GOVERNMENT would remain. Under t H e Disposal Act*· passed last year, the vvHole p r o g r a m of private sale could he oalled oft if the facilities sold are not capable of producing at least 500,000 long tons of G R - S and 43,000 long tons of butyl annually. T h e 13 present GR-S plants have a rated capacity of 860,000 long tons and the two butvl plants h a v e a capacity of 90,000 tons.'
The most important over-all factor, however, will b e two prices—the price of the plant and the price of synthetic rubber. While the rubber industry is anxious to get t h e Government out of its business, it cannot afford to buy the plants and run them on an off and on basis. From t h e number of bids received, it seems industry feels confident —if it can get its own price.
N e w Register of Scientists Begun
the nation's scientific population. This information, gathered at the time of the Korean War, enabled details of a plan to be worked out for t h e effec tive use of scientific manpower. The current survey will compile registration information on each in dividual which will include name, ad dress, education, chemical specialty, and current employment. Information will b e kept current b y t h e Society.
AEC Fight Over Chairman's Power Erupts a t Hearings
N a t i o n a l Science Foundation a w a r d s first grants for personnel study t o A C S , Engineers Council
T h e rumored rumblings within t h e Atomic Energy Commission broke out into t h e open last week as three of THE first phase of tine National bci- He attributes t h e success of t h e pro- the commission's five members publicly ence Foundation's program t o) gram to the societies' cooperation and opposed any increase in power for t h e establish a national register of scientific especially to the "keen sense of national AEC Chairman Lewis L . Strauss. Commissioners Henry D . Smyth, and technological personnel has begunt responsibility" of t h e scientists themscientist-member, and Thomas E. Mur selves. If the current rate of response with grants to the AMERICAN C H E M I continues, Kelly believes the initial ray, N e w York businessman, stated b e CAL SOCIETY and the Engineers' Joint Council for a tally ofcriemists and engi- registration will be complete by June fore the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy that they strongly oppose t h e 1955. neers. "principal officer" clause in the cur ACS program will begin in t h e near T h e current register is b u t one of future when the Society will send out: several such surveys in which t h e ACS rent bill to revise t h e Atomic Energy the vanguard of registration question- has taken a leading and active part. Act. The measure would change pres naires to t h e membership, The initialI Probably the first of great consequence ent equal status of t h e commissioners list is expected to cover some 50,000) was t h e "Roster of Chemists of t h e and install the chairman as principal American chemists. I n all, about 15,- United States" compiled during World officer, who would preside at all com 000 more will b e polled before t h eÎ W a r I. Guiding force behind the roster mission meetings. Their positions were project is completed, was t h e late ACS Secretary, Charles contained in prepared statements pre The study will be xxsed "by N S F for r L. Parsons. T h e study was undertaken sented at hearings of t h e Joint Com statistical studies and to assist in t h e jointly by the Society and t h e Bureau mittee. Eugene M. Zuckert, w h o will retire mobilization of scientists in case of war. of Mines, of which Parsons also w a s from the commission at t h e end of this Foundation spokesmen say the infor- chief chemist. mation normally will not "be used forr In 1940, before the United States month, also said that h e did not favor Joseph employment or placement o f scientists. entered World W a r II, President the proposed amendment. Registration of all engineers will nott Roosevelt called upon the Society t o Campbell, like Strauss an Eisenhower be attempted in present study by t h e? undertake the task of identifying t h e appointee, had no immediate comment Engineers' Council. Rather than count- chemists and chemical engineers a n d but is understood t o have sided with ing t h e estimated 500,000 engineers inι of obtaining a record of their qualifi the chairman. In his statement, Murray expressed the United States, the council will con- cations. This data was included in t h e centrate on 20,000 leaders in all engi- National Roster of Scientific and Spe- disapproval of what b e called the "pres neering fields. The selection will b e3 cialized personnel. Its purpose: "to ent trend towards centralization of based on those listed i n standard1 enable prompt a n d correct allocation authority/' He went on to say that a one-man commission, or a five-man sources. of chemists and chemical engineers. . . commission that functions as one, Eight other societies and associationss if a n d when needed because of a n a would b e dangerous to t h e nation's will collect information for the registerr tional emergency." (see t a b l e ) . Harry C. Kelly, NSF'ss After the war, the Society was r e security. Smyth called for a continuance of assistant director for scientific person- quested by t h e National Security R e nel a n d education, s a y s the response ofif sources Board and the Federal Security the present arrangement b y which all scientists so far has "r>een encouraging.ζ. agency to assemble information about members have equal authority. H e points out that under t h e present setup A E C General Manager K. D . Nichols is responsible for t h e commission's ad Societies Taking Part in NSF Survey ministrative functions. After six years Society Number Surveyed service on the commission, Smyth says American Institute of Biological Sciences 40,000 he is convinced that no one man could Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 10,000 possibly b e wise enough to make all American Veterinary ^Medical Association 14,000 the decisions necessary in t h e complex American Geological Institute 18,000 atomic energy program. American Psychological Association 11,000 American Institute of Physics 15,000 "The strength of t h e commission d e American Meteorological Society 10,000 pends not onlv on t h e caliber of the American Mathematical Society 12,000 five members b u t also on t h e variety of American Chemical Society 65,000 their backgrounds a n d experience," Engineers Joint Council 20,000 Smyth believes. 2388
C H E M I C A L
AND
E N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS
