Science v. Nature

Ever since medieval alchemists spent their days and nights in fruitless attempts to turn common metals into gold (see p. 41), man has engaged himself in many an effort at manufacturing substances which Nature has been niggardly in supplying. Last week came evidence of a notable triumph by Science over Nature. European producers of synthetic nitrogen had so completely destroyed Chile's semimonopoly of natural nitrates that the Chilean producers were glad to sign a price-fixing agreement. Headed by Germany's famed I. G. Farbenindustrie, the European nitrogen industry convincingly demonstrated the superiority of mind over matter. Prices of nitrate vary with each port of delivery. The immediate result of the international agreement will be a 5% reduction in prices. U. S. ports, however, are open markets. U. S. nitrate producers were excluded from the cartel because price-fixing is contrary to U. S. anti-trust laws.