Document a1MgY1Qbv58q1NYw9KRvr8DZb

May 21, 1928 Mr A E* MIttnacht, Ethyl Gasoline Corp., 25 Broadway, New York City* Dear Mr* Mittnacht: Thank you for your letter with regard to new mixing points which are likely to be installed in the near future* I realize that it was impossible to anticipate these with accuracy, but the information you have given me is helpful. You are probably aware of the fact that in the past several weeks we have been making a survey of mixing plants in various parts of the country* It has seemed to me, after carry ing out a portion of this survey, that it would be advisable to make certain that we maintain a considerable degree of uniformity in any installations that are made in the future* The reasons for feeling that such uniformity is advisable are as follows. It is necessary to have both uniformity of mechanism and unifbrmity of technique if we are to be able to estimate properly the hazards of this job, furthermore, unless there Is something in the way of uniformity, we are almost certain to find ourselves being regulated by the state departments in this matter* Obviously, if a certain type of mixing equipment is advisable in one place it is equally desirable in another, and if state officials find that there is a considerable variation, they will be very curious as to the reasons therefor> and will be somewhat skeptical of our good intentions* Such uniformity is equally advisable from the point of view of customers of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation* On several occasions some one of these who has built a proper equipment, relatively costly, has asked us why we have insisted upon his spending a lot of money and then allow somebody else to build a very cheap and unsatisfactory equipment* Such questions are embarrassing and there is no proper answer to them* It Is well to discourage varia tion except In the interest of learning new things, and 1 feel that if we are ever to maintain this work on a permanently safe basis, we must draw the lines pretty tightly. For these reasons I have made certain modifications of the standard specifications for mixing equipments, and I am en closing a copy for your consideration* I feel that It would be advisable to write a letter to each member of the staff who has to do with the installations of these equipments, pointing out the reasons why a greater uniformity is necessary and inviting his attention to the modifications of the specifications* I do not believe that it la necessary to get the staff together to discuss these matters, for it seems to me that a letter can make the matter sufficiently plain* I would appreciate very much, however, any H E 0000716 A.K.M. 2 May 21, 1928 effort that you can make In Impressing the various men of the necessity for the strictest care in attending to toes matters* The unsatisfactory Installations that we have were, for the most part, made before we had developed any clear idea of exactly what is necessary, but I am afraid that there is still a certain degree of laxity on the part of some of our men* It is only natural that their chief interest should be in the expansion of business, ' and I do not criticise them at all for this feeling* It is very , necessary, however, that we should maintain in this country a state of conditions which will not bring criticism upon us* I am very much afraid that we would suffer greatly in this respect by comparison with the types of mixing equipments which are to be found both in Canada and in England, and I do not think we can afford to have this condition at home* I am exerting every pos sible effort to clean these things up during the next few months* I should like to be able to go away from this country this stammer with the feeling that everything at home is as it should be* Very truly yours, RAKsEJ Enel* 0000717