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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 17, No. 11
EDITORIALS 1926 a Banner Year for American Chemistry and the American Chemical Society T WILL soon be fifty years since a group of enthusiastic chemists formed a society that has now become the largest in the world covering a special field, one with international as well as national influence, and a society to which have come as a result of successfully carrying out its original purposes new fields of activity, new responsibilities, and new opportunities. It is no longer enough for the local sections and the individual members of the SOCIETYto devote themselves as chemists solely to the work of the profession. The field has become even broader and perhaps the work of the new year typifies this change better than any similar span of time in the SOCIETY’S history. Although the calendar will not be turned for a few weeks, the new year so far as the sections are concerned has begun, and we therefore would point out some of the work that lies ahead.
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in its applied phases. Moreover, this deviation from our usual path will give many loyal members their first occasion to participate in and receive stimulus from an annual meeting of the SOCIETY.The Petroleum Division in particular will make a feature of this meeting.
Institute of Politics
The Board of Advisors of the Institute of Politics, held annually at Williamstown, Mass., has accepted by unanimous vote our suggestion that one of the main topics for the 1926 conference should be “The Role of Chemistry in the Future Affairs of the World.” The willingness of the Institute to accept this topic is recognition of the importance of chemistry in world affairs. It affords a long-sought opportunity to reach economists, politicians, and men of affairs with examples of the relationship of chemistry to the most important Decennial (Collective) Index activities of modern civilization and the vital necessity in You have just thirty days in which to decide what you will consequence of research adequately supported in continuity. do to make possible the preparation during 1926 of the second The conference will be organized and conducted with the CHEMICAL SOCIETY. decennial or collective index for Chemical Abstracts for the assistance of the AMERICAN While the Institute has discussed topics closely allied to years 1917-1926, inclusive. The value of this work-the key to the last ten years’ research in chemistry-and what chemistry, they have appeared under other headings. I n failure means to American chemistry has been stressed on the 1923 considerable attention was given to natural resources, front page of Chemical Abstracts, communications from our rubber and nitrates obtaining special mention. Last year as well as mineral resources proved of interest, but there was no conSecretary, and editorial comment in THISJOURNAL, discussions on the subject in the h’ews Edition. It should be certed effort to have the chemists of this and other countries possible-it must be possible-to secure the required advance present to participate in the deliberations. “Agriculture and subscriptions from 20 per cent of our members. The direc- Population Increase” was a topic in the 1925 conference. I n tors are to take action on the situation as it exists December 1. 1926 it is proposed to discuss such important topics as future If you have been undecided all these months, make up your food supplies, energy-present and future sources and their utilization-chemistry in conservation stressing wastes in inmind and subscribe during the next thirty days. dustry and increased efficiency in production, synthetic versus Endowment Fund natural products, chemical developments in their relation to The endowment fund, initiated under such favorable cir- labor, chemistry in world domination through commerce and in cumstances, has been quietly but steadily growing. A num- national defense, and therelation of chemistry to world health. ber of the sections have achieved 100 per cent but the SOCIETY From this it will be seen that the conference a t the Institute has not yet earned the contribution of Dr. Baekeland, inas- of Politics will have to do with chemistry as a dominating much as to date less than ten thousand members have each factor in these various fields rather than with that type of dissubscribed one dollar or more. The endowment committee, cussion which would characterize a meeting of the AMERICAN of which Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr., is chairman, is now en- CHEMICAL SOCIETY. We have insisted that there is a side to gaged in ascertaining the minimum sum, the income from our work which will appeal to those in political as well as which would meet the increased demands upon our publica- economic authority and this is our opportunity to make good tions and allow for the normal growth of our present activities. that assertion. The conference should attract authorities on many subjects I n the near future members will be called upon to get more from various parts of the world. It is a place frankly to lay actively behind the endowment campaign. upon the table for open discussion in the friendliest spirit some Tulsa Meeting problems that might elsewhere be handled with silk gloves. Next April the 71st meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL So- For example, chemical warfare can be discussed a t WilliamsCIETY will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A few may ask-why town in such a way as to put the facts and truth before the a meeting in Tulsa? Those who have visited that part of our public and allow them to reach a decision on the evidence Middle West realize that in Tulsa centers one of our great pe- presented. troleum fields, and that a meeting there will afford an opporWilliamstown itself is a delightful place in which to spend a tunity to gain much information regarding one of our most im- summer month and we may confidently look forward to an ocportant industries. At the same time the presence of the casion of real importance. As the details are developed and large numbers of chemists which always characterizes our an- decisions reached announcements will be made, and as the nual meetings will be of great help to our members in that program is completed invitations will be issued to those who vicinity, and will be potent in emphasizing upon a new indus- are to lead the discussions. Membership in the Institute is trial area the importance of the science in-research as well as by invitation and applications are considered on their merits.
