March 12, 1943

Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics

Minutes of Meeting

The Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics Incorporated met in response to call of the Chairman, at ten-fifteen a.m., Friday, March 12, 1943, at the office of the Institute, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.

Present: Chairman Klopsteg, Messrs. DuBridge, Pegram, Gibbs, Gibson, Hardy, Firestone, Fletcher, Waterfall, Dow, Taylor, Cope and Worthing; also by invitation the following Editors, Messrs. Harnwell, Mayer, and Roller; Mr. Dodge of the Committee on War Policy, Mr. Trytten of the National Committee on Physicists of the War Manpower Commission, and the following members of the Staff of the Institute: Mr. Barton, Director, Miss Mitchell, Publications Manager, and Mr. Burnham.

Absent: Mr. Mark, Mr. Tate.

I. Report of Elections:

The Secretary of the Board reported to the Board the Elections to membership on the Governing Board at the annual meeting of the Corporation on February 27, 1943, as follows:

American Physical Society	George B. Pegram to succeed himself – term until 1946
Optical Society of America	R. C. Gibbs to succeed himself – term until 1946
Acoustical Society of America	Wallace Waterfall to succeed himself – term until 1946
Society of Rheology	R. B. Dow, Hermann Mark, N. W. Taylor to succeed themselves respectively – term to 1944
American Association of Physics Teachers	T. D. Cope to succeed George Harrison – term until 1946

These elections made the membership of the Board for 1943 as follows:

		Term Expires
American Physical Society	John T. Tate	1944
	Lee A. DuBridge	1945
	George B. Pegram	1946
Optical Society of America	Arthur C. Hardy	1944
	K. S. Gibson	1945
	R. C. Gibbs	1946
Acoustical Society of America	Harvey Fletcher	1944
	Floyd A. Firestone	1945
	Wallace Waterfall	1946
Society of Rheology	R. B. Dow	1944
	Hermann Mark	1944
	N. W. Taylor	1944
American Association of Physics Teachers	A.G. Worthing	1944
	Paul E. Klopsteg	1945
	T. D. Cope	1946

II. Minutes of Meeting of March 13, 1942

On motion, the minutes of the meeting of the Governing Board on March 13, 1942, were approved as manifolded and distributed, except that under Item VI the heading was changed from “Report of Treasurer” to “Report of Director”.

III. Report of the Chairman

Mr. Klopsteg stated that he had no report to present at this meeting.

IV. Report of the Secretary

The Secretary reported the result of a mail ballot sent out on August 24, 1942 on the question of authorizing an appeal to the Rockefeller Foundation for a grant to further the war work of the Institute. Fifteen ballots approved, none opposed.

On motion it was voted to ratify the result of the mail ballot.

V. Report of the Treasurer

The Treasurer noted some of the points of the audit, especially that the surplus on December 31, 1942, was $29,084.45. It was noted that this Auditors’ report constituted the financial part of the annual report of the Board to the members of the Corporation at the annual meeting on February 27, 1943.

VI. Report of the Director

Director Barton presented a mimeographed report of 17 pages on the activities and prospective activities of the Institute, copy of which is attached to the official copy of these minutes. The latter pages of this report dealt with the finances of the Institute. This report, under date of February 27, 1943, constituted, with the Auditors’ Report, the report of the Governing Board to the members of the Institute at the annual meeting.

VII. Consideration of the Budget for 1943

The Director presented the proposed budget for 1943 as prepared by the Executive Committee. After minor revisions were agreed upon, it was on motion voted that the budget as prepared by the Executive Committee and presented by the Director be adopted as the budget for the operation of the Institute for the calendar year 1943. Copy of this budget is appended to these minutes.

VIII. Reports of Editors of Institute Journals

1. Journal of Chemical Physics

   Mr. Mayer reported that the number of pages printed in the year had been reduced by somewhat more than 10%, but otherwise it appeared to be meeting the needs of publication in its field.

2. Journal of Applied Physics

   No report

3. Review of Scientific Instruments

   Mr. Harnwell reported that he had finally been obliged to release Mr. Olpin from the task of editing the section on “Laboratory and Shop Notes”, but that Mr. Wildhack and Mr. Harris had undertaken to conduct that section of the Review of Scientific Instruments.

IX. Report of the Executive Committee:

The Secretary reported certain actions of the Executive Committee, namely a resolution at a meeting on March 13, 1942, voting that a special appropriation of not more than $1,000 to meet initial expenses of the work directed by the War Policy Committee be made by the Institute as authorized by the Board in its meeting of March 13, 1942.

Mail Ballot of November 9, 1942, appropriating an additional sum of $1,000 for the work of the War Policy Committee as of July 1, 1942. Favorable votes, 5, opposed, 0.

Mail Ballot of November 12, 1942, authorizing the Chairman to appoint Associate Editors for the Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal of Chemical Physics, and the Journal of Applied Physics. Favorable votes, 5, opposed, 0.

Action of the Committee approving the action of the Treasurer and the Assistant Treasurer in investing $15,000 of the present Institute surplus in short term U.S. Treasury Certificates, 7/8%, due December 1, 1943.

On motion it was voted to approve the foregoing actions of the Executive Committee.

X. Report of the War Policy Committee

Mr. Barton and Mr. Dodge of the War Policy Committee gave rather complete accounts of what this Committee has been able to do in connection with various activities, particularly those conducted in Washington, D.C. Mr. Dodge spoke of the general organization of work relating to physics in Washington, contacts with the Army and the Navy with respect to the college training programs of those branches of the military service, relations with the Joint Selective Board and the Army Air Forces, and giving a story which showed that the usefulness in the war effort of our Committee on War Policy was very clearly demonstrated by a succession of events in Washington.

Mr. Trytten, an Aide to Dr. Elliott in the War Manpower Commission, was introduced and expressed first his greeting from Dr. Elliott, and then spoke of the recent formation under the War Manpower Commission of the National Committee on Physicists, appointed by Dr. Elliott and approved by the Director of Selective Service. The Committee consists of Messrs. Barton, Carmichael, Sidney, and Britt, with Mr. Trytten as Executive Officer of the Committee. This Committee will have to do with deciding whether or not a physicist who is recommended for deferment on occupational grounds is properly qualified for favorable consideration for such deferment. Mr. Trytten spoke of the probable further development of the use of such Committees.

Mr. Trytten spoke futher of the general manpower problem as to physicists in the fact that the Army and the Navy have indicated that they require numbers of physicists quite in excess of the total available number.

(Proceedings were interrupted at this point for luncheon, and began again at 2:30p.m.)

XI. Election of Officers

The Chairman appointed as a Committee to nominate officers for the Board for 1943, Messrs. DuBridge, Chairman, Cope, Firestone, Gibson, and Taylor.

The Committee reported the following nominations:

For Chairman	Paul E. Klopsteg
For Secretary	George B. Pegram
For Treasurer	George B. Pegram
For Assistant Treasurer	Henry A. Barton
For Assistant Treasurer for Payroll Account	Miss Madeline Mitchell
For Adviser on Publications	John T. Tate

The Chairman requested Mr. Fletcher to take the chair, who then called for further nominations. There being none, on motion without objection it was voted that the Secretary be instructed to cast a single ballot for the Board in favor of the election of the nominees of the Nominating Committee.

The vote was cast and Mr. Fletcher as Chairman declared the nominees elected.

XII. Appointment of Editors for Term Ending December 31, 1946

On motion it was voted that the following Editors be appointed for terms to December 31, 1946:

• Journal of Chemical Physics: Mr. Joseph Mayer
• Journal of Applied Physics: Mr. Elmer Hutchisson

 

XIII. Appointment of Committees

 

On motion it was voted that the Chairman appoint the members of the following committees for 1943:

1. Executive Committee: P. E. Klopsteg, Chairman, Harvey Fletcher, K. Gibson, George B. Pegram, John T. Tate
2. Committee on Cooperation with Scientific Apparatus Makers of America: H. A. Barton, Chairman, G. P. Harnwell, G. B. Pegram
3. Committee on Mathematical Typography: J. H. VanVleck, Chairman, R. T. Birge, G. Broit, Madeline Mitchell, P. M. Morse, John T. Tate
4. Editorial Committee: Elmer Hutchisson, Joseph E. Mayer, Gaylord P. Harnwell, John T. Tate, George R. Harrison, Floyd A. Firestone, Duane Roller, Madeline M. Mitchell, Henry A. Barton.
5. Council on Applied Physics: The membership of the Council, fifty-one in number, is listed on a sheet attached to these minutes.
6. War Policy Committee: P. E. Klopsteg, O. E. Buckley, K. T. Compton, R. C. Gibbs, H. L. Dodge.
7. Committee on the Basis for Contributions to the Institute by Founder Societies: A. C. Hardy, Chairman, T. D. Cope, G. B. Pegram, Wallace Waterfall

XIV. Reconsideration of the Rockefeller Foundation Grant:

By motion of Mr. Gibbs it was voted that the officers of the Institute be empowered to make any arrangements with respect to the unexpended part of the grant from the Rockefeller Foundation that seemed appropriate after conferences with officers of the Foundation.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL ON APPLIED PHYSICS

• R. Bowling Barnes
• Henry A. Barton
• Carl L. Bausch
• R. R. Beal
• Otto Beeck
• Carl Breer
• Detlev W. Bronk
• Oliver E. Buckley
• L. W. Chubb
• Karl T. Compton
• E. U. Condon
• W. D. Coolidge
• E. C. Crittenden
• George O. Curme, Jr.,
• W. F. Davidson
• Donald W. Dunipace
• Marion Eppley
• Paul D. Foote
• Carl L. Frederick
• Henry P. Gage
• John J. Grebe
• L. O. Grondahl
• George R. Harrison
• J. C. Hostetter
• A. W. Hull
• Norris Johnston
• Lloyd A. Jones
• M. J. Kelly
• Paul E. Klopsteg
• W. E. Kuhn
• C. H. Kunsman
• Alfred L. Loomis
• John P. Magos
• E. J. Martin
• Archibald F. Meston
• J. B. Nichols
• A. R. Olpin
• J. C. Patterson
• George B. Pegram
• Harvey C. Rentschler
• Nereus H. Roy
• Charles A. Scharschu
• F. R. Shanley
• Robert B. Sosman
• I. Melville Stein
• Raymond Stevens
• John T. Tate
• Wallace Waterfall
• Glenn M. Webb
• E. C. Williams
• H. Hugh Willis

 

XV. Proposal to Appoint a Committee on the Record of Physics in the War

 

Following a discussion of the desirability of having a Committee to be charged with preparing a record of the accomplishments of our physicists in the present war and further of laying plans for the development of physics in the post war period, it was on motion voted

That the present War Policy Committee of the Institute be charged with the additional function of planning and proposing activities of the Institute with respect to post war developments of physics, and that this planning include also the preparation of an adequate report on the accomplishments of physicists and in the field of physics in the present war period.

The secretary was requested to summarize briefly several of the points referred to in the discussion leading to the foregoing motion:

Mr. DuBridge started the discussion by moving that the present War Policy Committee be charged with the development of physics as a field of activity in the immediate post war period. Mr. Fletcher requested the adoption of this.

Mr. Barton referred to a letter of Mr. M. J. Kelly to Mr. Darrow expressing fear lest others claim much credit for work actually done by physicists.

In the discussion, much was made of the problem of post war reaction against proper attention to the physical sciences as a result of the special attention given to them in educational programs as present.

Mr. Cope remarked on the necessity of physicists doing a good job in teaching the students who come under their instruction as a result of the war emphasis upon physics.

It was agreed that on account of the fact that so much of the work done by physicists in the present war effort may remain secret or confidential for a considerable period, no adequate record or appreciation of the work of physicists could be prepared except by those physicists who were in positions to be widely acquainted with the confidential and secret results that have been attained. The view was expressed that certain members of the War Policy Committee are in a position to have wide knowledge of the war work of physicists, and that either the War Policy Committee directly or through a sub-committee of physicists chosen for the purpose could cover the work of the physicists in the war pretty completely.

Mr. Fletcher brought the discussion back to the original point by supporting the opinion that the Committee on War Policy should include in its scope problems of the immediate post war period.

XVI. Lease of Office Space

The Director stated that the present lease of the office space occupied by the Institute at 175 Fifth Avenue would expire on May 1, 1943, and recommend after consultation with members of the Executive Committee the signing of a new lease for three years at the same rate as previously.

On motion it was voted that the Board authorize the signing of the lease as recommended by the Director.

XVII. Society of Electron Microscopists

The Director proposed that the Society of Electron Microscopists, a new organization that shows promise of stability and useful activity, be invited to become an associate of the American Institute of Physics Incorporated. On motion it was voted that such an invitation be extended.

XVIII. On motion the Board of Governors adjourned at 4:15 p.m.