EIGHTH HONORARY MEMBERSHIP DR. GEORGE P. LARRICK, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, was honored at the Semi-Annual Meeting of the SOCIETY on May 18, 1956, as the Eighth Honorary Member. Sabbat J. Strianse, Master of Ceremonies, introduced Stephen L. Mayham, Executive Vice-President, The Toilet Goods Association, and Fifth Honorary Member of the SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS, who gave the following biographical sketch of Dr. George P. Larrick. GEORGE P. LARRICK, EIGHTH HONORARY MEMBER By S. L. MAYHAM Executive I/ice-President, Toilet Goods dssociation, Inc., New York 20, N.Y. ONE EVENING when I was in Washington recently, a group con- sisting of Government officials, newspaper men, lawyers and myself were discussing the woes of the world in a place noted for its fine food and re- freshments. After we had talked for an hour or more on every possible subject, one of the newspaper men said to George Larrick, "You have now been Com- missioner for quite a few months, and you know all the headaches. If you had it to do all over again, would you take the job?" George unhesitat- ingly said, "Yes, I joined the Department nearly thirty years ago, and I have always worked toward the day when I might be Commissioner." That, I think, is characteristic of the man. He has an intense awareness of the job, a strong desire to do it well and the courage and perception to prepare himself thoroughly to undertake it. My first acquaintance with Dr. George Larrick dates back to the Twenties when he was, I believe, an administrative assistant in the Department. At that time there was a very serious controversy in the drug field, the details of which I shall not relate now. Most of you are too young to remember what it was all about and those of you who were around at the time do not need to be told what it was. I was a tough, young newspaper reporter and George was a tough, young administrative assistant. He thought I had certain information he needed, and we got together for a meeting at which the sparks started to 493

494 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS fly, and we ended up in the darndest wrangle you have ever seen. Ever since that time we have been the closest possible friends. Maybe one of the best ways to get to be the Commissioner's friend is to start out with a deuceuva row, but that is something I don't recommend to you. George Earrick was born in the Midwest and attended three colleges out there, but there is no record that he ever received a degree from any of them. He has a perfectly reasonable explanation for not having received a formal degree, if you want to accept it. He is one up on me in that he has received a Doctorate, an honor which I am sure will never come to me. Some months ago, at a meeting of the New York State Bar Association, where the fiftieth anniversary of the original Food and Drug Act was dis- cussed, I had the opportunity to say something about the administration of the Act since it was passed. I do not think I could extemporaneously do any better in a tribute to this man and to the Food and Drug Act than I did then, so I am going to read from it: "I have been personally acquainted with every Commissioner who has served since the Act was passed in 1906, and have been especially closely associated with every Commissioner since our industry came under the Act in 1938. While I have not at all times agreed with any of them, I have never seen a more devoted group of public servants. It must also be remembered that they have been engaged in a field which directly affects the health and well-being of every man, woman and child in the United States. Mr. Campbell, now retired, was a lawyer, administrator and diplomat of great ability, and in addition a rare human being--to know him was to like him and admire him. Dr. Dunbar and Mr. Crawford were men of great scientific attainment yet remarkably free from the prejudices and narrow viewpoints so often associated in the public mind with men of science. Today's Commissioner, an old and very dear friend of mine, is, I think, perhaps the finest of the lot, in that he has the background of science coupled with the experience in the perilous ground of enforcement, and withal, a fine appreciation of the fact that every industry is, in the last analysis, composed of human beings and that human beings are, after all, a fairly worthy creation of the Almighty. May I wish him many years of successful administration and, as I wish that, I know that I am wishing the very best for the food, drug and cosmetic industries." We are met here to do honor to a distinguished and hard-working public servant, but I believe that we of the SociETY oF Cos•aET•e C, gMis•s are not so much honoring this great man in presenting him with an Honorary Membership as we are honoring ourselves.