SOCMA Postpones Action on Merger with MCA A STAFF R E P O R T Μ . Κ Μ Β Κ Κ 8 of t h e Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers' Association, at their annual outing in Shawnee, Pa., June 7 and S, failed to take favorable action on the proposal t o merge their organization with the ^Manufacturing Chemists' Association. A liaison committee o n e month pre viously, in a report to the SOCMA board of governors, had favored the pro posed merger in principle. T h i s report, moreover, was endorsed b y the governors at t h e May meeting of t h e association. T h e liaison committee i s h e a d e d by August Merz, American Cyanamid Co. T h e r e were n o indications at the Shawnee outing, however, that the m e m bership either agreed or disagreed with the findings of t h e liaison g r o u p . A n u m b e r of members discussed the pro posal from the floor after President Elvin H. Killheffer had t h r o w n t h e m a t t e r open for discussion, b u t the speakers appeared to seek enlightenment o n cer tain phases of t h e merger i n s t e a d of voicing their views. In general, some thought t h a t senti m e n t among SOCMA members favored amalgamation with the older association. I t was pointed o u t t h a t questions were asked as to p r o p o r t i o n a t e representation on t h e MCA executive committee, inde pendence of action, b u d g e t a r y expendi tures, and future m e e t i n g schedules. I t was finally decided t o canvass t h e S O C M A membership in order to obtain individual views on t h e merger. This probably will be carried out b y mail. T h e first day of the Shawnee program, J u n e 7, was given over t o a meeting of the board of governors, and t o the regu lar J u n e business m e e t i n g at which t h e merger plans were t a k e n u p . A golf tournament was held o n the following day, after which a reception a n d informal dinner were staged a t t h e Shawnee I n n . No speakers were scheduled for this affair. T w o honor guests were introduced. T h e y were Charles C. Concannon, chief, chemi cal branch, Office of International T r a d e , and Edward Hill, head of t h e O I T or ganic chemicals division. John Lerch, counsel for the association, spoke on congressional plans to extend the trade agreements. Reporting for the membership com mittee, J o h n R e m e n s n y d e r , H e y d e n Chemical Corp., said there h a d been a loss of three members through mergers, and that t h e association n o w h a d five associate a n d 82 active members. F . P. Mackinney was the golf winner with a low gross score of 80. Gift cer tificates were awarded as prizes. Mr. Mackinney is connected with Sandoz Chemical Works. 1866
I n t h e p u t t i n g contest, F . Baumami, Interchemical Corp., was low score with a 33. W i n n e r of the first door prize was H . W. Dingee, Zinsser & Co. There were nine successful participants in the kickers' golf handicap. T h e y were H. L. Young, G. E . Garland, P . C. Reilly, Jr., J. B. E m a n s , M . Gossweiler, R. C . Quortrop, J . P . Remensnyder, F . W . Wolff, and N . B . Conley. The Synthetic Organic Chemical
The
Caver
Manufacturers Association grew out of the expansion of the dyestuffs and organic chemical industry in this country after the first world war. T h e new industry felt at the time t h a t resumption of G e r m a n imports would wipe out their business, a n d encouraged b y H e r b e r t Hoover, organization of the S O C M A was finalty effected in New York C i t y on Dec. 9, 1921. T h e first president was Charles H . H e r t y , who was then e d i t o r of t h e Journal of Industrial & Engineer ing Chemistry, an organic chemist of m a n y accomplishments and a leader in scientific chemistry.
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Crass Named Secretary of Manufacturing Chemists' Association J .ATTRACTED by the "boundless hori| zons" for accomplishment offered i through the activities of the M a n u j factuiing Chemists' A s s o c i a t i o n , j Maurice F . Crass, Jr., joined t h e ι staff of MCA in 1937 as assistant secretary under Warren X . Watson, ί Today as the newly-appointed seere| tary of the M C A , succeeding Mr. | Watson who died last December, he ι still looks with zest toward the "boundless horizons/' H e is the fifth j fulltime secretary in the 77-year hisI tory of the organization. I! I m p o r t a n t activities of the MCA through the years have been t h e handling of tariff problems for its members and the development of improved methods for packaging and transporting chemicals. Proper label ing of chemicals has also been advo cated and investigated, and MCA Chemical Safety D a t a Sheets have become standards for the handling and use of dangerous chemicals. More recently the association has interested itself in pollution abatement p r o b lems with emphasis on helping to establish reasonable and effeeti\re regulations at state and local levels. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1904, young Crass probably got his first inclinations toward a career in chem istry from his father, who is well known in the chemical packaging field. T h e senior Crass retired five years ago after 53 years of service with t h e Grasselli and D u Pont or ganizations. At t h e time of his re tirement he was in charge of all packaging operations for Du Pont. T h e junior Crass went on to Case I n s t i t u t e and received his B.S. degree
CHEMICAL
in 1926. I n his senior year he was captain of the football team and n a m e d to the All-Ohio State honorary eleven. After graduation he worked for a short time for the Goodyear T i r e and R u b b e r C o . until a Grasselli fellowship m a d e it possible for him to continue his studies towards a m a s t e r ' s degree. H e obtained the latter from Case in 1930. H e taught at C a s e for two years and did some re search work in chemical engineering at Western Reserve and t h e U n i versity of Michigan, b u t the depres sion plus the necessity of providing for a wife and child aided him in reaching a decision to accept an offer from the Palmer M a t c h Co. of Akron, Ohio, t o act as chief chemist, t h u s ending his P h . D . aspirations. Crass has published several papers on matches and the history of the match i n d u s h y , a field that has been noticeably neglected from a literature s t a n d p o i n t . Although several years h a v e passed since the date of his last publication on t h e subject, requests for reprints continue to come to h i m . H e has also published papers on t h e safe handling and transportation of chemicals. Two years after receiving his m a s ter's degree he had married M a r y Elizabeth Kroeger, a graduate of Akron University. T h e y have two children; a girl 16 and a b o y 14. W h e n queried about his hobbies, Mr. Crass said he used to play golf, b u t now his extracurricular activities are confined to gardening and s t a m p col let-ting. H e is also active in church work and is an Elder of the P r e s b y t e r i a n church.
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