The Présidentes Message · · · WALTER J. MURPHY, Editor

ACS Problems of 1947 M ANY decisions affecting the future of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY must be made during 1947. Some of the problems arise from conditions peculiar to the SOCIETY itself and others from the stresses' and strains resulting from the recent war. The former concern mainly matters of organization and of the types of activity to be pursued. The organizational prob­lems are the inevitable result of the phenomenally large increase in membership. The lines to be followed may not be clear in detail, but sound organizational procedure indicates that certain changes may be desirable. The Hancock Com­mittee report will be a very useful guide in this connection.

The problems concerning types of activity which the SOCIETY should follow are less concrete and are open to considerably more debate. The budget of the SOCIETY for 1947 is the largest in the history of our organization and provides for a wide variety of activities. However, despite expanding income there will not be money to perform all of the tasks which have been or could be suggested by members. Careful decisions must be made as to the lines to be followed, and these decisions must be based on full discussion by the membership of the SOCIETY.

This is a period of economic unrest, and it is but natural that many members should feel deeply concerned about the failure of their re­muneration to keep pace with rising costs of living. There are others who feel that the chemist is not adequately recognized as a pro­fessional man. How to continue to improve the economic status and the professional standing of chemists and chemical engineers constitute major problems confronting the SOCIETY. The officers, directors, and committees need the con­structive suggestions of the members for their efforts on these important matters to be effective. In return the members need and will receive full information concerning what is being done. Many of our younger members have been charged with heavy responsibilities both in war years and in subsequent reconversion operations. How­ever, the large number of students in universities today may lead eventually to a surplus of trained

personnel, and the economic status of the chemist in future years is some cause for worry.

What should the SOCIETY do? The remedies suggested seem to be no more than temporary palliatives. However, this large increase in stu­dents taking chemistry is an indication that the public at large respects this science and believes that it affords good opportunities for service and earning a living.

In <the field of international relations many problems are also of the greatest importance. This country must now assume a still greater leadership in science, but such leadership implies a willingness to cooperate with scientists of other nations to the end that they all may contribute their share both to science and to the raising of standards of living throughout the world. Should some of the activities now carried on by various international organizations be entered into co­operatively, or should we go our own way because we believe that we can do certain jobs better alone? We have much to learn about the inter­national game of give and take.

Certain activities of the SOCIETY have given it a reputation without parallel. Among the most prominent of these are its publications which afford a service to chemistry and chemical engi­neering which could not be replaced. The publi­cations must continue to be one of the essential functions of the SOCIETY. The national meetings have served a most useful purpose although they have become large and unwieldy. Ways must be found to promote that intimate scientific discus­sion which best occurs among groups of specialists. To this end the whole question of meetings must be carefully considered.

These problems and others confront us in 1947 and in the years to come. The membership of the SOCIETY should decide the course to be followed. The officers of the SOCIETY ask that all problems be fully discussed so that decisions may be made in the light of the best information available and be accepted with the feeling that the wishes of the majority have been followed.

CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING

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