U. S. Industrial & du Pont

Largest U. S. alcohol company is United States Industrial Alcohol Co. But U. S. corporations interested in alcohol include potent E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. The du Pont Company owns 50% of Eastern Commercial Alcohol Corp. Last week U. S. Industrial Alcohol Co., expanding, planned to purchase the other 50% of Eastern Commercial Alcohol Corp. The purchase was to be made from National Distillers Products Corp., which also controls Kentucky Alcohol Corp., second largest U. S. alcohol company, and Old Time Molasses Co. It was also expected that these two subsidiaries would be included in the sale of Eastern Commercial.

The rumored transaction was interpreted as an alliance between U. S. Industrial Alcohol and du Pont, though the du Pont part in the proceedings appeared entirely passive. It is said that the alcohol company has developed a new cellulose acetate process which may be used in the making of du Pont rayon.