BDXTOBIAL· OFFICE:
Room 706, Mills Building, Washington, E>. C. TELEPHONE: National 0848 CABLE: Jfoohem (Washington) ENTERED as second class matter at the Post Office at Easton, Pa., under the Act of March 3,1879, as 4 0 times a year. Industrial Edition monthly on the 1st; News Edition o n the 10th and 20th; Analytical Edition on the 15th of January, April, July, and October. ACCEPTANCE for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec tion 1103, Aot of October 3, 1017, authorized July 13, 1918.
NEWS
EDITION
Industrial AND E N G I N E E R I N G
Chemistry P U B L I S H E D BY THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
Volume 10, No. 4
HARRISON E. HOWE, EDITOR
PUBLICATION O F F I C E : Easton, Pa. ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT:
419 Fourth Ave., New York, Ν. Υ. TELEPHONE: Lexington 2-418(5 SUBSCRIPTION to non-members, Industrial and Engineering Chem istry, $7.50 per year. Foreign post age $1.50, except t o countries ac cepting mail a t Amerioan domestic rates and to Canada. Analytical Edition only, S1.50 per year. News Edition only, $1.50 per year (sin gle oopies, 10 cents). Subscriptions, changes of address, and claims for lost copies should be referred to Charles L. Parsons, Secretary, Mills Building, Washington, D. C.
February 20, 1932
Chicago Plans Chemical Center Negotiations were carried out under the able leadership of a building committee headed by Paul Van Cïeef. The chairman of the Chicago Section is Bernard E . Schaar, and the president of the Chicago Chemists Club, Ernest H. Volwiler. Renting agents for the building are Waiter F. Callahan Associates, Inc., 176 West Adams St., Chicago, 111. Information regarding tenancy in the building may be obtained from this firm or the Chicago Section.
ON JANUARY 30, 1932, representatives of the Chicago Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY and of the Chicago Chemists
Club signed agreements by which both groups will in the future hold their meetings in the Mid land Club. In addition, the Chicago Chemists Club signed a lease for quarters consider ably larger than it has previ ously occupied in the Midland Building, 176 West Adams St., in which the Midland Club is
STUDENTS AT N E W ORLEANS T H E R E I S no difference of
opinion regarding the advisability of having a s many students as possible attend the semiannual national meetings of the SOCIETY.
Our D i v i s i o n of
Chemical Education has recognized this and for several meetings past has been able to arrange special rates and fees and other considerations which have made it far easier for studerits t o make the most of the opportunities these meetings afford. The meeting at New Orleans is t o be no exception. The AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
will grant the minimum registration fee of three dollars to student non-members. The Division of Chemical Education will see to it that living a t New Orleans is reduced to the absolute minimum for these students. MIDLAND BUILDING This leaves for consideration the one serious item of transportalocated. The signing of these tion. agreements marks the termina Why not drive to New Orleans tion of negotiations which have and take with you a load of been going on for several years student chemists? There is a to secure enlarged facilities for considerable number of miles to chemical activities in Chicago. be covered in many instances, The rapidly growing attendance but within a reasonable drive of at meetings of t h e Chicago New Orleans there are many Section, which reached 600 a t students who would doubtless be a special petroleum meeting in glad to get to the meeting to see January, was making imperative and hear and meet men promia change in meeting place. The nent in academic circles and LOBBY OF MIDLAND CLUB new agreements run for five years in our varied industries. Local and are renewable at the end sections within easy motoring of that time. In addition to providing accommodations for all distance of New Orleans should set up some organization for meetings of the two organizations, the plan involves cooperation promoting this good work. A small committee could readily of the chemical groups and the renting agents of the Midland ascertain who will make the journey by automobile, what students Building in securing tenants from the chemical industry. If could go under such circumstances, and complete contacts which this plan is successful and the building secures a considerable would to the organization of such parties. In some innumber of tenants who are connected with chemical activities, stances lead the older members snould consider the possibility of the name of the building will be changed to indicate its position chartering a bus,fillingthe extra seats with students, and makas a center for chemistry in Chicago. ing the trip a gala expedition. The Midland Building is one of the newest and finest of the It is splendid work, lasting i n its effects. The SOCIETY, the large club buildings in Chicago, and is located in the heart of Chicago's business district. It is fully adequate to accommodate Division of Chemical Education, and our hosts in New Orleans the chemical organizations of Chicago in a commodious, almost are all doing their part to make the most of it. Cannot you do something about the transportation problem? luxurious fashion. 37
NEWS
38
E D I T10 Ν
Unemployment Information Requested T H E FOLLOWING LETTER was sent from the Secretary's office to secretaries of local sections on January 29, 1932: On October 16 I sent a letter requesting the active cooperation of your section in obtaining a census of the unemployed members of the SOCIETY and in organizing locally to help meet the problem. That letter is published in the November 10, 1931, N E W S EDITION.
On
November 16 I sent communications to 7000 of our industries offering the SOCIETY'S aid when they were in need of technical assistance, setting forth also t h e desirability of utilizing the slack production period for a study of their problems and in research for future develop ment. This letter will be found in the NEWS EDITION for November 20, 1931. In the three months that have passed constructive work has been done and positions have been filled through the efforts of the local sections, through this office, and, more particularly, through the usual channels of the employment pages of the NEWS EDITION. There are still altogether too many members of the SOCIETY unem ployed, although estimates made in the communications mentioned above have been more than confirmed by the information since re ceived. The movement has been worth while if it has done no more than definitely to confirm the fact that the quality and progressiveness of our membership is appreciated by those who employ chemists. Chemists join the SOCIETY for two reasons: (a) To obtain, at a minimum price, for their own use and for preservation, three of the leading chemical publications of the world. (6) As a privilege and duty to have their names included in the great cooperative movement for the development of chemistry and the chemist which the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY represents—
this even when the publications of the SOCIETY are available t o them indirectly without cost. Most of the best chemists of America are members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY for one or the other of these reasons. The reason for their adherence is an indication of their quality. This is now quite generally appreciated. Employers naturally have kept in their employ their best and most progressive chemists. Accordingly, comparatively few members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY are out of employment.
For
the same reason requests for information as to the membership of individuals often come to this office. It is a striking fact that, al though at least 3500 in America who wish to practice chemistry are seeking employment, I have today, after three months' effort, only 63 records of unemployed members with sufficient data to be used in considering inquiries for men with specific training and experience. Including all names received in this office and from local sections, a record is available of less than 125 members known to be unemployed. Unemployment appears to be particularly severe around New York City and Cleveland, Ohio. A number of sections have no member of their section unemployed. I am particularly anxious to have my records complete. I am, accordingly, again requesting you to send as definite a record of unemployment in your section as possible, sending me at least the names of unemployed members, also records of their training and experience so far as you can obtain them. Please note particularly that, while the question of general unem ployment should have the aid of all good citizens, this office wishes simply a record of unemployed members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. I t is these who have supported the profession through our organization and who, accordingly, deserve our support in turn. Furthermore, knowing they have striven to keep abreast and in con tact with their profession, they are the ones that we can recommend with assurance to employers. The great difficulty that confronts us is the present lack of expan sion in industry, i n education, and in government, state, and munici pal control. Accordingly, positions available are few. While realiz ing the danger of prophecy, I believe the situation is showing definite improvement. Please send definite information on the following: (1)
Names of members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY on
your local section rolls who are out of employment. (2) Please send me data as follows, or request them to do so: (a)
(&) (O
Name Address Age Number of dependents Education, with degrees, places, and dates
CO Experience (g) Branch of chemistry in which employment is preferred (h) Salary expected 0") Name and address of last em ployer CO References
CHARLES L. PASSONS Secretary
P. S. In view of the "psychology of depression," which is affecting us all, I trust that your committee on membership will redouble its efforts and that your present membership will stand fast during 1932. I>o not économie on the one expenditure which in the long run will prove a real chemist's best investment—i. e., the increased knowledge and personal contacts which membership should insure. The year 1932, like 1922, i s likely to be the turning point to better times. Carry on.
Vol. tO, No. 4
SPBCIAX RATES TO N E W ORLEANS LTNTUSTFALLY LOW HATES have been granted t o New Orleans, which shiould foster a large attendance a t the spring meeting of t h e AkMERiCAKr CHEMICAL SOCIETY, March 2 8 to April
1.
Kates om the identification certificate plan at o n e and one-half fare, witfci privilege o f diverse return route, have been announced in t h e January 2 0 N E W S EDITION.
I n addition t o t h e above, there is a general excursion rate t o N e w Orleans, limited for 15 days, on sale Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunciays, which i s less than t h e one and one-half fare. Also from territory east of the Mississippi a n d south of t h e Potomac a special Easter excursion of one way and $1.00, limited to 15 da3rs for return by same route, has now been announced. It i s possible t h a t this, t o o , may b e extended to other territory. Members desiring identification certificates should procure them frc*m the Secretary's office or from their local secretary. They shiould ohtain. definite information regarding excursion rates frc*m their local ticket offices. Apparently members in N e w England c a n purchase a ticket to New York and repurchase from Ne?w York by excursion rate, if they see fit. T h e possibility a l s o of purchasing a round-trip ticket to Washington o n account o f the George Washington Bicentennial a n d repurchasing from Washington t o New Orleans should be considered. T h e fare to £>3"ew Orleans and return, good for 15 days, leaving o n March 23,24, 2 5 , a n d 26, from Washington is $41.20.
SPECIAL· CAJRS F O R N E W O R L E A N S M E E T I N G LSTASMTUCH AS t h e r e may b e a number of members of t h e SOCIETY
from poimts north a n d northeast of Washington who will wish t o spend a
