OPENLETTER
Dr. W. A. Zisman Laboratory for Chemical Physics Naval Research Laboratory Washington, D. C. 20390 Dear Dr. Zisman: In the December 1968 editorial, I announced an intention to publish one or several Plenary Accounts in each quarterly issue. Frankly, I d:id not then expect to be flooded with qualified submissions and, in this negative prejudgment, have not been disappointed. In fact, three weeks before the normal deadline for the June publication, I had given up frustrated but hopeful. Then came your manuscript "Surface Chemistry of Plastic Reinforcement by Strong Fibers. 'I The Washington staff responded heroically. step through to the printer.
We expedited every
Now as to the result:
Every reader-comment uses the adjective "great." It represents your own substantial understanding of the subject. This had enabled an unhurried, unstrained presentation of a complex subject which includes unpublished work. It is more a purposeful summation than a recitative "review." Thanks, especially for this! You have given both argument and illumination. Finally and graciously, you have expanded the subject in the fullest interdisciplinary sense. By this combination of techniques, you enable scientists to look slantwise and extrapolate into other domains. Predictably, the concepts apply to particles of other dimensions such as pigmented coatings or filled elastomers.
I publish this letter because you have met every test of the Plenary treatment. You will recognize the sincere compliments for your personal effort. This supports my contention that the author of a Plenary receives a double honor for the additional thought, time, analytical assessment, and the talent to interpret the present and predict the future course for a product. In case you missed the point, a secondary purpose of this letter is to appeal (by indirection, though without subtlety) to others as well qualified to try for the corresponding honors in future issues. Sincerely yours,
Beulah, Michigan June 28, 1969
H. L. Gerhart
VOL. 8 N O . 3 S E P T E M B E R 1969
217
