Besides having acquired a considerable reputation as a motormaker and collector of antiques, Henry Ford looms very large in the U. S. "chemurgic" movement, which explores and promotes industrial use of agricultural products. Example: use of casein, a compound which occurs in milk, to make plastics and fabrics. Another of Mr. Ford's preoccupations is soybeans, which can be grown cheaply almost anywhere, yield oil for automobile lacquers, meal for plastic parts like horn buttons. Incidentally, soybeans are nutritious and soybean preparations figure prominently in Mr. Ford's present diet.
Last week the Ford chemurgic laboratory at Dearborn displayed pride in a promising new...