in trade of many other articles caused by England’s blockade and the lack of merchant vessels. But this war has awakened the American scientists and inventors, who were overlooking many opportunities. Beforj the war, Germany was the leader of the world in scientific research and manufacture. Any problem of manufacture that seemed too difficult for the manufacturers of other countries would be solved by the Germans, although sometimes they had harder natural difficulties to overcome than the people of other countries. Many of the manufacturers in the United States were content to pay exorbitant prices for certain materials, which, with a little research and ingenuity, could have been produced right here in America at a far less price. One example of this is manganese. Manganese is used extensively in the manufacture of dry batteries for electric torches. All the raw materials are found here for making manganese, but no one thought enough about it to attempt its production. All that was used was bought from the Germans at from thirty to forty cents a pound. Then the war came and the delivery of manganese was stopped. One manufacturer needed a large amount of it, as he had secured a contract to supply torches to the armies of the Allies. He called his experts together and told them that they must find a way to make it. At first they said it was impossible, as the Germans had a patent on their process; but at last they succeeded, and found that they could make a better quality for a cent and a half a pound than the German manganese, which cost from thirty to forty cents a pound. Quartz glass was another instance. This glass is heat and acid proof, and is used as a substitute for platinum in crucibles, retorts, and test-tubes used in chemical laboratories. If the supply of this glass stopped, the laboratories would have to suspend operations, as ordinary glass will not stand up under the extreme conditions of heat to which this apparatus is subjected. The sand for this glass can be found only in Nebraska; but the Americans, instead of taking advantage of this

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THE QUIVER 15 machine to harvest this kelp, so that potash can be produced for six dollars a ton. These are just a few instances in which the war has helped our manufacturing, and there are many others too numerous to mention. When this war ends, Germany, if she is in a condition to do so, will probably raise the price of many of these articles to help recoup her losses from the war; but the United States will be able to compete with her, for in many cases these articles can be produced more cheaply here. Thus these new enterprises will be permanent, and under the influence of their success, other enterprises will be started which will tend to make the United States the leader of the world in scientific research and manufacture. SAMUEL A. McKEE. ’16. A MAIDEN’S REPLY On a bright summer evening So early in May, A sweet maiden sang To her lover this lay. “Oh, were I a queen In the realm of the sea, My fond heart would dream Of a lover like thee. “And had I dominion O’er all I can see, I should always be gay With a lover like thee. “Or were I a bird With my nest in a tree, I should sing all the day Of my lover like thee. “But a queen I am not, Nor a bird in a tree, Nor have I dominion O’er all I can see. “But despair not (since queen Of no realm I’ll e’er be), If I should refuse A poor lover like thee.’’ ' NELLIE R. WOOLLEY, ’16.