January, 1924
I N D USTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Officers for 1924
3
Boost!
HAT are you doing to further the Prize Essay ConAS SOCIETY ‘USUAL, the members of the AMERICANCHEMICAL had placed before them in the primary and w test? From now until the prizes for 1924 are awarded
also in the final election the names of a large number of the peak load must be carried. The committee of the will soon announce the completion of the rational capable men for each of the several offices to be filled. The SOCIETY final count disclosed a small margin between the various committee and the State committees. Shortly the plan for grading the essays will be published. Meanwhile the discandidates, and the following have been declared elected: tribution of pamphlets, posters, and announcements continues President: L. H. BAEKELAND Directors: H. P. TALBOT, from the first district; G. D. ROSEN- in increasing volume. Already more than twenty-five GARTI~N, from the third district thousand sets of books have been distributed, considerably Councilors-at-Large: C . A. BROWNE, H. N. HOLMES, L. W. JONES, more than half of these being without charge. and 11. S. MINER But there is much that chemists everywhere can do to Dr. 13aekeland is known to the great majority of our mem- further this worthy enterprise. Notwithstanding all that is bers, having represented the AMERICANCHEMIC.4L SOCIETY written and printed, the best way to arouse enthusiasm is on the Naval Consulting Board, through personal contact, and where chemists have adserved as chairman of the Com- dressed high school assemblies a number of new entrants mittee on Patents of the National have been secured. The Rochester Section has appointed a local committee to Research Council, and been interest the high school students, has provided a prize of ten the recipient of the Nichols, Gibbs, Perkin, and Chandler dollars in gold and a suitably inscribed gold medal to be medals, and the Scott medal of awarded to the student within the territory of that section the Franklin Institute. He has submitting the best essay and, in addition, will place a trophy previously served as councilor- in the custody of the school from which the best essay is at-large of the SOCIETY, has been submitted. More than sixty-five inches of space have been president of the American Elec- devoted to the contest in the local papers. If the Rochester trochemical Society, American Section can make it possible, one of the national prizes will Institute of Chemical Engineers, be awarded within that territory. The Chicago Section has appointed a special committee and vice president of the New I,. H. BAEKELAND to York Section of the AMERICAN investigate the activities of other sections and make recomCHEMICALSOCIETYand the Society of Chemical Industry, mendations as to ways and means by which the most possible president of the Kew York Chemists’ Club, and an official of may be accomplished. Doubtless other sections have been the International Congress of Chemistry in London in 1909. active, but details of their plans have not been received. There are many opportunities for further service, and while At present he is an honorary professor of chemical engineering at Columbia University, but devotes most of his time to the future cannot be foretold, it is safe to predict that the the corporation manufacturing synthetic resins. Indeed, successful completion of the 1924 contest will mean more Dr. Baekeland’s activity in this field has caused some of us for the future of chemistry than could have been prophesied to forget his early triumphs in industrial chemistry when he when the project was undertaken. Will you not do something to assure the contest and its originated the velox type of photographic paper. Although objects being brought forcefully before those in your local a Belgian by birth, Dr. Baekeland has always shown an appreciation for things American and a loyalty to the United community who are eligible to compete for the prizes? States which would put many natives to shame. Dr. Baekeland has his hobbies, as all men should have, is noted for his congenial good nature, as a narrator of experiences of Common Interests his travel and work, and is a real good fellow. He will make a successful president of the SOCIETY,and we add to the E HAVE been interested in efforts made to bring others our pledge of loyal support. together the various English chemical societies, first in matters of publication, and more recently in social affairsall of which we applaud. Why not similar occasions in this country? There are a number of special chemical organThe Chemist in Public Life izations covering soils, fertilizer, leather, electrochemistry, C H E M I C A L AGE (London) for December 1 presents chemical engineering, and ceramics; and while in all instances the portraits of nine gentlemen associated with the the majority of the men composing them are also members chemical industry who mere candidates in the recent elections of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY,they have never come in Great Britain. Ernest Chuard, Switzerland’s new Presi- together in one large and impressive meeting having a dent, formerly occupied the chair of chemistry at the Uni- program arranged around topics of common interest. We versity of Lausanne and was director of the experimental would not advocate a joint annual meeting of all these groups, station for viticulture of that city. because the impetus which separate annual or semiannual The training of the chemist certainly fits him just as meetings give to the science in such localities as may be well for public service as does the training of the lawyer or favored with them would be lessened, but we do think the newspaper man. He learns to consider facts in a judi- that periodically some such conclave could be held to adcial way, strives for truth in his work, and places a proper vantage. Surely all chemists in America should come toevaluation upon the factors he encounters. Add to this the gether a t least once in five years and bring their combined experience which he obtains in industry and he would seem to weight to bear upon the problems of the day. Such a plan be an ideal representative. True, a few of our chemists and could be put into effect in 1926. The AMERICAN CHEMICAL chemical engineers have exercised political influence and have SOCIETY plans to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary then, and performed some such public service, but the need is great and it is hoped the International Union of Pure and Applied the number thus far too few. Chemistry will hold its meeting in America that year.
