THE CHEMIST AS A PROFESSIONAL MAN 79 and more young men, and their parents, draw the parallel with the profession of medicine. This they do both as regards the character of the profession and the length of training required. They even seem surprised to learn that it is still possible to earn a living (if that be the right word) after only four years of university training. It was not so when I.went to the university! It seems to me that this too tells us that professional status has i . I I I ß omer cnem•sts caugnr almost un- aware. The question now is, what shall we do with professional status now that we have it? Men in this room have been among those who have helped to bring about the present situation. Those of us who are between 40 and 60 can now say: "All of it I saw, part of it I was." The many thriv- ing although specialized organiza- tions among chemists have aided greatly in the attainment of pro- fessional status. The Society of Cosmetic Chemists is, I know, mak- ing a considerable contribution to ß this end. The glowing tendency to sort out professional workers in industry from operatives and technicians is in my opinion highly commendatory and should be urged upon manage- ment wherever and whenever pos- sible. Management has a real re- sponsibility here to establish sepa- rate and very different procedures for the discussions of wages and working conditions with the two groups. When management neglects this it is headed for trouble for real trouble! Here, too, the older members of the profession, often in positions where management will listen, have a real responsibility and a genuine opportunity for advance- ß ment of the profession. Lawyers and medical men have no trouble protecting the professional rights of their younger men in industry. Why not? Because the older men make a point in their dealings with management to stress the pro- fessional character of the services rendered by younger men. The medical doctor is never classed with the medical technician why should the professional chemist be grouped with the chemical technician or the chemical engineer with the chemical operative ? We have it in our power to prevent such foolish classifica- tions. As groups of chemists we can do much: as individuals we can do a great deal more! We must now consolidate our gains as a rela- tively new profession but one whose prestige has mounted much faster than any of us really appreciate. Then, too, in our lives as citizens we can measure up to what is ex- pected of members of learned pro- lessions! We should serve on local school boards along with the other professional men of our communi- ties. Who can better aid in system- atic introduction of youth to modern culture and civilization than the scientist whose fellows have done so much to improve the ma- terials of the modern world and to ease the burdens of sickness? Why do we not serve more often on village committees and commissions? Who

80 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS could do it better? Why do we not sit on hospital boards? Are there any professional men better quali- fied? What hospital board would be without a physician? Why should they not reason in the same fashion about a chemist ? Personally, I do not see much need for new organizations of scientists to deal with non-scientific matters (save perhaps in grave emergencies). I am, however, entirely willing to defend the right of other scientists to organize such groups, if they wish! My own view would be that we should use existing political or- ganizations for political ends. The chemist who joins the local Repub- lican Club in New Jersey or the local Democratic Club in Brooklyn will soon be able to wield political power where it counts at the local level. Chemists now have the admira- tion and respect of their neighbors, their associates, and their employ- ers. The profession of chemistry has come of age! We can pass on to the younger chemists a better professional status if as individual chemists and as groups of chemists we establish even more clearer than ever before that chemists are really concerned about the public interest and about the welfare of society. We must prove this by our deeds. We must even convince ourselves that these intentions should be openly stated and proudly demon- strated.