EDITORIAL OFFICE:
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NEWS
ED ITION
Industrial AND ENGINEERING
C hemistry P U B L I S H E D BY T H E A M E R I C A N C H E M I C A L
Volume 10, No. 17
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SOCIETY
HARRISON E. HOWE, EDITOR
September 10, 1932
The Council Meeting at Denver WITH 111 MEMBERS of the Council in attendance and A. B.
Lamb, President-elect, presiding, the official sessions of the eighty-fourth meeting of the AMERICAN
CHEMICAL SOCIETY
opened at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver, August 22. Since the minutes of the last meeting have been printed, they were not read. The Secretary stated the Council's regulations regarding those qualified to attend, and the form of proxies. The usual list was then circulated for signatures. The following list of members, who have been recorded as deceased since the eighty-third meeting in New Orleans, was read, and the council stood in silence for a moment in their memory. Arnold, Fred N . Bartlett, E . J. Berggren, Ernst W. Bronn, J. Chesley, A. L. Coblentz, Virgil Eastman, Fred T. Jacobson, David L. KUNZ, George F. Lusk, Graham
Meluskey, Leo S. Noble, Albert W. Ozaki, Satoaki Parry, John Peter, Arnold H. Rowland, Jasper M. Scott, Wilfred W. Selden, James M. Sherrard, Charles C. Smith, Francis P .
Snyder, Charles G. Spring, L a Verne W . Stevens, Frederick "W. Threlfall, Richard Toll, John D. Underhill, Frank P . Walsh, Thos. J.. Jr. Whyte, Alex G. Wilharm, William C. Zambonini, Ferruccio
At the joint request of the Northeastern Section and of the group at Gloucester, Mass., who had netitioned for a new sec tion to be known as the Cape Ann Section, action was postponed for one year. The proposed addition to By-Law 8 was adopted: Subject to the consent of the local section itself, a n y member of the SOCIETY living outeide its territory may enroll therein, with full privileges of member ship, on payment of $2.00 annually t o the local section.
found to conform to those of the national SOCIETY and having been passed by the division, were adopted. A hearty and sincere vote of thanks to all local members and others cooperating in making the Denver meeting a success was passed with acclaim, and the Secretary was instructed to send a telegram to President L. V. Redman, expressing regret at his absence and appreciation for his splendid leadership. The chairman of the New .York Section for the executive committee of that section transmitted resolutions concerning the unemployment situation to tiie Secretary for presentation to the Board of Directors. The Board decided to refer this mat ter to the Council without recommendation. This was done, and in the course of discussion the Secretary was requested to report what the SOCIETY has endeavored to do in these trying times to alleviate the unemployment of chemists. This report was received with applause and was discussed from various angles by members ot different sections who reported what progress had been made in their own localities. Without excep tion the speakers regarded the problem as one best solved through local efforts, though it was possible that the prestige of the na tional SOCIETY might frequently assist them. Tentative motions were offered but not seconded- The suggestions that the whole matter be tabled was met from the chair with the request that nothing be done to hinder anyone in fully discussing the question or in making any statement pertinent to the subject. Elliee McDonald, on behalf of the Philadelphia Section, pre sented another set of resolutions. Notwithstanding the great amount of work that has been done by the SOCIETY, both nationally and through its local sec tions, it seemed desirable that a statement be made which would clarify the situation and outline some of the things which the SOCIETY might undertake. With the resolutions of the Execu tive Committee of the New York Section as a basis for further consideration of the question, H. E . Howe had prepared a state ment which was presented as follows:
The invitation of the Florida Section to hold the spring meeting of 1934 in March at St. Petersburg was accepted. The invita tion of the Cleveland, Ohio, Section to meet with them in the autumn of 1934 was accepted. It was announced that invita tions from Tulsa and other points, in the hands of the Secretary, As it became manifest that the United. States was involved i n an economic could not be acted upon for some time, under the rules of the Council. It. E. Wilson moved that the Council's Committee on depression which since has left no country untouched, the AMERICAN CHEMI Policy be asked to give consideration to the formulation of a CAL SOCIETY· increased its efforts o n behalf of chemists not only in the ways mechanism whereby the selection of meeting places for the which i t has always emphasized, but in new directions as well. Industry was reminded of errors committed in previous days of stress SOCIETY be made in a more logical manner than at present, and that their report, including a tentative schedule several years in through the discontinuance of scientific work, and it is well known that i n advance, together with any necessary changes in constitution dustry generally has retained its technical men as long as possible, showing and by-laws, be presented to the Council at its next meeting. a better appreciation of research than i n former times of similar financial discouragement. The importance of maintaining chemical personnel h a s This motion was adopted. F. C. Zeisberg, of Wilmington, Del., Ε. Β. Weidlein, of Pitts been stressed through personal conversations, by a large volume of corre burgh, and Walter A. Schmidt, of Los Angeles, were reelected to spondence, i n editorials, in addresses before business groups, and i n articles the editorial board of the Technologic Monographs. Roger printed in business papers and magazines. The A. C. S. News Service h a s Adams and E. W. Washburn, having served two terms as associ conducted a wide campaign of publicity. Local sections have been e n ate editors of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, couraged to persuade industries in their areas to retain chemists already were ineligible for reelection. R. C. Fuson, of the University of in their employ, while other industries iiave had explained t o them the d e Illinois, and Farrington Daniels, of the University of Wisconsin, sirability oi giving chemists opportunities in their establishments. Among other results, some m e n have been placed i n industries which heretofore were elected to succeed them. The Council received, with much enthusiasm, the announce have not learned the benefits to b e derived from scientific research and con ment that W. D. Bancroft, who founded the Journal of Physical trol. Members of the SOCIETY were given increased space in the N E W S EDITION Chemistry thirty-six years ago, expects t o be able to continue that publication, although this must now be done without the to announce their availability, and industry was invited to make known, i t s assistance of the Chemical Foundation. Inc. J. W. McBain, wants through the same medium. Placements have been made a s a result. of Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and Thomas R. Briggs, of Local sections having employment committees increased their activities, and have done excellent work resulting: in t h e placement of a considerable Cornell University, were made associate editors. Walter A. Schmidt was unanimously reelected a member of the number of chemists. The office of the Secretary of t h e SOCIETY has devoted a large amount of Council's Committee on Policy. The constitution and by-laws of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, having been effort i n doing everything possible in a direct» personal way toward relieving 213
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214
distress. Literally t h o u s a n d s of letters h a v e bee.n written -to manufac turers, and persistent attempts nave been made t o contact unemployed members a n d t o secure details concerning t h e m which -would aid i n their placement. Personal interviews h a v e been h a d w i t h many, a n d numerotts efforts have been made in various ways, according t o circumstances. WhiL« some positions have been secured, it must· b e realized t h a t u n d e r p r e s e n t conditions i t is well nigh impossible to create positions where no openings woulol have existed even in more favorable circumstances. In a l l these a n d other efforts certain guiding principles have applied: (1) I t is generally unavailing, improper, a n d even prejudicial against «, cause for a national organization to i n t r u d e in a municipal or s t a t e question. (2)
Funds of
the A M E R I C A N CHEMICAL S O C I E T Y a r e
trust
funds
anci
cannot be used legally for purposes for which they were n o t originally intended. Therefore t h e funds of the SOCIETY have not been, n o r c a n they b e used to s u p p o r t employment efforts, or to afford direct relief*. Legal restrictions simply prevent i t . (3) A man's first d u t y is t o his family, and after that t o his c o m m u n i t y . Similarly, the p r i m a r y duty of tlio SOCIETY is to help i t s own m e m bers, a n d after t h a t to do whatever it c a n for non-member chemists. (4) G e n e r a l l y , relief i s m o s t effective Λν-here each l o c a l i t y c a n care f o r i t s own. Fortunately t h e SOCIETY h a s more t h a n eighty local sections, each of which c a n function i n a way best designed to m e e t its loca.1 problems in the most effective manner. If vt, is desired that t h e SOCIETY go further in a t t e m p t i n g to alleviate thw« present serious situation, it would a p p e a r t h a t the following possibilities a r « within the proper scope of activities of t h e national SOCIETY: (β) That t h e President of the SOCIETY designate o n e or more of t h « SOCIETY'S offices to a c t as a clearing house actively to d istribute i n formation ahput w h a t has been done t o aid unemployed chemists o r other professional m e n , both by receiving a n d disseminating w o r t h y suggestions from whatever sources. (6) Inasmuch a s t h e availability, management, a n d u s e of relief a n d r e construction funds in general is a s t a t e or local matter, t h e officers o f the SOCIETY should fully inform all local sections as t o procedure i n thbe solicitation of such funds, a n d advise t h e formation by local s e c t i o n s within t h e several states of committees t o determine whether, b y proper presentation of the situation, a n y of t h e private or public f u n d s can b e used for a program o f made work for chemists. I f it a p p e a r s that t h e y may b e , t h e n s u c h committees should be encouraged t o ascertain, among other things, (1) what facilities might b e available
EDITION
Vol. 10, No- 17
for t h e conduct oi research t o be supported b y relief funds; (2) the conditions under which men could e n t e r laboratories for t h e purpose of research; (3) t h e types of problems that might bet attacked; and Ç4) h o w the work might be directed. (c) "Local sections should b e encouraged t o cooperate locally with o-ther professional groups as m a y seem b e s t t o them. They should also be nrged t o see that where local funds are contributed for- relief a p a r t of them, and especially a part of those from t h e chomical i n d u s t r y , be earmarked for t h e aid of unemployed chemists. (d) T h a t t h r o u g h editorials the SOCIETY n o t only take official recognition of these various efforts, b u t in t h i s a n d in any othjter proper '•way* strive to interest our industrial leaders definitely in t h e work o f relieving unemployment among chemists, and i n using t n e t r influence to assist local efforts.
After much discussion, sections (a), (6), (c), and p u p throughout the Coors home for those who preferred bridge. Parsons and Alice Robertson Parsons to commemorate twenty- Throughout the entire evening after dinner, sandwiches, cakes, five ;years of official and devoted service to the AMERICAN CHEMI- candies, smokes, near-beer, and malted mdljks were cti|çensed. ΚΓο item was overlooked in making the party a^ historic one. CAL SOCIETY by i t s local sections. September 1907-1932."
AT· THE GENERAL MEETENTG Monday afternoon, the papers were so well chosen that the large number of townspeople who attended, attracted by local newspaper publicity, were able t o obtain a good cross section of the varied fields of endeavor into which chemistry extends. The papers ranged from a consideration of the mechanism of lubrication to the utilization of agricultural by-products, and included consideration of moleculaj models, chemical education and American chemistry, gum formation in gasoline, and the physiological efïect of saline waters. Eacn paper presented a rather extensive survey of the general subject under consideration a s well as the salient developments of recent investigations. Thae dinner on Monday night, attended by 289, became largely a surprise party for Secretary Parsons. After the sumptuoits meal served in the beautiful Arabian Room of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Robert E. Wilson, a director of the SOCIETY, was introduced. After explaining that the recipient of the object h e wis about to present was unique in being the only person to have declined the nonor, he presented to Doctor Parsons a bound volume, on the cover of which was embossed "Petitions from Local Sections Presenting the Name of Dr. Charles X». Parsons
