Moments in SOCMA History

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of SOCMA, we have compiled the following historical excerpts:

From the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers’ Association, Constitution, Article I, Name and Objects, October 28, 1921:

“This Association is the result of the unusual conditions existing throughout the world in the field of organic chemical manufacture, and the recognition of the necessity of cooperation between American producers of all organic chemicals in order to insure the permanent establishment of a complete organic chemical industry in the United States.”

Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Commerce, addressed the first meeting of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association on Oct. 21, 1921, at the Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C. Here’s what Mr. Hoover had to say:

“Gentlemen, I feel it is a great deal of honor to be present at the baptism of the new trade association."

“I particularly welcome the creation of this association because it represents a new industry – an industry that has been born within the last ten years, so far as the United States is concerned or at least in its major aspect, is the growth of the last ten to fifteen years, and it represents an industry that is particularly interesting to me because it is an industry that thrives by the use and application of the wastes of the other industry; that this is turning to account what would otherwise be almost wholly waste products that escape into the atmosphere or into the streams of this country, and adding them to the total sum of the commodities that we have to divide over our people.”

The following excerpt comes from a letter from entomologist P.J. Parrott to Dr. Charles H. Herty, the first president of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Association:

“Nicotine in the form of nicotine sulfate is used extensively by the agricultural industry for the spraying of fruit trees and field crops to combat injurious insects, and is also employed to disinfect animals of destructive body parasites. Nicotine sulfate … until this fall sold for $13.75 per gallon. Just recently the price has been advanced to $15 per gallon. At the old price, the material was very expensive, but at the present rate its cost is prohibitive. Our fruitgrowers, therefore, are confronted with a serious problem.

Because of your interest in synthetic products, I am writing to ask if very much attention has been directed to synthetic nicotine. If not, and if in your opinion it is deserving of serious consideration, would you be willing to suggest some plan by which the Crop Protection Institute of the National Research Council or the American Association of Economic Entomologists could be of serve in focusing more attention on the problem.”

The following is a telegram, dated July 11, 1922, from SOCMA President Charles Herty to George B. Christien, Secretary of the White House.

“Representatives of American Organic Chemical Industry greatly disturbed by action of the President relative to patents of Chemical Foundation under which they are now operating stop At meeting in New York today they unanimously feel it imperative that they present to the President in person their situation as it is affected by his action stop Please set earliest possible date preferably Thursday for such meeting stop Please wire me One Madison Avenue, New York.”

Conference with President Harding: July 14, 1922

“The Board of Governors met at the Racquet Club, Washington, D.C., at 2:30 on Friday, July 14, 1922, and went to the White House for the conference with President Harding. …

Following informal discussion of the effect of the action against the Chemical Foundation, Inc., on the industry and on legislation intended to protect the industry, Dr. Herty left with the President a list of those in attendance, a list of members of the Association and their relation to the Chemical Foundation, Inc. as stockholders or licenses, and a brief setting forth the argument on which their protest was based, printed copy of which is attached hereto.”

First Monthly Luncheon of SOCMA’s Fine Organic & Medicinal Chemicals Section: November 14, 1922, Chemists’ Club dining room

“The letter from importers of aromatic chemicals which had been referred to the Section from the General Meeting on November 9, 1922, was discussed, and it was felt that the importers could secure the desired information by communicating directly with domestic concerns regarding prices required. Dr. Herty was requested to reply to this effect.

The questions of possible recommendations to the Tariff Commission on commodities in which the Section is interested was discussed in a general way.

It appeared that the availability of crude materials was one of the most important questions confronting the industry at this time.”

Annual Outing: June 6-7, 1929

“Following the very brief general meeting of the Association…about 150 members and guests of the Manufacturing Chemists’ Association and the S.O.C.M.A. attended an excellent luncheon at the Wilmington Country Club provided by our hosts, the Atlas Powder Company, DuPont Company, Grasselli Chemical Company and Hercules Powder Company, who also furnished the prizes for the Golf Tournament which followed. The non-golfers enjoyed a wonderful drive and visit to the Longwood Gardens of Mr. Pierre S. DuPont, one of the show places of the world. There were about 180 present at the Union Dinner at the Wilmington Country Club … presided over by Dr. Charles L. Reese, of the DuPont Company.

Representative John Q. Tilson, majority leader of the House, was the guest speaker on this occasion. In his address he cited the remarkable development of the American chemical industry under the deserved tariff protection that had been accorded it and showed a clear recognition of the necessity of maintaining American chemical independence of reasonable protection.”

Joint Meeting of All Sections of SOCMA: February 13, 1930

“Senator D. Henry Hatfield, of West Virginia, primarily on account of his sturdy Americanism and only secondarily because West Virginia is coming so rapidly to the fore as a chemical manufacturing state assumed a tremendous burden in leading the fight for adequate protection for the whole chemical industry and, in particular, for both branches of synthetic organic chemistry, coal-tar and non-coal-tar. He had prepared himself most thoroughly, devoting weeks to the accumulation and arrangement of his material in the most comprehensive manner.”

Annual Report of Secretary: December 18, 1930

“MEMBERSHIP – A word as to the status of our membership. We entered the year 1930 with a membership of 51 active, 6 associate and 2 sustaining members. This has since been reduced by twelve because of resignations due to consolidations among our member firms and lack or very little interest in our particular field of chemical manufacture.

In view of the gradual decrease in membership due to past and possible future consolidations and in order to expedite and simplify the business transactions of the Association under these new conditions, the Association, after careful consideration, revised its constitution, which was approved and adopted on September 18, 1930, to go into effect today.”

Annual Report of Secretary: January 13, 1943

“According to Business Week of January 9, 1943, Congress evinces no enthusiasm for the international trade implications embodied in the President’s message to Congress. However, the internationalists are continually working on their grand over-all plan which includes as one of its most important subjects general tariff reductions beginning, of course, with that of the United States, violently assumed to be about the most obstructive to international trade.

A consideration of these speculations take in connection with Dr. Kinz’s remarks about the damage already done by the existing reciprocal trade treaties shows us the necessity of keeping the study and discussion of protection constantly before us."