^ett&ui ta t6e £cUteople to master a synthetic or "ideal*' language because the benefits to be derived from it are so far in the future. Chemists, and particularly members of the ACS acting through their organization, are in a peculiarly fortunate position to promote sensible English spelling because of the international character of their writings and publications. We have abolished the "ph" in sulfur. W h y stop there*: L e t the Society have a committee on spelling reform to study and recommend revised spellings of chemical terms. With such encouragements adoption of new spellings can proceed at a faster pace. Collaboration with committees of chemical societies in other English speaking countries would also be a logical development. All this may seem a short if not futile s t e p to a uni-ersal language, but let us n o t forget we must learn to walk before w e can run. VAN* VOORHEKS
Ifomcwoorf, III. I* rules t DEAR SIR:
I wish to protest against the viewpoint of V. A. Kalichevsky in the M a y 3 issue of C&EN. Professional organizations need to participate more, rather than less, in social aspects of their efforts. I believe Dr. Kalichevsky's is a minori t y view. WlM.IAM K. VlERTEI, Carton, A\ )".
'pwn t&e Sdtto*4> *De4&...< Etiuvwtwn
in a
Week
m
T h e Atomic Energy Week, sponsored early in January by the Stamford Forum for World Affairs and the Western Connecticut Section of the AMERICAN C H E M I -
CAL SOCIETY, has received nation-wide acclaim. A pattern was developed b y the sponsors of the Stamford Atomic JOnergy Week that has served to guide other groups in various sections of the country in planning similar affairs. Much of the credit for the success of the Stamford Atomic E n ergy Week belongs to Wilbur H. Miller, chairman of the public relations a n d education committee of the Western Connecticut Section. Characteristic of the thoroughness with which he handled details of the program is a 6-page report which is now available for distribution to other interested groups. Those who wish copies should write direct t o Dr. Miller, care of the American Cyanamid Co. Laboratories, Stamford, Conn. Other sections of the Society have taken up the idea of presenting an Atomic Energy Week. T h e Peoria Citizens Forum pre-
CHEMICAL
sentcd one during the week of April 6, sponsored by the Peoria Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, the Peoria
( -itizens Forum, a n d the Peoria Council of Churches. Included in t h e Peoria Atomic I'Jnergy Week was the atomic energy exhibit developed b y the editors of I&EC and C&EN. According to recent reports received in this office, other sections are cooperating with groups in their respective communities and shortly will provide for t h e citizens of these communities not only detailed information about atomic energy, b u t a better understanding of the moral and economic aspects of man's greatest scientific discovery.
7i/ccOc^%WuMc/ AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
