Document e7VEO5ZbkE25q6K93BnzXMRN4

II, 1^44 Dr* I redexlck V. n o t e , President, American Ajsociat;on of Industrial Physicians and Surgeons, 2 <24 South Western ..vonue, Chicago l, Illinois. ~ear IT. 2lobe? Ar: you are doubtless aware, there has been some Question in the minds of the officers of the American Indus '.i'ial hygiene Association as to the feasibility of going 'hrough vith a joint meeting vith the A .1.? , and S. during the current, year. It so happens i.ha: i. Am president-elect of the A.I.H.A., and as such, am ex officio chairman of due rogram Committee for the 1 j45 meeting. I am not authorised by the Board of Directors and other officers of the A.I.H.A. to present the general situation that obtains in the relationship betveen the tvo organisetions, but there is at least one aspect of the matter that ought to be clarified before any action is taken Lovard the development of a joint program for the 1^45 meeting* I think, therefore, I ought to present ay own point of view at this early stage of the game, and that I should take such steps as are possible, to remove in advance any causes for friction betveen the tvo organizations. I am directing this matter primarily to your attention, since it is s matter that involves certain fundamental policies of the tvo organizations. However, I am sending copies to the other members of the Program Conmittee of A.I.H.A. as veil as to Dr. Holmblad, since I do not vant to be guilty of working in the dark. It should be understood, however, that I cm expressing my own opinions. Inasmuch as I am an interested Brasher cf both sides, I think I can do this without any pretensions. First, let me say that in my opinion as both physician and industrial hygienist (in the technical sense in which the latter is often used), I am convinced of the fundamental importance of unity in spirit and in purpose betveen these two professional groups, technically speaking, the activitier- of the lvo groups differ somewhat in purpose, their efforts arc substantially identical ox- should be, and it is quite unlikely that either group will succeed handsomely in its effort vithout ,c.m { \ '"/ * ' ! tii U O o0 , August 21, ly44 Tr. I-rederick V. Slobe - (2) - August 21, 1944 the full cooperation of the other. If such cooperation ceased to exist, it can scarcely he a one-sided affair, therefore, I believe that all of the people in both organisations should examine their actions and make every effort to bring harmony and genuine understanding into the Joint activltiee of the tvo groups. I shall not go into a number of suittors that to me seem very Important. However, I should like the opportunity at some early date to discuss some of these matters with you. However# they are no part of my present duty# and the purpose of the present letter is directed primarily toward the 1 ^ 5 program. 1 do not wish to ho guilty of criticising the notion of either Program Committee in relation to the St. Louie meeting. Undoubtedly there were factors about which Z know nothing# in the organisation of the program. The fact remains# however# that the programs of the tvo societies ran in competition with each other rather than in collaboration. It was quite impossible for anyone who was interested In both meetings to hear the things he wished to hear. This was a source of considerable irritation and disappointment to many of us# and this kind of a situation if allowed to con tinue will bring about a coeiplete split between the two societies, fuch an arrangement la not collaboration# and there would be no point in continuing the association of the tvo societies if the meetings are to go along in this fashion. The very persons who are most interested in unity end collaboration will be most upset by this policy# and I am sure that under these circumstances such people will tend to dissociate themselves from one or the other of the societies and their meetings * I consider this to be a serious matter. I sincerely hope that we shall be able to arrange a program in 19^5 that will be available to all the members of both societies. There may be certain activities of the tvo groups that could be permitted to run sixaultaneous. The main meetings# however, should not compete with each other, and there is not the slightest justification for their being permitted to do so. As chairman of the Program Conmittee of the A.I.U.A., I should like to get In touch with the proper group in the AJt.I.P. and 2. at the earliest possible time in order that we may consider a plan jointly for setting up an actual joint program. In my feeling XJ& 1 0 3 3 C3 D, . Frederick W. riobe - (j) - August 21, U.ia should te done boon for the programs ought to be 3et up at an early date,and they ought to he publicized so that every body vl11 knov ,,us; vhat is intended and just vhat his part vill be in the ehov. I vould appreciate it ve.y much indeed if you vould do vhat you can -ovard the encouragement, of a joint meeting that vill be collaborative and friendly in its every aspect. ' Another problem in connection vith the program has co do vith the acientlfio exhibits. I and my associates in A. I .li.A. are unalterably opposed to the admixture of scientific vith commer cial exhibi ts. Sclent'.fie exhibits ought to be, and I think can be made a very useful part of the program. I need only cite the example of the scientific exhibit a of the American Xedical Asso ciation vhich have been found to be one of the moat, if not the moat significant educational part of the national meetings. r.heee can not. vith propriety be distributed among the commercial exhibits, and I shall take the position nov that if they cannot be set up separately, ve vill have nothing to do vith scientific exhibits. If I had known hov the scientific exhibits were to be set up in St. Louis, I should never have permitted our- exhibit to leave the Laboratory. I shall make it a point to inquire into this in the future, and I shall not consent to the us* of any exhibit of ours mixed in vith coamtercial exhibits. This state ment may betray to you my concern about the Vhole problem of commercial exhibta. Hovever, as X indicated at the start, that is no part of the purpose of this letter, and I shall restrain myself on that score. I should be very grateful to you for any advice you may visa to give me or for any suggestions that you say care to make to the proper1 representatives of A.A.I.P. and S. vith reference to our program and vith specific relation to an early date for a meeting to consider the matter. With kindest personal regards, Sincerely yours, oEert A . Kehoe, M . "l