Document NGMR8GbqonLVena04YYGrwLbV

(COPY) December 4, 1935 Mr. C. J. Stover, Inquirer Bldg., 16th FI., Philadelphia, Pa. Re: Air Hygiene Foundation of America Membership Meeting of Nov. 24th__________ Dear Mr. Stover: I am writing to report upon the aeeting of the aembere of air Hygiene Foundation of America, Incorporated_ which was held, in Pittsburgh on November 24th. The aeeting was attended by a large and most enthusiastic group comprising approximately 200 persons. These consisted of members, guests of the Foundation and many specialists in the field of air hygiene - medical, engineer ing, legal and governmental. Dr. A. J. Lanza, Medical Director of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Chairman of the Medical Committee of the Foundation, addressed the meeting on behalf of his Committee and gave a brief summary of the initial report of the'Medical Consaittae, which has not as yet been published but publication of which is anticipated shortly* It is ny belief that.this Medical Committee report will constitute a major contrlbutioa upon the question of dust diseases from the medi cal viewpoint. It will contain a summary of the best scientific" . opinion, upon many of the difficult problems involved and its . publication is eagerly awaited by all industries having an h. actual or potential dust hazard. Professor Philip DrinMer, of the Harvard School of Public Health and Chairman of the Preventive Engineering Committee of the Foundation, discussed the problem from the engineering point of view with special emphasis upon prevention through dust eliminating apparatus and respirators. I have already provided 70U with a copy of Bulletin No.: 1 of the ?re- 04037033 CCS.'.i- ver.tive Engineering Series of the Foundation. Further valuable contributions are anticipated from this Committee. Hi*. Alfred C. Hirth, Chairman of the Legal Cocaittee, sumaarize'd the woric of his Cocaittee during the first year of the existence of the Foundation. You ha7e been provided with the seven parts of Bulletin No. 1 of the Legal Cocaittee and, therefore, have some idea of. the work performed try this Cocaittee during the first year of its operation. These Bulletins constitute a coapilation of the laws and court decisions of the 48 States and the District of Colunbia which have bearing upon the question of employer re sponsibility for occupational disease. Biey have filled a long-felt want and constitute a unique contribution. Secretary of Labor Perkins has praised these Bulletins in unqualified ceres ind has asserted that they have proved of great value to her and to the Coccittees of the Department of Labor which are. conducting an in vestigation of dust diseases. Hr. Theodore Waters, a aecber of the Legal Cocaittee, read to the aeeting excerpts from Bulletin No. 2 of the Legal Series, which is to he published shortly. It constitutes "'a study and criticism of provisions for occupational disease legislation". It is a splendid discussion of this problem and was enthusiastically received. In view of the fact that many state legislatures will be considering the adoption or revision of occupational disease legislation during the next few years, the importance of this thorough-going analysis of what dust disease legislation should and should not contain, cannot be over-emphasized. Although the Air Hygiene Foundation is approaching various' problems relating to air hygiene from an -unbiased viewpoint, it is, nevertheless, the creature of industry and is the one insti tution upon which employers can rely completely-for a sympathetic appreciation of their viewpoint. Its aim is to make an honest effort to appraise the evil, to advance scientific knowledge of many of its doubtful aspects and to suggest remedies, both preventa tive and curative. As such. It deserves and should receive the unqualified support: of all members of industries faced with a dust disease hazard. Hembership through trade associations will no longer provide employers with the benefits of the Foundation. I am enclos ing herewith a quantity of membership application forms and of schedules of membership charges for 1937. I urge that you provide copies of those applications, together with the scale of charges, to all members of the asbestos industry and I hope you will s-ee fit to recommend that they participate, through membership, in the burdens as wall as in the benefits to be derived from the continued 04037034 ccs re; -3- functioning of this Foundation. A3 you will note, provision is cade for membership by "employer associations". Such associations are not required to pay the initial $25 "membership fee" and their annual dues are only $50; however-, as you will note, these members receive only one file copy of publications of the Foundation which they are not permitted to publish or substantially duplicate for use by their constituent companies. * I am recommending that Johns-ltanville Corporation apply for membership during 1937 and I sincerely hope that a large proportion of the asbestos industry will be lilMwise represented. The plans of the Foundation for 1937 are ambitious in scope and will necessarily call for the expenditure of relatively large sums of money. It is fortunate in having the whole-hearted co-operation of the Mellon Institute, which is providing offices and laboratory facilities together with the services of certain members of its personnel without expense to the Foundation. You will also find enclosed herewith, for your files and general information, three (3) copies of a list setting forth the names of the officers, trustees and various committees. If you require any further information; please do not hesitate to call upon me. Very truly yours. (Signed) Vandiver Brown General Attorney VB:T Enclosures 04037035