American Chemical Society
NEWS Salary Increases for Professional Employees FOR the information the
AMERICAN
of t h e member of
CHEMICAL
SOCIETY
and the guidance of employers of chemists and chemical engineers, t h e following correspondence between Charles L. Parsons, Secretary and Business Manager of the SOCIETY, and A. D. Burford, Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue, is published. Attention is also called to a n article in C H E M K A L AND ENGINEEIING N E W S , Feb-
ruary 10, 1944, page 164, written by Elisha Hanson, Counsel of the SOCIETY, entitled "48-Hour Week, Procedure for Salary Increase for Professional Employees." AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY OFFICE O F THE. SECRETARY 11JM Hi XTSBMTH STREET. N. W
W ABHINOTON 6 , D . C\ June 2. 1044
Hon. A. 1). Burford Deputv Commissioner of Internal Revenue Washington 25, D . C . Dear Mr. Burford: T h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, one
of the oldest educational a n d scientific societies in this country, was chartered by Act of Congress, effective January 1, 193S, Public Law 358, 75th Congress. The objects o f the SOCIETY as s e t forth in Section 2 of that Act shall be to encourage in the broadest and most liberal manner the advancement of chemistry in all its branches; the promotion of research in chemical science and industry; the improvement of the qualifications and usefulness of chemists through high standards of professional ethics, education, and attainments; t h e increase and diffusion of chemical knowledge; and by its meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussions, and publications, to promote scientific interests and inquiry, thereby fostering public welfare and education, aiding the development of our country's industries, and adding t o the material prosperity and happiness of our people. Prior to its incorporation by Act of Congress, the SOCIETY was incorporated as a nonprofit institution under t h e laws of the State of New* York. T h e SOCIETY now has 38,000 members. For many years a s a part of its program of promoting research in chemical science ana industry the SOCIETY has maintained an Employment Clearing House in connection with its t w o regular meetings usually held in the month of April and the month of September. Under present conditions, this functions largely as a means by which qualified chemists and chemical engineers whose abilities are not being used t o the full in t h e war effort can meet with employers who will be able t o obtain maximum value from their training and experience. Thousands of conferences
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are held each year during the period that the Employment Clearing House is in operation. In the depression years it became apparent t o the Hoard of Directors of the SOCIETY that if the Clearing House was to function properly it w a s necessary for the SOCIETY, through its Board, t o exercise a certain amount of control over the offers of salaries made by employers. To that end a resolution was passed by the Board that employers using the facilities of the Employment Clearing House be required at least to pay certain minimum salaries—namely, $1,500 per year for recent graduates in chemistry or chemical engineering; $1,800 per year for exceptional graduates (those with the highest standing in their classes in schools of outstanding recognition): and $2,400 per year for those who had obtained a Ph.D. in chemistry or chemical engineering o r its equivalent in experience in the field. In 1942 these minimum salaries were raised t o $1,800, $2,100. and $2,700, respectively. Prior t o t h e outbreak of the war there was far more demand for employment than there was opportunity for employment, but since 1042 the situation has been reversed and today there is far greater demand for employees graduated in chemistry or chemical engineering and experienced in those fields than there are prospective employees. At its recent meeting in Cleveland, the Board o f Directors of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY took cog-
nizance of this situation and recommended that employers using the facilities of the Employment Clearing House a t the 1944 fall meeting, which will be held in New York beginning September 10 next, be required t o pay a t least minimum starting; salaries of not less than $2,100, $2,400, and $3,000 for the above-mentioned types of chemists or chemical engineers secured through the Clearing House. Question has now been raised by one of the employer-members who had observed the old minima as t o his right under the economic stabilization program to agree to pay such salaries. This employer member of t h e SOCIETY frankly states that he cannot obtain new employees at the salaries previously approved by the Board. The question naturally presents itself as to how such salaries can be paid bv these employers. The SOCIETY itself is not an employer of such types of persons. However, t h e SOCIETY i s obligated under its charter t o aid the development of our country's industries, while at the same time improving the qualifications and usefulness of chemists as well as their economic well-being. All of the men affected by this resolution are professionals and are therefore under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the administration of the Economic Stabilization Program. The minimum starting salaries originally recommended during the depression years are less than arc now paid in chemical in-
CHEMICAL
dustries to unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled labor. Industry has found i t practically impossible to obtain employees at the minimum starting salaries recommended by t h e Board in 1942. Even if the starting salaries proposed b y the Board of Directors o f the AMERICAN
CHEMICAL
SOCIETY are paid, it throws out of line those hired o n the old scale. Therefore, it is obvious t h a t some method must be found to authorize a n increase for professional employees in t h e field of chemical industry. The needs o f industry today for chemists and chemical engineers and the consequent demand for qualified men are unprecedented. There arc simply none to be had, except b y change from less important work t o work certified to be more important in t h e war effort. If competent chemists and chemical engineers were available, it would be a simple matter to place 2,000 within a month. Only yesterday an advertisement for 50 was received for insertion i n our journals and we know of no individual a t present available. Our last two Employment Clearing Houses were attended by more employers' representatives looking for employees than the total number of chemists and chemical engineers w h o registered for possible changes to more essential employment. There were practically no unemployed to register. In this matter it i s of interest t o point out that t h e Civil Service Commission has a classified p a y scale for professionals, including chemists and chemical engineers employed b y the Government, beginning at $2,000 for chemists and chemical engineers just out of college with baccalaureate degrees. T h e rates paid by the Government increase with additional graduate study a n d / o r with experience. Attached hereto is an item taken from CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING N E W S , M a y 25, 1944,
page 810, giving the Government's standard practice and classified salaries a s furnished by t h e United States Civil Service Commission. It is respectfully requested that you authorize your Regional Stabilization D i rectors t o afford to employers of chemists and chemical engineers in private industry the same privilege of salary payment and range of increase used by the Government in its classified and field service. Very truly yours, CHARLES L. P A R S O N S
Secretary and Business
Manager
TREASURY DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON ts June 10, 1944
Dr. Charles L. Parsons American Chemical Society 1155 Sixteenth St., N . W. Washington 6, D . C. Dear Dr. Parsons: Reference is made to your letter dated June 2, 1944, in which you request a ruling
AND ENGINEERING
NEWS
authorizing the same salary rates for chemists and chemical engineers in private industry a s are paid by the United States Government in its classified and fiefd service. It has been determined from a careful study of this problem that private industry throughout the United States has never deemed it advisable to adopt standard salary rates for this class of employees. I t is not believed that standard rates for such employees now would be satisfactory t o industry generally. Employers who find that their established rates are below the minimum of the going and tested rates paid for the same work in the same or most nearly comparable plants or establishments in the same labor market as outlined in section 1002.13 of the Salary Stabilization Regulations, Treasury Decision 5295, or that salary adjustments appear to be in order for other reasons, should file applications with the appropriate regional offices of the Salary Stabilization Unit setting forth the full facts with respect to the past salary history of these employees, their present salaries, hours worked on and prior to October 3 , 1942, such changes as have taken place in their duties and responsibilities since that date, salary of comparable positions in t h e area within which the employees are working, and any other pertinent data bearing on the subject. Careful consideration will be given to applications filed on the above bases and every effort will be made to approve such adjustments as. appear to be In order under the provisions of the Act of October 2, and the regulations promulgated thereunder as they apply to the particular facts in each particular case. Very truly yours, A. D . BuKPonii Deputy Commissioner
18. Phenols, aryl alcohols, ethers 19. Aldehydes, ketones* quinones 20. Aryl carboxylio acids 21. Ary i sulfonic acids 22. Aryl nitro compounds, amines, and diasonium salts 23. Heterocyclic and miscellaneous compounds 24. Antiseptics, dyes, stains, and indicators 25. Terpenes, rubber, resins, fibers, detergents 26. Processes, reactions, syntheses, tests 27. 8econd semester examination, Nos. rOr-26 These tests represent an improvement over the 1943-44 series, the committee believes, with respect, to both construction and use. It is hoped that validity data may be supplied with each set so that out of the 20 items appearing on each test, tbe instructor may select only a few of the more valid items and thus adapt the test to a 5-, lO-, 15-, or 20minute quiz. The complete sets are available t o instructors of organic chemistry, industrial chemists, or graduate students at a nominal price, 60 cents for the first, set and 20 centn for each additional set (plus pontage) if
Chemists Honored
Objective Tests in Organic Chemistry During the past year over 45,000 copies of the cooperative objective tests in organic chemistry were distributed to over one hundred colleges and universities. The 1944-45 series is now nearing completion, and will cover the following topic examinations: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
Alkalies, alkenes, alkynes Alkyl halides and halogen compound* Alcohols, ethers, halohydrins, and alkene oxides Aldehydes, ketones, ketones Acids, saturated and unsaturated Halogen, hydroxy, and oxo-acids Anhydrides, aoid halides, ester*. r.nd salts Classified replacement reactions The carbohydrates First semester examination, Nos. 1—9 Thioalcohols, thioethers, sulfonic aoids Nitroparafiins, amides, urea, urea derivatives, amines, amino acids, proteins, nitriles, and isoutriles Foods and metabolism Organo-nonmetallio and metallic compounds Alioyclic compounds Bensene, naphthalene, anthracene Aryl halogen compounds
VOLUME
22, N O .
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JULY
10,
1944
problems.
in American Men of Science
In the recently published seventh edition of the biographical directory, American Men of Science, containing some 34,000 names, the 45 younger chemists listed below are honored for the first time by stars awarded by v o t e s of their professional associates. The range ot institutions from which these newly honored chemists come is wide: one each from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, University of Chicago, Cornell, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, and Purdue; two each from M. I . T., Michigan, Pennsylvania State, Northwestern, Stanford, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin: three each from California and Columbia; four from Harvard; and 12 from 11 different nonacademic institutions. Of those Merck & Co. is t h e only one which has two representatives. T h e "star" in American Men of Science is perhaps the most democratic honor which can come t o a scientific man. Instead of being the result of an individual nomination or the work of a nominating committee, the star is a result o f the following rather complicated but effective procedure. When the new edition is being prepared each scientist who has received a star in an earlier edition is asked to submit t h e names of 2 0 men in his field who have done outstanding work but have never been starred. From these suggestions a large list is made o f the names which are most frequently suggested, and i s submitted t o the onginal voters with a request that they select 2 5 names. From these second lists another master list is made up and again submitted for voting. This continues until about twice as many as are to be included in the new edition is obtained. This is sent out for a final ballot. In connection with the seventh edition this final ballot contained the names of 83 chemists and chemical engineers, from whom 45 were selected. Thus a star is a result of a rather exhaustive series of votes by those who are in the* best position to be familiar with the work of the individual scientists. Chemists and chemical engineers first
T h e attention of employers is called specially t o paragraph 3 of Mr. Burford's letter to Charles L. Parsons outlining the procedure t o b e followed in requesting permission to readjust salaries of professional employees.
orders are received on or before August 1, 1944. Orders received later than this will be billed at 25 cents extra for special handling. All orders will b e shipped on or soon after the first of August 1944. Orders for less than $2.00 should be accompanied by cash. Extra copies of t h e four previous series are available also at 6 0 cents for the first set and 20 cents for each additional set. These are the 1940-41. 1941-42,1942-43, and 1943-44 series, with 2 7 separate tests of the subjective type in each seriesOrders may be placed with the chairman of the committee, Ed. F. Degering, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, Lafayette, had. Comprehensive objective tests in organic chemistry, prepared by the same group, are available from the Cooperative Test Service, 15 Amsterdam Ave., New York, N . Y. The latest addition to the series. Form U, has Just come from t h e press". It contains 100 multiple choice questions, which are broken down into two main divisions (Semester I and Semester II). Each of these main divisions are subdivided into sections on general information, application of principles, and
starred in the'7th edition of American Men of Science include: Aston, John G., Pennsylvania State Bartlett, Paul D., Harvard Bent, Henry £., Ndiaonri Branch, Gerald B . K., California Brockway, Lawrence O . , Michigan Brode, Wallace R . , Ohio State Calingaert, George, Ethyl Corp. Connor, Ralph, Pennsylvania Cope, Arthur C, Columbia Crossley, Moses L... Calco Chemical Co. Debye, Peter, Cornell Dole, Malcolm, Northwestern Edsall, John. T., Harvard Medical Elderfield, Robert C, Columbia Elvehjem, Conrad A., "Wisconsin Fajans, Kasdmir, Alichigan Fenske, Merrell R . , Pennsylvania State Flory, Paul J . , Esso Laboratories Folkers, Karl A., Aforcfe & Co. Gucker, Frank T.» Jr., Nerthwestern Hass, Henry B., FSirdue Hauser, Ernust A., M.I-T. Hickman, Kenneth C. D., Distillation Products Huggins, Maurice L., Eastman Kodak Co. Huntress, Ernest H..M.I.T. Johnson, Warren C , Chicago Kilpatriok, Martin, Pennsylvania King, Charles Q., Pittsburgh Leighton, Phillip A., Stanford Lewis, Bernard, 17.8. Bureau of Mines McElvain, Samuel M., Wisconsin Major, Randolph T., Merck & Co. Mark, Herman F \ , Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Mayer, Joseph E.„ Colutmbia • Noller.Carl R., Stanford Oncley, John L, Harvard Medical Pitzer, Kenneth &$., California Rollefson, Gerhard K.» California Smith, Q. Frederick, Illinoiw Smith, Lee X., Minnesota Stanley, Wendell M., Rockefeller Institute Thomas, Charles -A., Nftonsanto Chemical Co. Viokery, Hubert B., Conn. Agricultural Experiment Station Walli8, Everett S-„ Princeton Wilson, K. Bright. Jr.. Harvard
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