a s well as professional respect in our land and abroad. I t added generosity to his spirit, it entwined in his work both gratit u d e and humility. I t has always seemed t o me during the three decades I have been a friend of Charles Parsons t h a t problems, and there have been many, m a n y big ones, always kindled his mental alertness, generating substantial opinions conducing t o desirable proportion, balance, and attainment. Charles Parsons has had the privilegt1 of meeting and associating with the best chemists and other leaders a t their best. H e has lived in t h e environment of great minds—and still does and always will. W e are paying homage to his deedful career, t o him personally. In doing so we must not be unmindful of his steadfast faith in others as well as himself, his manliness, his open candor, his resoluteness. He has encouraged people to understand earh other; he has been both a revealing and a reconciling factor; he h a s represented the culmination of the best h u m a n influences. H e therefore is enjoying t h e rewards of extensive a n d enduring amity of which a just appraisal cannot be set forth. His friendships spread over our country: they circle round t h e earth. In his citation of Charles Parsons when t h e latter was awarded t h e Priestley Medal for 1932, Arthur Lamb made the following
statement t h a t cannot be improved upon a s a compliment: . . . I n this rapid growth of our SOCIETY, w i t h i t s diverse membership a n d its farflung sections, w h a t was most essential of a l l was a strong stabilizing a n d unifying force. T h a t force was Charles Parsons. B l u n t with t h e fearlessness of his Pilgrim ancestors w h o came t o our shores in 1620, shrewd with the Yankee shrewdness fostered b y o u r New England hills, kindly a n d generous a n d hospitable from his boyhood spent in s u n n y Georgia, Parsons, though ever at t h e storm center of OUISOCIETY, h a s been now its sheet anchor a n d now its guiding light. Charles Parsons was b u t 20 when ho was married to Alice Robertson, whom m a n y of us remember for her gentleness a n d courteousness, for her close aid in m a n y of her husband's accomplishments. T h i s couple had a blessed crown of happiness. On March 23 Charles Parsons attained his 79th year holding high tin.· s t a n d a r d of his profession, in good health, able to grow old goodnaturedly, an upright leader of t h e minds of chemistry, t h e apostle of professional freedom and strength who will always have our deepest gratefulness. Our most cordial wishes a r e extended to him for abundantly earned leisure. He can take it easy with the joy of being certain he has contributed a well qualified successor, Alden Emery, who has o u r support.
Intersociety Relationships of Charles Le P a r s o n s WALLACE
P.
COHOE,
Past President, Society of Chemical Industry
JLT GIVES me great pleasure tonight t o be assigned t h e honor of telling Charles Parsons how highly he is regarded b y American societies, other t h a n his own, devoted t o t h e science of chemistry, and! I offer n o apology for t h e expression " o t h e r t h a n his own". This pleasure is all t h e greater because this speaker's membership is included in t h a t 1 % unprecipit a t e d residuum, still in solution, which dates back to a remote period in the his-
m u c h trepidation t h a t I present the greetings a n d tribute of four chemical societies. Of these societies I will mention, in chronological sequence, first, t h e Americ a n Section of t h e Society of Chemical Industry because i t has enjoyed "squatters' r i g h t s " here in t h e United States since 1894 when the N e w York Section was founded. T h e American Section is represented here tonight b y its chairman, Francis J. C u r t i s . O u r relationship with
t o r y of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
the
known as t h e dispensation "before P a r sons'' . My first meeting with Charles Parsons took place in 1911, and you will unders t a n d m e when I say t h a t acquaintanceship grew quickly into friendship. I h a d m e t à m a n who was friendly, alert, a n d resourceful. Superimposed upon these qualities was a desire t o b e helpful t o others "especially t o those of the household of faith", and this t o Charles Parsons
been, a n d i s today, one of cooperation. J o i n t meetings with t h e New York Section of A C S h a v e characterized t h e whole period. At one time there were other sections of the society here in America, but Charles Parsons was alert a n d as a result of a conspiracy in restraint of foreign society growth, there is now only one section of t h e Society of Chemical Ind u s t r y in t h i s country. T h a t this res t r a i n t was accompanied b y nothing b u t goodwill will be understood when I tell y o u t h a t Charles Parsons was, from 1931 u n t i l a couple of years ago, t h e only H o n orary M e m b e r of t h e Society of Chemical I n d u s t r y in this country. D r . Parsons,
h a s always m e a n t t h e AMERICAN C H E M I -
CAL SOCIETY. Despite this specificity, D r . Parsons h a s always been able t o detect some good in men, especially if they be chemists. Accordingly, i t is without too VOLUME
2 4,
NO.
9
»
»
»
.AMERICAN
» M A Y
CHEMICAL
10, 1 9 4 6
SOCIETY
has
we of the Society of Chemical Industry, in America, bring you our tribute of enduring friendship. Next, in chronological sequence, we come to * t h e Electrochemical Society, established in 1902 and represented here tonight b y t h e president, William R . Veazey. T h e turn of t h e century witnessed a rapid growth in electrochemical industries a n d it was natural t h a t those who lived, moved, a n d h a d their being in this growth should desire to foregather for discussion a n d good fellowship. This latter purpose is especially true of Section Q thereof. This society, D r . Parsons, brings you greetings of goodwill and applause for w h a t you have done for chemistry in America. T h e formation of the Electrochemical Society, while regarded by the AMERICAN ( 'HEMICAL SOCIETY as legitimate offspring,
did, however, create some fear that AC'S might get into t h e position of " t h e old woman who lived in a shoe". Accordingly, in 1903, Secretary Noyes suggested a form of birth control which should consist in the organization of special divisions designed to appeal to those members who preferred aggregation to dispersion. At this time, the SOCIETY decided t o let nature take her course a n d a s a result thereof, Charles Parsons was left holding the "big umbrella". This expression "big umbrella" is commonly used in England to describe a· comprehensive national organization. Knowing this, a couple of years ago, I inserted it in a cable t o describe briefly t h e relationship of other chemical societies t o ACS. T h e cable censor suspected me of attempting t o give comfort t o t h e enemy thereby a n d politely but firmly explained t h a t trans-Atlantic cable messages should contain no figures of speech. Here tonight, however, there is no such restriction and I a m free to state t h a t the Secretary of ACS has held t h e big umbrella over American chemists now for m a n y years. There have been times when his dexterity has been greatly admired, as he always seems able to hold t h e umbrella steadily and firmly with one hand, while spanking soundly an obstreperous child with the other. As time went on a larger umbrella was called for, in spite of t h e exercise of birth control methods previously suggested by Noyes and carried into effect in 1908 by the well known t e a m of Parsons and Bogert, during t h e presidency of the latter, when special divisions of ACS were established. About this time it became apparent, however, t h a t another happy event was likely t o t a k e place and so i t did in t h e establishment of t h e American Institute of Chemical Engineers represented here tonight b y President J a m e s M. Vail. Known in t h e early days of t h e institute as t h e "pipe fitters", t h e members have borne in mind t h a t science t o be useful m u s t be practiced. T o practice properly and t o protect t h e public, t h e practitioner m u s t be properly qualified a n d upon 1207
proper qualifications the institute insists, in spite of the fact that many of us did, in the early days, obtain membership in accordance with the "grandfather clause". The membership of the institute at present is over 6,000 and the infant of 1908 has become a lusty child. As almost without exception, all members also belong to ACS, it will be understood that the institute can and does tender to you, Dr. Parsons, most sincere and hearty respect for the work you have performed, along with our gratitude for the large part you have taken in building up a body of chemical science in America. In 1923 a still further enlargement of the umbrella took place. During World War I, chemistry advanced rapidly but in the confusion subsequent thereupon, it became evident to certain people that the position and pay of chemists engaged in laboratory work should receive attention, and the American Institute of Chemists was founded in the interest of the "forgotten chemist". Among the objects of the institute was the purpose of creating in the mind of the working chemist a sense of the dignity of his calling, while at the same time, giving him help in obtaining a better return for his services. Tonight the institute, 2,000 strong, represented here by its president, G us Egloff,
unites in extending its tribute to Dr. Parsons for his life-long support to the proposition that the profession of chemistry is a calling worthy of respect. On behalf of these four national Societies, allow me to* record that which is self-apparent. To very few men is given the opportunity to accomplish a great work during their lifetime. Still fewer men possess the vision to grasp an opportunity when it is presented. Very few men, indeed, have the ability, the energy, and fixed purpose necessary to convert an opportunity into reality. Charles Parsons has done all this. While we may justly point with pride to the fifteenfold increase in our membership during his secretaryship, we should not overlook an outstanding managerial ability which has placed the SOCIETY in an enviable financial condition. Such is the harvest of a generation reaped in the fields of chemistry. Now the husbandman turns over his work to other hands and after harvest comes Indian summer. It will be, we hope, Dr. Parsons, a long Indian summer wherein you may watch the work of your hands continue and prosper—a long Indian summer made warm and sunny by the goodwill, nay, the glowing pride of the chemists of this great nation.
International Aspects of Parsons' Work ERIC
K. R I D E A L , President, Society of Chemical Industry
M
LR. s EMERY kindly asked me to say a few words on behalf of foreigners in respect to the work of Charles Parsons and I gladly acceded to this request, but I was not quite certain whether I was qualified to speak for foreigners. Having looked up the definition of the word, I find that the Greeks termed foreigners Barbaroi since they could not understand their language, and while my accent may not be as pure as that obtained in Boston, it is the English climate that must be blamed for it. The Indians called foreigners people having a strange appearance. If my appearance is strange, it is due to the action of the Pennsylvania Railroad. However, I happen to be president of the Society of Chemical Industry and also chairman of the Chemical Council on which are represented the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY,
the Society of Chemical Industry, the
1208
Royal Institute of Chemistry, FaradaySociety, and representatives of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers. I am sure any words of mine will be echoed by many thousands of Englishspeaking chemists. I have known Charles Parsons for a number of years and have been entertained most hospitably by both Parsons and his wife, both at Washington and a t Woods Hole, and although I know he does not call himself a chemist, I remember most vividly our discussion about 1920 on the oxidation of ammonia. Then, more recently he has again shown great kindness to me because t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL
SOCIETY has a rule that if you do not pay your dues you are thrown out of the SOCIETY. In England it was and still is difficult to obtain dollars and it is accomplished by the usual procedures in
CHEMICAL
democracies by filling out forms. Some two years ago I did this, but apparently the dollars never arrived in Washington. Parsons offered to pay my fees himself. I believe this is quite illegal, but you cannot throw him out of the SOCIETY and I
only hope that I do not owe him anything now. I am only one of some 47,000 members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY and
it is clear from what I have said that Parsons is a great friend of mine and he acts as if I was a great friend of his. He is much more than a Secretary. He is a superman if he establishes such personal relations with so many people. I t is not for me to express the work that Parsons has done in the internal affairs of the SOCIETY, but there must have been many problems as to the right degree of centralization and local autonomy to be decided on and I imagine that the complications of receiving requests must have raised a lot of difficult problems to supply. I t is clear that under his guidance the SOCIETY has grown and flourished. With regard to the external affairs, across the literature of the SOCIETY are stamped the words ''Science Is Power". Under the guidance of Parsons, the AMERICAN'
CHEMICAL SOCIETY has be-
come the largest chemical society in the world. I hope that it may prove possible for Parsons, now that he has become an "elder statesman", to explore the possibilities of closer contact with other societies across the seas. There is at present a meeting of the United Nations going on in this country. The English-speaking peoples are united in having a common tongue, a common law, and a common philosophy. And the chemists have an additional tie in common interests and common vocation. In order to make the United Nations a living reality, we who have all of these advantages to start with can surely make a commencement. * I am sure that this evening will be remembered by many. Many of you have seen the cross and dome of St. Paul's rising up over the center of London. The church was built by Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect. The dome and cross still stand although ruins extend for almost a mile in all directions. There is no memorial erected to' the architect of that church, but around the dome are written the words which may well be applied to Charles Parsons here today: "Si rnonumentum requiris, circumspice". (If you seek a monument, look about you.)
AND ENGINEERING
NEWS
