Russia’s Chemical Feast

While the new Administration is no doubt more aware than its predecessor of the mischief wrought by the sale of U.S. high technology to the Soviet Union, no one seems to be paying much attention to chemicals. Computers, machine tools, and diesel engines have drawn most of the concern, because of their direct relevance to tanks, guns, and rockets.

But the chemical component of “trade” with the Soviet Union, representing probably as much as $6 billion in products and services sold to the Soviets during the 1970s, deserves consideration. Chemical technology is important, because without it, a country’s industrial base is destined to remain minuscule. That’s why those big, automated Western-designed and-built plants making ammonia, xylene, benzene, butadiene, and a dozen other such building blocks of hundreds of products are so important to the Soviets. Already, the Soviets produce more ammonia than any other country in the world, courtesy of American technology.

WL

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Wil Lepkowski

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While the new Administration is no doubt more aware than its predecessor of the mischief wrought by the sale of U.S. high technology to the Soviet Union, no one seems to be paying much attention to chemicals. Computers, machine tools, and diesel engines have drawn most of the concern, because of their direct relevance to tanks, guns, and rockets.

But the chemical component of “trade” with the Soviet Union, representing probably as much as $6 billion in products and services sold to the Soviets during the 1970s, deserves consideration. Chemical technology is important, because without it, a country’s industrial base is destined to remain minuscule. That’s why those big, automated Western-designed and-built plants making ammonia, xylene, benzene, butadiene, and a dozen other such building blocks of hundreds of products are so important to the Soviets. Already, the Soviets produce more ammonia than any other country in the world, courtesy of American technology.