INDUSTRIAL AND E N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS EDITION
VOL,
13, No. 17
CHEMISTRY VOL. 27, C O N S E C U T I V E
SEPTEMBER
10, 1935
N O . 30
Published by the American Chemical Society Harrison E. Howe, Editor Publication Office: Easton, P a . · Editorial Office: Room 706, Mills Building, Washington, D . C. Cable: Jiechem (Washington) · Advertising D e p a r t m e n t : 332 West 42nd Street, N e w Y o r k , Ν . Υ.
Telephone: National 0848 Telephone: Bryant 9-4430
Council Meeting at San Francisco
T
HE Council, with 90 members present, met for t h e transaction of business in t h e Hotel S t . Francis on t h e morning of August 19, with Presi dent Adams presiding. Following a few announcements, t h e Secretary presented t h e following list of members reported as deceased since t h e last meeting of t h e Council. While t h e list is shorter t h a n for some time past, nevertheless it contains t h e names of several who were prominent in t h e a d vancement of chemistry a n d in t h e work of t h e A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L S O C I E T Y :
Bartlett, James M . Colby, Edward A. Davis, Jeannot H . Day, Jesse E . Desper, E. W. Drake, Lewis Marvin Eddy, Clarence F . Emde, Herman Epperson, Alice W. Frazier, William H. Griffith, Robert W. Little, Arthur D . O'Brien, J. W. Phelan, Joseph W . Richmond, George F . Rockwood, E. W . Schlatter, Hugo Staud, J. E . Strate, George R . Sullivan, Thomas V. Trubek, Moses von Weimarn, P . P. Williams, William James The President was asked t o appoint a committee t o prepare resolutions relative to Arthur D . Little, P a s t President of t h e SOCIETY, whose constructive work was contemporaneous with the development of much of t h e chemical industry in t h e United States. P a s t Presidents Bancroft, Franklin, a n d Nbyes were appointed and t h e y presented t h e following resolutions which were adopted : ARTHUR D . LITTLE was one of the first to
recognize the important part which an inde pendent consulting laboratory may play in the development of industry. He began his professional work as chemist to the Richmond Paper Co.. but in 1886, in part nership with the late R. B. Griffin, a labora tory was opened in Boston to engage in the general commercial practice of chemistry. After Mr. Griffin was killed in an accident in 1893, D r . Little carried on the business alone until 1900 when a new partnership was formed with the late William H . Walker. After Walker went back to teaching. Little built up an ever increasing staff, culminating in A. D . Little, Inc., with offices first in Boston and now in Cambridge. A t times
men left Little's firm and set up as consulting chemists on their own account so that Little's indirect influence was also large. An enthusiastic student a t the Massa chusetts Institute of Technology, Arthur D . Little was active in advice and help to his college, and this was appreciated by the in stitute which made him a life member of the Corporation. The chemists knew Arthur D. Little as a remarkably handsome and charming man, always alert and interested in what others were doing, always helpful. Careful of his diction, Little always read his speeches. Usually this is a disadvantage, but he could read a written speech more effectively than most men can make apparently impromptu remarks. Little's literary gift was shown in the de lightful articles that he wrote for the Atlantic Monthly. H e was a regular attendant at the meetings of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL S O
CIETY. At the dinner in New York last spring, Little took his place as one of the Past Presidents of the SOCIETY. His death is a great loss to all the members of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, and
eligibility may be imposed by the Board of Directors at i t s discretion as changing con ditions may w a r r a n t . E. P . Kohler, of Harvard University, was reelected Associate Editor o f t h e Journal of the American Chemical Society, on request of Editor Lamb, who s t a t e d t h a t a n increase in the work indicated t h e desirability of electing an additional Associate E d i t o r . F. C . Whitmore, of Pennsylvania S t a t e College, was also elected a n Associate Editor. W. A. S c h m i d t , of L o s Angeles. E . R . Weidlein, of P i t t s b u r g h , and F . C . Zeisberg, of Wilmington, D e l . , were reelected Associate E d i t o r s of Technologic M o n o graphs, a n d C a r l S. Miner, of Chicago, was elected t o fill t h e unexpired t e r m of Α.. D . Little on t h a t board. H . B . Weiser, of Rice Institute, H o u s ton, Texas, a n d T . Hogness, of t h e Uni versity of Chicago, were elected for a twoyear term, b e g i n n i n g J a n u a r y 1, 1936, a s ALSsociate E d i t o r s of t h e Journal of Physi cal Chemistry. Walter A. S c h m i d t , of Los Angeles, was elected for a t e r m of tnree years, as a mem ber of t h e Council Committee on Policy. President A d a m s announced t h a t t h e interval b e t w e e n t h e appointment of t h e three committees authorized a t t h e NewYork m e e t i n g a n d t h e present m e e t i n g had been t o o brief t o permit r e p o r t s to b e prepared. T h e s e are t h e committee t o report on t h e territory of local sections, G u s t a v Egloff, c h a i r m a n ; the committee studying t h e w o r k of the group of local sec tion officers a n d t h e method for supporting it, J . H . N a i r , c h a i r m a n ; a n d t h e com mittee on the professional standing of chem ists, of which T h o m a s Midgley is chairman. T h e I n t e r i m Report of the C o m m i t t e e on U n e m p l o y m e n t was presented a n d i s as follows:
especially so to the large number of us who were privileged to know him well. T h e SOCIETY has lost a man who cannot be re placed. We hope that the younger men will strive to imitate him and will carry on the flag which has dropped from his hand. Everybody admired him, loved him, and honored him. His soul goes marching on. I t was voted t o accept t h e invitation of the Rochester, Ν . Υ., Section t o hold t h e a u t u m n meeting in 1937 in t h a t city, when t h e twenty-fifth anniversary of t h e founding of t h e section will be celebrated. To m a k e it possible to hold the meeting in Rochester, t h e Milwaukee Section gener ously withdrew a s a contender. On t h e recommendation of t h e Council Committee on Policy, it was voted to hold the a u t u m n meeting of 1938 in t h e region of Wisconsin a n d Minnesota. T h e spring Interim Report of t h e meeting of t h a t year will be held in t h e Committee o n Unemployment region of Oklahoma and Texas. After discussion, By-Law X X V a s T h e committee is in active t o u c h with amended was unanimously adopted. As t h e various authorities in W a s h i n g t o n passed it reads as follows: connected w i t h t h e disbursement of a n y federal funds w h i c h might conceivably b e B Y - L A W 25. Members of the AMERICAN used t o aid u n e m p l o y e d scientists. Con CHEMICAL SOCIETY for thirty-five continuous t a c t s range from officials in t h e W o r k s years or over and (1) who are retired from active business, teaching, or other profes Progress A d m i n i s t r a t i o n and t h e N a t i o n a l sional activities, or (2) who are over seventy Y o u t h Administration t o the C h a i r m a n of years of age, are eligible for emeritus status. t h e Senate C o m m i t t e e o n Education a n d Such status is granted on application to the Labor and t h e Secretary of L a b o r . T o Board of Directors of the AMERICAN CHEMI date no definite decision affecting t h e CAL SOCIETY. Such members will be re group in w h i c h t h e committee is interested lieved of membership dues and will receive has been m a d e . Unofficial indications a r e the N E W S EDITION. They will have all the t h a t federal funds will be available only t o privileges of regular members, to which they those on relief rolls in t h e locality i n which a project is p l a c e d . T o test this definitely are legally entitled. Further restrictions of 345
INDI T STH:AL AND ENGINEKKING CHEMISTRY
34b
L O W E R L E F T - Η VND V I E W :
LOWER
B u s LEAVING B R Y C E
CANYON; CENTER.
VOL. 1 3 , NO. 17
RIGHT-HAND VIEW: OUR
SINGINGS U S
ON
W A Y AT IBRYCE C _\ΝΎΟΝ:
ED-WARD B A R T O W AT H I S NATIONAJL PARK
BRYCE CANYON CABIN
a specific professional project h a s been proposed through t h e Pennsylvania a u thorities so t h a t it will be referred to Wash ington for decision. Meanwhile t h e a t t e m p t to g e t a n a t i o n - w i d e professional project set-up is continuing. During its efforts t o enlist federal funds for t h e unemployed chemist a n d chemical engineer t h e c o m m i t t e e h a s constantly sought i ο obtain t h e name a n d particulars of every chemically t r a i n e d individual who is either u n e m p l o y e d o r is distinctly in non-chemical e m p l o y m e n t . T h e mem bership of t h e S O C I E T Y is entitled t o a report on t h e u n e m p l o y m e n t situation as found by this very t h o r o u g h s t u d y extend ing from last fall t o t h e present time. By m e t h o d s outlined in t h e r e p o r t of t h e com m i t t e e , published in t h e N E W S E D I T I O N of
M a y 10, 1935, lists of supposedly u n e m ployed chemists w e r e obtained from over a thousand sources, including educational institutions, employers of chemists, n a tional and local officers of t h e SOCIETY, and m a n y individuals. T h e gross t o t a l of these lists w a s s o m e t h i n g over 20,000. A non-critical consideration of this number would indicate a v e r y serious condition in t h e profession. W h e n duplicates were eliminated, however, t h e n e t total was 7580. In its desire to b e able t o present a c t u a l facts to t h e federal authorities, t h e committee, during t h e period from Feb r u a r y 1 to M a y 1, 1935, sent individual questionnaires w i t h business reply e n velopes to these 7580 individuals. About one h u n d r e d of t h e s e were returned be cause of wrong addresses. Replies came in v e r y rapidly u p to t h e first p a r t of June. Since t h e n very few h a v e been received. On A u g u s t 12, a total of 3969 had replied. T h e y represent a good cross section of t h e chemical profession, ranging from t h e class of 1882 t o t h a t of 1935, with the larger n u m b e r s in t h e more recent classes and in general those of only four years of training, although there is a goodly sprinkling of m e n with t h e P h . D . degree. Of those replying, 931 were unemployed a t t h e time t h e y replied and 683 were in non-chemical lines oi work. About J u n e 2 0 a r u m o r t h a t federal funds would actually b e available caused the c o m m i t t e e t o send o u t 2000 post cards to t h e unemployed, to t h e non-chemically employed, a n d t o v a r i o u s members of t h e 1935 class, asking if t h e y would be inter ested in federal projects a t subsistence wages. O n July 2 2 only 610 replies h a d been received. All indicated their interest in such work. I t should be recalled t h a t t h e 147 educa tional institutions -with which t h e com m i t t e e is in contact g r a d u a t e d a b o u t 5800 chemists a n d chemical engineers in t h e
years 1933 and 1934. T h e same group graduated about 3000 t h i s J u n e . T h i s latter group represents an u n k n o w n factor in t h e u n e m p l o y m e n t situation, since t h e committee has been unable t o get even an approximate e s t i m a t e of t h e n u m b e r of these graduates placed. Special mention should be m a d e of t h e chemist over 35 y e a r s of age who is out of work. H e is in a truly d e s p e r a t e plight, regardless of t h e extent of his training or his ability. I n d u s t r y will n o t have h i m when it can hire a younger m a n a n d t h e universities have n o openings. T h e loss of salary, followed b y t h e loss of invest ments, h a s placed m a n y of these men in actual want. T h e relative n u m b e r of such m e n in t h e greater N e w York area has been larger t h a n in t h e rest of t h e country. To t h e m t h e relief work of t h e New York C o m m i t t e e u n d e r M . R. Bhagwat and t h e large g r o u p of chemists who have given so freely of t h e i r time a n d funds h a s indeed been splendid. T h e work of this committee a n d of similar groups in other large centers illustrates the need for close local supervision of t h e problems of relief a n d of u n e m p l o y m e n t . The committee i s anxious t o receive advice a n d constructive suggestions a s t o its next step from all who are interested in the problem of u n e m p l o y m e n t in t h e pro fession. Just a s long a s t h e r e is even a remote possibility of federal funds for chemical projects t h e committee will hold itself ready t o supply on a m o m e n t ' s notice a s complete a list a s possible of t h e unemployed chemists a n d chemical engi neers i n the c o u n t r y . I t s m e m b e r s a r e : Forrest A. Anderson, Wilkens-Anderson Co., Chicago, 111.; F r a n k G. Breyer, Singmaster and B r e y e r , N e w York, Ν . Υ . ; Harry A . Curtis, Tennessee Valley Au thority, Knoxville, T e n n . ; a n d F r a n k C. Whitmore, C h a i r m a n , S t a t e College, P a .
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There was m u c h discussion on t h e sub jects which have been assigned to all com mittees above m e n t i o n e d . R. A. Gortner gave h i s experience in iviinnesota in t h e e m p l o y m e n t of experi enced men t a k e n from relief rolls, a n d S. C. Lind reported progress on an analysis of employment a s disclosed b y t h e direc t o r y of t h e A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L S O C I E T Y .
There was considerable discussion of the policy of t h e SOCIETY regarding fees for registering various classes of those who a t t e n d i t s semi-annual meetings. Out of this discussion came a motion, which was passed, t o refer to t h e Directors for consideration t h e suggestion of D r . Gortner t h a t n o n - m e m b e r American chem ists be permitted t o a t t e n d one n a t i o n a l
meeting with a registration fee of S 9 , which would give t h e m membership in t h e SOCIETY a n d relieve th&m of t h e special registration fee o f t h e meeting. T h e President was a u t h o r i z e d t o appoint a committee to investigate t h e oppor tunities for women in chemistry, if i t seemed desirable t o do s o after considering work being done by t h e -American Associa tion of University Women a n d o-ther p r o fessional w o m e n ' s organizations. T h e Council wholeheartedly adopted resolutions expressing ttianks to t h e local section committees a n d all othvers w h o c o n t r i b u t e d to "the success of the S a n Francisco meeting. W. A. Noyes s u g g e s t e d that, a «question naire be circulated by tiae Secretary seek ing information f o r the oommitteei which is studying t h e question o~f increasLng facili ties for publishing of lorager p a p e r s in t h e Journal of the A -mcricarz, Chmicct-l Society. Considerable discussion zfollow^ed, at which it w a s brought o u t that -^hecomirjLittee w a s t a k i n g steps to obtain s u c h d a t a ; that n o change in policy would fee undertaken u n til t h e Council and th-e S O C I E T Y had a n
opportunity to vote or*, any suggestions, and since the c o m m i t t e e is orne of t h e Directors rather* than t h e C o u o c i l , t h a t ample authority already existed for o b taining all possible details which -would b e useful to t h e committee in its wc*rk. T h e discussion having brouglht outi several sug gestions, t h e matter w a s laid on t h e table with t h e assurant ce t h a t full u s e o f all per tinent d a t a would be made b y t h e com mittee before preparing its final areport. E m m a P . Carr, of Mount Holyoke College, made a report of progress on t h e project t o provide a medial for* outstanding work by women chemists, a s we>ll as t w o fellowships, which had been pre*posed b y Francis P . Gar-van a t : the N « w York meeting. Dr. Carr spoke f o r "the com mittee a p p o i n t e d by P r e s i d e n t Adams t o prepare rules ajnd regulations f o r these awards. Upon motion,, the C o u n c i l voted to accept the recommendation that t h e medal a n d fellowship awarcLs f o r women chemists which -were aranoim«ced by Fran cis P . Garvan shall b e sponsor&d by t h e AMERICAN
CHESMICAL· S O C I E T Y ,
provided
the financial arrangemtents involved a r e satisfactory to the Board o f JDirectors. I t i s expected t h a t a comnaittoe will b e appointed in t i m e t o anake possible t h e first award at t h e K a n s a s Cilby meeting. F . B . D a i n s , University- of Kansas, urged a large a t t e n d a n c e a t thi« Kansas City meeting, andW". F . Rud«d, Richmond, Va., spoke enthusiastically o f t h e North Carolina meeting in sprimg of 193V, indicat ing t h a t t h e region adjacent tiher«to would cooperate in making t h e meeting a success.
