Document jBYyQNQjnkkYOayJ5981Q9YxQ

(349) MINUTES of the fifty-fourth meeting of the Directors of the Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc., held at the Union Club, New York City, on December, 13, 1955, at 11:00 a.m. (EST). There were present: Messrs. Howard S. Bunn J. Clarke Cassidy Harry S. Ferguson Joseph Fistere R. K. Gottshall Ernest Hart John A, Hill John R. Hoover John E. Hull R. C. McCurdy George L. Parkhurst Ernest W. Reid George Schneider Robert B. Semple O. V. Tracy William H, Ward Robert I. Wishnick J. Albert Woods M. F. Crass, Jr. Alternates: Harry B. McClure(forHoward S. Bunn) Carl A. Gerstacker (for Leland I. Doan) Fred J. Emmerich (for Harry S. Ferguson) William D. Barry (for Joseph Fistere) Charles S. Munson (for John A. Hill) John T. Connor (for J. J. Kerrigan) John L. Davenport (for John E. McKeen) R. W, KixMiller (for George Schneider) Bert Cremers (for Robert B, Semple) William Engs (for Hans Stauffer) R. B. Fiske (for Kenneth C. Towe) Walter Dannenbaum (for William H, Ward Max A. Minnig (for WilliamUF.C^?s\inicJt] Present by Invitation: William C,, Foster - Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation D. S, Frederick - Rohm & Haas Company (luncheon only) J. M. Gillet - Victor Chemical Works J. D. Gunther - Air Reduction Company, Inc, K. H. Hannan ~ Union Carbide & Carbon Corp, (luncheon only) Harry Krehbiel - Catalin Corporation of America Marx Leva - Fowler, Leva, Hawes & Symington J. P. Remensnyder - Heyden Chemical Corp. C. T. White - General Aniline & Film Corp. After calling the meeting to order, the Chairman welcomed the guests and alternates and invited them to participate in the discussions. CMA 067296 MINUTES OF MEETING. (350) The minutes of the November 8, 1955 meeting were duly approved as submitted to the members. Since there was not a quorum at that meeting, the Executive Committee ratified and affirmed all actions taken. H. TREASURER'S REPORT. Six-months Report. The Treasurer reviewed a six-months financial summary of Association operations covering the period June 1 November 30, 1955. ON MOTION duly made and seconded, it was VOTED: That the report be accepted and placed on file. (b) Washington Office Salary Classification. The Association's present job evaluation plan was drafted three years ago, and approved and placed into effect by the Board of Directors at its March 10, 1953 meeting. The plan was drafted by industrial relations experts from two member firms, and was based on a study of area wage rates as of January 1, 1952 and September 1, 1952. The plan includes a monthly salary structure for Grades 1 through 12, with a maximum and minimum for each. Since inception of the plan, grade increases averaging 12% to 15% have been made by many chemical firms, and the Federal government has up-graded its civil service classification by 7 1/2%. Based upon the fore going, and prompted by the fact that several stenographic employees have now reached the maximum salary levels within their classifications, it was recommended that the Association's monthly salary structure for the various grades be increased by 10%. This step in itself makes no salary change for any single individual. It does take cognizance of adjustments made by both industry and government. ON MOTION duly made and seconded, it was VOTED: That an over-all 19% increase in the Washington office salary classification be approved as set forth above. HU BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Ja) Appointment of Alternates. The Board approved the appointm nt of: W. M. Billing for A. E. Forster. R. W, Hooker for J. Clarke Cassidy, replacing S.W. Jacobs. R, W. KixMiller for George Schneider. J. C. Richards for John R. Hoover. (b) Membership Committee. It was reported that applications had been received from the following and that, in the opinion of the Membership Committee, both were qualified for membership under the Association's By-Laws: Escambia Bay Chemical Corporation Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, Coal Chemical Division CMA 067297 (351) ON MOTION duly made and seconded, it was VOTED: That the applications be approved subject to the 30-day notification to members provided under Article III, Section 4, of the By-Laws. (c) Program Committee - Report of the 5th Semi-Annual Meeting. It was reported that a profit of somewhat over $6,000 was realized on this meeting. Attendance reached an all-time high for a general meeting, with 776 registrants being present at one or more of the functions. There were 600 attending the banquet. The Secretary supplied an attendance breakdown covering the individual panel sessions. In the opinion of those present, the meeting was a distinct success, and the Program Committee and staff were congratulated for having done an effective arrangements job. (d) March 1956, Directors Meeting in California. With the March 1956 Directors' Meeting definitely scheduled for Pebble Beach, California, on the 15th through the 17th of the month, the local Arrangements Committee, consisting of Messrs. Parkhurst, Davies, and their alternates Messrs. Fennebresque and Hughes, has reserved 40 twin-bedded rooms for the accommodation of Directors, their wives and invited guests. The Directors' meeting will probably be held on the morning of Friday, March 16, and a reception will be given that evening. Reservations must be definitely firmed during January, and the Secretary will again circularize Directors for this purpose. IV. STAFF REPORT. (a) Institute of Makers of Explosives. A delegation of four officers of the Institute met in Washington on December 9, with General Hull and Mr. Crass, to discuss, in a preliminary way, the possible consolidation of the Institute with MCA, Those present at this meeting were of the opinion that satisfactory arrange ments could be worked out whereby many of the Institute's activities could be carried on through the technical and functional committee organization of MCA. A second meeting will be held within the next few weeks to draft a definite proposal, which will then be submitted to both organizations for consideration. (b) Chemical Progress Week. General Hull reported that preparations for the 1956 Week were progressing favorably and that the program was considerably advanced over last year's timetable. Fifty-nine members have appointed company chairmen and 300 plant representatives have been named. Much of the printed material has been prepared and already forwarded to the local contacts. (c) Plant Safety. It was reported that the injury frequency rate for the first nine months of 1955 was meeting the excellent record of the 3.27 rate achieved for calendar year 1954. Recently prepared statistics indicate that the frequency rate for smaller plants - those having 250 or less employees - had dropped from an average of 21.38 for 1954 to an average of 15.53 for the first nine months of 1955. Those present were given copies of revised Chemical Safety 1Data Sheet SD-53 - Hydrogen Peroxide. CMA 067298 (352) (d) Tariff. It was reported that Dr. L. B. Kilgore of the BDSA Chemical and Rubber Division staff had been appointed to the official U. S. delega tion which will meet in Geneva early next year to consider tariff adjustments authorized under the new extension of the Trade Agreements Act. The matter of personnel assistance to the Division during Dr. Kilgore's absence was discussed, including the possibility of the appointment by BDSA of a WOC representative from industry. The International Trade and Tariff Committee has reaffirmed its previous recommendation that MCA, as such, should not become a member of the Nation-Wide Committee of Industry, Agriculture and Labor, but that member firms be urged, to support the organization in its work, (e) Air Pollution Legislation. The current status of Senate Bill 890 was discussed. The bill was amended by the Senate to cover most of the objections raised by MCA, and there remains only one point of difference - consent of the offending state prior to institution of court action - which may be the subject of an amendment offered from the floor of the House at the time the bill comes up for consideration next year. (f) Canada. Following up on previous discussions, the Secretary has been invited to attend meetings in Montreal during January, to meet Canadian representatives selected for membership on the various Association technical and functional committees. It is expected that a more active interest in Association affairs will be evidenced by our Canadian members, as a result of these arrangements. (g) Pump Standards - ASA Project. It was reported that the Pump Standardization Project organization had been completed, under ASA procedures, and that active work is now well under way and proceeding most satisfactorily, V. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. (a] Committee appointments confirmed by the Directors at the November 8, 1955 meeting were inadvertently omitted from the minutes of that meeting. These include: Metal Packages: A. C. Clark, Rohm & Haas Company Miscellaneous Packages: W. W. deWitt, Rohm k Haas Company Public Relations Advisory: Max Foresman, Spencer Chemical Company Dan Forrestal, Monsanto Chemical Company Tank Car: E. H. Cummings, American Cyanamid Company Tax Policy: R. C. Plumb, American Cyanamid Company CMA 067299 (353) (b) The Board of Directors approved the following appointments: Atomic Energy: Robert D. Coghill, Abbott Laboratories I, H, Fooshee, Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation Frank Landee, The Dow Chemical Company Robert J. Myers, Rohm & Haas Company Alex Stewart, National Lead Company R. C. Swain, American Cyanamid Company H. E. Thayer, Mallinckrodt Chemical Works Education Advisory: Bromwell Ault, Interchemical Corporation, Chairman Glen Perry, E, I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. , Inc, , Vice Chairman W. Austin Bishop, Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company Paul L, Davies, Food Machinery & Chemical Corporation R, B. Fiske, American Cyanamid Company T. C. Fetherston, Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation Julian Hill, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. , Inc. John R. Hoover, B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company Thomas Kennedy, Atlas Powder Company James G. Park, Enjay Company, Inc, Arthur Smith, Jr. , The Dow Chemical Company S. L. Stark, The Dow Chemical Company Arthur V. Wilker, Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation Mechanical Technical: W. J. Adams, Food Machinery & Chemical Corporation D, C. Brand, Monsanto Chemical Company J. G. Henderson, Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation D. F. Hollingsworth, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc. N V. Hurd, Gulf Oil Corporation Peter Jandrisevits, Merck & Co. , Inc. A, H. Knoll, The Procter & Gamble Company Ernest Mohr, Eastman Kodak Company E. T. Runcie, Witco Chemical Company Herbert Schmidt, The Dow Chemical Company Water Pollution Abatement: W. W, Hodge, Koppers Company, Inc. VI. MISCELLANEOUS. Atomic Energy. General Hull reported that personnel of the new Atomic Energy Committee had been selected (See Item V of these Minutes), and that a survey had been sent to member executives on December 1, requesting information to serve as a basis for an MCA memorandum to the McKinney Panel under the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy. Although the new MCA Committee has been charged with only one task - that of preparing the memorandum - it was CMA 067300 (354) the consensus that, in all likelihood, the committee should be maintained there after to consider additional problems which may arise. It was the feeling that sentiment in this direction could be crystallized by requesting the committee itself to make a recommendation on this subject following conclusion of its drafting task. (b) Chemicals in Foods. Mr. J. M. Gillet, Chairman of the Chemicals in Foods Committee, presented a progress report on the legislative status of this subject. He reported that lawyers for a number of the food industries had drafted a new legislative approach which had the effect of removing some of the prior differences of opinion which had existed between the chemical and food industries. Copies of the substitute bill have been circulated to the MCA Committee and it will be considered at an early meeting. The substitute bill contains one important difference from earlier proposals - a declaratory judgment instead of either an injunctive procedure or an administrative procedure. The substitute proposal is more favorable, from a chemical industry standpoint, than prior proposals sub mitted by the food industry. For this reason, Mr. Gillet recommended that Directors refrain from contacting food industry officials, pending consideration of the substitute bill by the MCA Committee and submittal of a recommendation relating thereto. The Board accepted Mr. Gillet's report, and again expressed confidence in the work of the Committee. (c) Education Advisory Committee. General Hull presented to the Directors a recommendation from the Public Relations Advisory Committee to dissolve the White House Conference Committee and the PRAC Education Sub committee, and in place of these two groups to set up a new Education Advisory Committee reporting to the Board and on the same level as the PRAC. He explained that it was the intent to have the new Committee represent the broadest possible industry interest in the matter of education. Personnel selected (See Minute V above) have been carefully considered and are deemed eminently qualified for membership. The following resolutions to carry out the foregoing were then presented for consideration: (1) WHEREAS the MCA Committee on the White House Conference on Education, appointed by the Board of Directors in May 1955, has accomplished with distinction its tasks of (a) exploring the current status of science and mathema tics education in American schools and its relation to research and development programs of industry, (b) preparing a statement to the Conference on behalf of the Association, (c) distributing copies to influential members of the Conference, to the news media and to other leaders of thought in this country, and (d) making copies available to Association members for their own distribution; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: 1. That the Board extend to the chairman and members of said Committee its thanks for work well done, 2, That copies of this resolution be sent to the chairman and to each member of the Committee, CMAO67301 (2) WHEREAS it has been decided by the Board of Directors to establish an Education Advisory Committee, representative of the broad interests of the chemical industry in the field of education, and WHEREAS the Industry-Education Program Committee of the Public Relations Advisory Committee has effectively executed the work assigned to it in a special area of our educational interests; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED; 1. That the chairman of the Public Relations Advisory Committee be advised of the Board's action creating the Education Advisory Committee whose responsibilities extend beyond those of the Industry-Education Program Committee of the PRAC, thus making continuance of its work unnecessary, 2. That the chairman of the Public Relations Advisory Committee be requested to extend to each member of the Industry-Education Program Committee of PRAC, the Board^s thanks for work well done. (3) WHEREAS the chemical industry finds it desirable to assist American education to (a) broaden the understanding of chemistry and other sciences in this technological age, and (b) to increase the number of persons adequately trained for continuing the industry's programs of research and develop ment and for operating the industry efficiently; and WHEREAS these objectives are the concern of all segments and departments of our member companies: BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: 1. That the Board of Directors establish the MCA Education Advisory Committee to advise the Board and the membership of the most effective means for reaching thes.e objectives, 2. That the said Committee include the chairman of the Public Relations Policy Committee and the chairman of the Public Relations Advisory Committee as ex officio members. ON MOTION duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: That the foregoing resolutions be approved. There being no further business to come before the meeting, it was uanimously resolved to adjourn. APPROVED: John R. Hoover Chairman M. F. Crass, Jr. Secretary CMA 067302