Ma),, 1grg
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such material duty-free. T o make still clearer t h e ground on which this conviction was based t h e Council has now added, by a most emphatic vote, its belief t h a t this duty-free privilege has furnished an important medium f o r foreign propaganda, creating in the minds of t h e youth of this country an impression of the superiority of such foreign-made material. of t h e Grave apprehension was felt over t h e War Department in so quickly dem g the Chemical Warfare Service, and a committee was appointed t o urge upon the proper authorities t h e necessity of the continuance, in a n intensive form a n d under a distinct organization. of chemical work as affecting the Army. The chairman of the Committee on t h c Census of Imports, and Dr. B. C. Hesse, a informed the Council of the r compilation a n d announced forthcoming bulletin of t h Domestic Commerce had b bulletin would be available
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committee which will report a: t h e next meeting of t h r Council The County of Warren, Hew Jersey, was added t o the territory of t h e Lehigh Valley Section, and the territory In Pennsylvania was arranged on t h e basis of counties Following t h e favorable report of t h e committee t o which had been referred the proposed by-laws, the Rubber Chemistry Section was advanced t o a Division of the SOCIETY. This Division is planning an important program for the Philadelphia meeting in September. As a result of the interest shown in the dyestuff4 symposium a t the Cleveland meeting, a Dyestuffs Section was created, of which officers were elected as fol-
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S O C I E T Y XATTFRS
Affecting more particular1 Socirru's organization, the scope of the Committee on Standard Chemicals was enlarged t o include apparatus. hope expressed that through cooperation with this committee. manufacturers would be aided in bringing their products to the highest standards. I n order t o enable individuals and local sections t o cooperate more fully with t h e various committees of the SOCIETYt h e secretary was directed to print each month in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on the fly-leaf immediately following t h e list of officers a full list of committees, together with the name and address of the chairman of each. In connection with the matter of committees, President Nichols announced t h a t committees for t h e coming year would be appointed a t the meeting of t h e Advisory Committee t o be held in New York City on April 26, a n d stated t h a t suggestions from members as t o the composition of committees would be welcome. The following resolution regarding t h e publication of papers presented a t the meetings was unanimously adopted: Resolved: The SOCIETY reserves the right of original publication in its otEdal journals of all impers appearing OD t h h p programs of its general meetings, divisions, and local sections. The editors we requested to inform authors Promptly of de-
desired. The Secretary is requested to give proper notice of this aetioii by printing this resolution on the preliminary and final programs of all general meetings.
The editors of t h e SOCIETY'Sjournals were instructed t o have all foreign language quotations contained in articles submitted for publication translated into English, unless in the judgment of the editor there is a good reason for publication in t h a t foreign lan-
ponecs, C O X M I l T E E REPORTS
Reports of all committees were in the hands of the president, and were read in abstract form by secretary, Of the many important reports submitted, four are printed in full (page 410, this issue). GENERAL MEETING The ballroom of the Statler Hotel with its encircling tier of balcony boxes made a fit setting for t h e General Meeting of the SOCIETY on Tuesday morning. Dr. C. G. Derick, the chairman of the Local Executive Committee, presided a t the opening. With gracious words, be welcomed t h e members and introduced the mayor of Buffalo, Hon. George F. Buck, who expressed his pleasure and t h a t of his fellow-citizens in having such a body of men as guests. On behalf of the SOCIETYPresident Nichols responded i n happy manner-and t h e game was on.
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The chief item of the business session, which immediately followed, was the unanimous election t o honorary membership of Professor Giacomo Ciamician, of t h e University of Bologna, Italy, following the unanimous recommendation by the Council. The heartiness of the vote indicated something more than perfunctory compliment-perhaps i t was an echo of t h a t spirit of cobperation which led Americans and Italians t o die together on t h e western battlefront in defense of civilization. Following t h e business session, addresses on economic questions affecting t h e chemical industries of America, particularly t h e dyestuff industry, were delivered by Dr. William H. Nichols, president of t h e SOCIETY,Mr William S. Culbertson, member of the U S. Tariff Commission, and Mr. Joseph H. Choate, J r , in charge of the chemical investigations of t h e Alien Property Custodian’s office. These addresses are printed on pages 399 t o 405. Unusual interest t o the mem
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suggested t h a t questions from the Aoor were in order. Many were asked and were responded t o by the speakers. The keenness of t h e impromptu debate between Mr. Choate and Mr. Culbertson brought all forward t o t h e edges of their chairs. Mr. Choate was awarded t h e popular verdict, as he advocated not only all t h a t Mr. Culbertson did in t h e way of adequate tariff and effective anti-dumping legislation, h u t supplemented these by urging further protection of t h e American industry b y a system of import licenses. Three battleships .are better t h a n two, the members seemed t o think. The General Meeting was continued at the afternoon session in t h e auditorium of t h e Technical High School, t h e subject being a symposium on mustard gas, under the chairmanship of Lt. Col. W. D. Bancroft. This first-hand information from men who had created the industry in this country aroused great interest, but perhaps chief interest centered in t h e address of Lt. Col. B. C. Goss, chief gas officer of t h e Second American Army. The address and its illustration by lantern slides and b y motion pictures taken at the front during battle gave a vivid portrayal of t h e tactics a n d strategy of gas warfare. Inability t o complete this program led t o the transfer of many of the papers t o the appropriate divisional programs. DIVISIOSAL NEETISGS
t o most of thos
been made t o the list of guard the interests of the American chemical industry. A t the conclusion of t h e addresses, President Nichols
The divisional meetings were held i n various classrooms of the Techn;cal High School. Information concerning the program numbers of the papers being read in each division was greatly facilitated by the inter-room telephone system, a decided advance over the courier system formerly employed. The complete program of the several divisions is printed on pages 480 and 481 of this issue. I n the Division of Biological Chemistry a lively
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discussion was held, which can easily be understood in view of the fact t h a t Col. Bancroft and Dr. Clowes were present. In the Division of Industrial Chemists and Chemical Engineers a new departure was made in the form of a symposium on Library Service in Industrial Laboratories. An informal symposium by members of the Industrial and Organic Divisions followed the formal symposium on t h e Future of Certain Americanmade Chemicals. This subject is discussed in an editorial in this issue, page 419, entitled “Rocks A head. ” In the Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry a n interesting discussion was held on the subject of Possibilities in Drug Research. By unanimous vote the Division adopted the following resolution: Resolved, That the Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry is heartily in sympathy with the movement to establish an institute of drug research and pledges itself individually and collectively to do all in its power to further this end. PUBLIC MEETING
On Wednesday evening the auditorium of the Hutchinson High School was crowded t o hear the address of Dr. Edgar Fahs Smith, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. As Dr. Smith rose, following his introduction by Resident Nichols, t h e entire audience rose and cheered, thus testifying t o the love and esteem for t h e former president of t h e SOCIETY. Under the thrill of his stirring peroration the audience again rose in token of appreciation of his message. His address is printed on pages q o j t o 410.
SOCIAL PEATLTRES
The social features of the week were admirably planned and carried out in a manner full worthy of the reputation of the Section of Western New York for geniality and good fellowship.
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Under the experienced leadership of Buffalo’s distinguished citizen, Mrs. John Miller Horton, the ladies were given a round of entertainments in the various clubs. which left no dull moments o n their hands. For the men, chief interest centered in the smoker on Tuesday evening. Advance reports had leaked out of the lavish preparations, both of roasts and refreshments, for this event. It was therefore with feelings of keen anticipation t h a t the members gathered together early, adorned, on entrance, with fancy paper caps. Just t o t h e left of t h e stage. behind a protective barrier resembling a pulpit, sat his reverence, Mr. L. E. Saunders, whose never-ending stream of loquacity gave ample opportunity for t h e display of his native wit and at the same time served a s a filler whenever it was necessary t o reset t h e stage, with its complicated array of ultra-modern testing apparatus. Conveniently near the stage was an orchestra of “our own” and a chemists’ glee club, which would have filled with envy t h e leaders of great choral societies. “It sounds feasible-absolutely,” From t h e snappy glance of Mr. F. A. Lidhury’s eye i t was not hard t o guess whose mind had planned t h e varied program which followed. Roars of laughter greeted t h e many quips in song and story, while the revelations of the psychological tests exhibited on apparatus new t o all were such as t o give new light on many hitherto unknown traits and tendencies. It was some smoker, believe us! In t h e midst of t h e fun an unexpected turn was given by t h e presentation of a si!ver loving cup t o Dr. John A. Miller b y the members of the Local Section. Dr. Miller responded in words t h a t showed how deeply he was touched by this beautiful evidence of t h e love and esteem of his colleagues. On Wednesday evening t h e Council was entertained a t dinner by the authorities of Canisius College,
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with Father Ahern acting as host. All present agreed t h a t this dinner was one of t h e jolliest and happiest events of t h e meeting. During t h e forty-eight hours intervening between t h e smoker and t h e banquet, Mr. Lidbury had time t o transform himself into the dignified toastmaster of a banquet which filled every available table. T h e chief speaker was Mr. Samuel Botsford, president of t h e Buffalo Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Botsford was evidently at home in this rdle, for his light raillery captivated all and led him naturally into a n earnest and serious discussion of t h e repression of Bolshevism in this country. One flippant diner suggested t h a t after all perhaps Mr. Botsford was not discussing real b u t near-Bolsheviki, like Saunders and Lidbury, who, a t t h e smoker, had destroyed every good man’s reputation. Under t h e summons of t h e toastmaster five-minute addresses (strictly by t h e bell) were made by representatives of t h e various local sections. T o cap t h e climax of unexpected events, t h e toastmaster, happily broke all precedents and established Mrs. John Miller Horton as t h e pioneer woman speaker a t a banquet of t h e AMERICANCHEMICALSOCIETY. T h e time was propitious, for Mrs. Horton responded in an inimitable vein and brought t h e conviction t h a t t h e latter-day woman (we won’t say modern) can meet any call made upon her. EXCURSIONS
T h e varied character of Buffalo’s industries gave ample opportunity for a diversified program of excursions. Early in t h e week t h e Division of Water, Sewage, and Sanitation inspected t h e Buffalo Pumping Station and Chlorine Treatment Plant. While there was no water on t h e program of the local committee, still as this excursion was on Wednesday, t h e day after t h e night before, we suppose this one break in t h e program was condonable. T h e chief event of t h e excursions was reserved for Thursday afternoon. Through t h e courtesy of t h e citizens of Buffalo a n imposing array of automobiles was provided for t h e trip through t h e city and visits t o t h e plants of t h e National Aniline and Chemical Co., Inc., and the Buffalo Foundry and Machine Company. Under t h e skilful guidance of the well-coached and courteous guides provided by t h e National i t is a safe bet t h a t none who had visions of cunningly acquired information as t o secrets in methods of manufacturing dyestuffs found such visions realized. T h e Buffalo Foundry and Machine Company had made model arrangements for t h e visit t o their plant. There were no secrets there, and t h e sight of t h e preparations for t h e massive castings and t h e festive journeyings of t h e huge ladles of molten iron proved fascinating t o all. Heartiest congratulations to Messrs. Miles and Rippel and their associates for t h e thorough arrangements! By means of t h e arrows directing t h e flow of foot traffic you couldn’t get lost, even if you tried, while t h e booklet with descriptions of t h e prominently numbered pieces of machinery gave opportunity for a liberal education in large-scale chemical apparatus. Inside these two plants one could not repress t h e
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thought t h a t t h e ground was historic, for each has played so important a part in t h e romance of American chemical development during t h e war period. During these excursions another innovation was made, consisting of the movie-man with his camera. W h a t effect t h e chemist as such will have upon a film remains t o be seen. At any rate t h e movie-man felt t h a t the public should know something of t h e personality of t h e men who have been doing t h e real 0 stuff for t h e country’s welfare, Friday was devoted entirely t o excursions. In spite of t h e steady rain of t h e early morning, large groups assembled for t h e excursions t o t h e plants of Spencer, Kellogg & Sons, P r a t t & Lambert, t h e Larkin Company, t h e Lackawanna Steel Company, and t o Niagara Falls. A special feature oE t h e visit t o t h e Falls was t h e complimentary luncheon tendered by t h e Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce, whose president and Mr. Walter Wallace extended a hearty welcome t o t h e visitors. I n t h e auditorium where t h i s ceremony took place, Mr. Frank Low had arranged a n attractive display of t h e products manufactured a t Niagara Falls. Particularly instructive were t h e charts on t h e walls showing by whom these products were manufactured and in what industries each was utilized. What matter if, because of former sad experiences, t h e plants themselves were closed t o us! The main thing is t h a t they told t h e story of t h e greatest electrochemical industry in t h e world, one which had served this country so thoroughly and SO importantly during t h e days of great preparations for a world war, If copies of those charts could be hung in every schoolroom in America we would be a wiser and a safer nation. ’ AN APPRECIATION
It was our good fortune t o be in Buffalo a few hours after t h e final excursions were completed. Chatting with members waiting for trains a n d with members of the Local Committee who were on hand t o see t o everyone’s comfort a n d happiness u p t o t h e very last moment, one could not fail t o be impressed with the thorough manner in which every detail of t h e meeting had been attended t o by those in charge of t h e T h e Local Committee consisted of meeting. C. G. DERICK,Chairman, Executive Committee J. F. SCHOELLKOPF, Treasurer, Chairman, Finance Committee E. K. STRACHAN, Secretary, Chairman, Registration and Information Com-
mittee D. H. CHILDS,Chairman, Arrangements for Meetings W. H. WATKINS,Chairman, Excursions and Exhibits Chairman, Sub-committee, Nlagara Falls Excursion A M. WILLIAMSON, Committee JOHNA. MILLER,Chairman, Hotels Committee F. A. LIDBURY,Chairman, Smoker Committee WALTERWALLACE, Chairman, Banquet Committee F. S. Low, Chairman, Sub-committee on Niagara Falls Exhibit Committee H. G. SAUNDERS, Chairman, Publicity Committee D. W. SOWERS, Chairman, Invitation Committee MRS. JOHN MILLERHORTON,Chairman, Ladies Entertainment Committee These were assisted by G. P. FULLER, L. E. CHAMBERLAIN, H. S. LITCHENBERG, A. C . PARSONS, R. E. FOWLER, A. P. SY, E. B. STEVENS, A. H. HOOKER, F.S. TONE,L. E. SAURDERS, LEE SMITH,and E. G RIPPEL.
T h e work of t h e committee was made particularly difficult by t h e fact t h a t only t e n per cent of those in attendance had notified Secretary Parsons, o n t h e
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blanks mailed t o each member for t h a t purpose, of their intention t o a t t e n d . This fact fully justified t h e appeal of t h e secretary during t h e meeting t h a t in t h e future members give notification of such intention whenever possible, so t h a t our hosts m a y have a t least an approximate idea of t h e scale on which preparations for t h e meeting should be conducted.
THE CHEMIST AND RECONSTRUCTION By WILLIAMH. NICHOLS,President, American Chemical Society
In accordance with the plans outlined by the Council a t its December meeting, the Spring Meeting of this SOCIETY, now beginning, will devote itself in particular to questions of reconstruction facing us a t the termination of the most destructive war that the world has ever seen. The solution of these questions will influence for good or evil the next century of the world’s history. The chemist will have a very responsible part not only in the discussion, but in the work which will follow; and it is, therefore, with feelings of earnestness, soberness, and eagerness that we should approach the deliberations of the coming days. In all human probability, it will not be long before terms of peace have been agreed upon, and peace itself take the place of the unspeakable horrors of the years since August 1914. During that period, every public and private interest has been subordinated to the one question of winning the war lor right and justice, thereby providing the firm foundation on which to build for the future. All over the world, civilized and uncivilized, there has been derangement beyond conception, and the first part of the reconstruction problem is to get back as soon as practicable to an approximation of the conditions .of five years ago. Aside from the impossibility of restoring the millions of human lives which have been lost, and the other millions which have been tortured, and homes made desolate, the question of destruction, wanton and otherwise, of untold billions of dollars of property, cannot be adjusted by resolutions t o be good in the future, even though regret for the past be honestly felt by the chief sinners, which I fear is not the case. The property has been destroyed and most of it can never be replaced, but out of it all has come the victory of liberty and freedom, the fruits of which if wisely directed will bring a new and better era to the world. Conversely, if directed unwisely o r selfishly, we will have a new era just the same, but one which may put civilization back a hundred years.
We will be falling far short of a proper understanding of the difficulties and needs for reconstruction if we consider the task simply of putting back what has been displaced We might just as well meet the matter fairly and squarely by recognizing at the outset that the world can never go back to where it was five years ago; too many things have happened in the interval, and too many thoughts and ideas have been in process of development during the preceding fifty years. A revolution has taken place, none the less effective because so much of it has been below the surface. It is perfectly true that a number of pressing matters on which the very life of the people depend must be settled, a t least temporarily, before we can begin to live even ordinary lives, but we must not deceive ourselves with the thought that having temporarily settled these matters the whole question is out of the way. Let us set ourselves to briefly consider some of the forces that have been a t work during the last half century, with the knowledge that whatever form of reconstruction the future has in store, these things cannot be left out of our calculation. Let us look a t a few of the elements of this quiet revolution, in order that we may not be taken unawares at a later period by the inrush of some crushing force ofwhose existence we were wholly ignorant.
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Enormous sums have been added to public debts during the last five years, but we must not forget that during a long preceding time this condition of mortgaging the futurc has been in somewhat steady and continuous practice. I have seen it estimated that public debts of countries and municipalities to-day exceed $315,000,000,000. I do not know how correct that estimate is, but I imagine it is below rather than above the mark. That is what the future has got to pay for what the past, including this terrible war, has done for it. Any honest consideration of reconstruction must contemplate a gradual lowering of this terrible debt, and its ultimate extinction. We have used a large part of our assets, and have gone in debt doing it-not good business practice you will agree, but one in keeping with age-long traditions. An unknown force confronts us in this country by the gradual growth of sentiment which has resulted to a large degree in giving the vote to women. The question is not whether they are qualified to vote, but rather what will they do with the vote, and what effect will it have on our public life? As far as we havc gone, it does not appear to have produced any startling changes in results, but I a m not so sure that it will not eventually produce changes that will surprise us. Whatever the effect, it is a new and a little understood question, and must be taken into very careful consideration. Allied with this is the forced necessity of employment of women, in many instances to do the work previously done by men. Our experience of this phase has not been nearly as extensive as that of some of our allies, and yet the question is here, and has got to be considered if we are to make correct diagnosis of the future. Employers of labor have realized for a long time that they have a problem to solve which is not an easy one. It is perfectly clear that we have passed the stage of public enlightenment which justified the employer, in his own mind a t least, of looking upon his workmen as so many hands. It seems likely that the swing of the pendulum has carried it to the other side in which labor feels its ability to lead rather than follow. One of the greatest problems in the reconstruction period will be to find the point where both sides (if we can properly use that term) are fairly and justly treated. We have accustomed ourselves too much, I think, to consider the rate of wages paid to workmen as differentiated from the results the payment of a dollar will produce. We have got to learn, if we have not already done so, that labor efficiency i s of much more importance than the rate of wages. The problem, therefore, must be solved not by one side yielding to the other, but by both meeting on terms of mutual friendship and understanding, so that the employer can pay the largest possible share to labor which, on its part, is rendering the largest possible amount of return. When this happy state is reached, it will be found, in my opinion, that labor in this country will receive higher reward than anywhere else ip the world, and the employer of labor will a t the same time be able to compete with any country in the world. A careful study of this question cannot be made without due consideration being given to the change in the character of our population within the last fifty years, rendered inevitable by the large M u x of immigrants, many of whom have remained to become incorporated into our body politic, but many of whom, I fear, have not lost the old world notions which they brought with them and which they strive, by unlawful methods, to force upon the freest people on the planet. One of the recent questions which has unsettled our minds, as much as almost any other, has been the apparent necessity of the Government taking over the management of railroads and other public utilities. While this was dofie doubtless as a war measure, although it had been long in the air, there is an overwhelming feeling that we have had enough of it, This is a question which must be decided promptly and for all time
