Fourth, "We must encourage our employees and shareholders to ex press their views on legislation that affects their company," Mr. Wil liams says. He points out, "There are any number of activist groups expressing their views about legis lative matters today—their stock in trade is bringing pressure to bear on Washington." Fifth, the industry must get in volved in the political process. The Dow executive told the meeting, "We cannot restrict our communi cation with our Congressman to the occasion when legislation is pend ing that affects us, and expect to be effective. "When we in business are being judged in the court of public opin Williams: working with Washington ion we are going to have to defend ourselves . . . [and] take our case to the grass-roots public and work to convince the public we are right," Mr. Williams says. "No one else will do it for us."
other large benzene outlet—cumene-based phenol—growth rates in the first third of the year have all been less than that of benzene it self. Benzene production increased 5.9% through April over the first four months of 1973, according to U.S. Tariff Commission figures. Styrene output rose 5.2% for the period; cyclohexane production de clined 8.0%; and phenol production moved up 4.1%. In April growth rates widened further between benzene and its leading derivatives. Although the parent material's production went up 14.4% over April 1973, styrene output fell 7.4%, cyclohexane out put increased 8.3%, and phenol output rose 5.3%.
Chemical makers must boost political savvy
Councilors elect ACS director candidates
The chemical industry must ''be come more sophisticated and inno vative" in its government relations and in lobbying, according to G. James Williams, executive vice president and commercial director of Dow Chemical U.S.A. He told a meeting of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Associa tion last week that otherwise the industry runs the strong risk of being submerged in or subjected to the interests of other, more vocal groups. One problem facing chemical makers, Mr. Williams says, is the view "that Government can do it better than business." Although he doesn't "pretend to have any magic answer" to this problem, Mr. Wil liams does offer a few rules he thinks the chemical industry ought to apply. First, the chemical industry must be in the position of working with Washington when legislation is being written and considered. He adds that it must be in the role of "helping work out the nation's problems—not in a role of conflict or hostility." Second, when the chemical in dustry uncovers a problem that af fects the public interest, it should "take the initiative in telling Gov ernment about it." As a corollary to this, Mr. Williams says, "We in the industry should take the initiative of proposing legislation, when we see problems developing that are going to require legislation." Third, the industry must com municate political and legislative information to its employees, ex plaining how it affects or threatens to affect the industry.
Women candidates have come out ahead in primary elections for ACS director from two Society regions. As a result of preliminary balloting, Dr. Patricia A. M. Figueras and Dr. Stanley Kirschner will be on the final ballot for director from Region Π in the ACS election this fall. And Dr. Mary L. Good and Dr. Calvin A. Vanderwerf will be candidates from Region IV. In these primaries, councilors from the two regions voted by mail to whittle down slates of four can didates each originally proposed by the Committee on Nominations and Elections (C&EN, April 29, page 7). This fall the final selection be tween the two remaining nominees for each region, plus any petition candidates, will be made by polling all ACS members in these regions. The deadline for petitions is July 15. None has been validated so far, although a petition is in circulation on behalf of Dr. Herbert P. Kagen as a proposed nominee for director from Region II. Dr. Figueras received 36 votes in the primary in Region II (Ohio, most of Pennsylvania, and parts of neighboring states), and Dr. Kirschner received 25. 24 votes went to Dr. James D. D'lanni and 16 to Dr. John H. Buckingham. The current director for Region II is Emerson Venable, whose three-year term expires this year and who will likely run as a petition candidate for President-Elect. In Region IV Dr. Good, who is the incumbent, led with 42 votes, and 34 went to Dr. Vanderwerf and 14 each to Dr. Werner Herz and Dr. John A. Montgomery.
Benzene supplies are loosening up The benzene shortage, long one of the most critical in the tight chemi cal feedstock situation, is easing. This is what users say and figures show as midyear approaches. In New York City last week, Dow Chemical vice president Paul F. Oreffice singled out better benzene availability as a key contributor to an overall easing of the company's tight marketing situation during the rest of the year. He cites a cur rent drop in benzene spot prices from $3.75 per gallon to $1.75 per gallon. On the Gulf Coast similar reports place the spot price of ben zene at a much reduced $2.00 per gallon. This price level is still very high and shows that benzene is hardly back in balance. But producers are already feeling a bit of relief. Dow's comment carries particular weight, since the company is a leading pro ducer in the largest benzene mar ket, styrene. In the second largest benzene outlet, cyclohexane, there is also evidence of loosening supply. De rivative caprolactam producer, Nipro, in Augusta, Ga., says that an easing U.S. feedstock situation is one reason that the British capro lactam plant disaster (C&EN, June 10, page 4) might not affect the U.S. market as severely as expected if Nipro has to send some of its cap rolactam production to nylon pro ducers in the U.K. For styrene, cyclohexane, and an
June 17, 1974 C&EN
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