11 am. One of the most interesting papers was that by WE. Castle, Coming of Mendelism. * Dr. Castle was one of the few who not nessed the coming of Mendelism but at a very early stage took e part in genetic research, which he has continued to the pres- me, several years after his retirement from Harvard University. er significant paper, entitled "The Heritage of Mendel," was pre- by Hugo Iltis who, unfortunately, was unable to attend. His was read by G.H. Shull, a long-time friend, and one of the first this country to visit Brunn after the rediscovery of Mendel's In a ceremony entitled "The New World Honors Mendel," el Elgueta, director of the Inter-American Institute of Agricul- Sciences, at Turrialba, Costa Rica, presented a scroll, appropri- ossed, to the Genetics Society of America. This scroll will in the Mendel Museum established by Dr. Iltis at Mary n College in Fredericksburg, Va. A part of the museum on, on loan to the Ohio State University, was on exhibition at me of the meeting. e main theme of the Golden Jubilee Program was the progress s has made in its first fifty years. Five eminent European ists, T. Caspersson, Boris Ephrussi, C.D. Darlington, Arne zing, and Julian Huxley, were speakers, contributing markedly to uccess of the meeting.. ,A11 the papers given on the invitation pro- will be published this year by the Macmillan Company as a he scope and organization of which are revealed in the following and Developmental Aspects of Genetics Status'of Heredity before 1900 - Conway Zirkle, University of Pennsylvania The Coming of Mendelism - W.E. Castle, University of Califor- nia The Development of the Gene Theory - H.J. Muller, Indiana University The Relation of Genes and Chromosomes - A.H. Sturtevant, California Institute of Technology Mutation after Fifty Years - L.J. Stadler, University of Missouri Heritage of Mendel - Hugo Iltis, Mary Washington College and New Pathways in Human Genetics - L.H. Snyder, University of ahoma Physical Basis of the Gene The Chemistry of Chromosomes and Nuclei - A.E. Mirsky, Rockefeller -Institute for Medical Research Cytochemical Measurements in the Study of the Gene - T. Caspersson and Jack Schultz, Karolinska Institute, Stock- holm Genetics and Immunology - M.R. Irwin, University of Wisconsin 12 The Physiology of the Gene Chemical Genetics - G.W. Beadle, California Institute of Tech nolo gy Remarks on Cell Heredity - Boris Ephrussi, University of Genetic Studies in Bacteria - Joshua Lederberg, University: Wisconsin The Role of the Genes in Cytoplasmic Inheritance - T.M. ; Sonneborn, Indiana University Evolutionary Changes in Mendelian Populations - Th. Dobzhansky, Columbia University Cytogenetics I Evolution of Cytogenetic Mechanisms in Animals - M. J.D. White, University of Texas Genetics and the Chromosomes - C.D. Darlington, John Innes! Horticultural Institute j:;"" Genetics, Medicine, and Man 4 . ...9 Genetics and Disease Resistance - J.W. Gowen, Iowa State.Col; lege Genetics and the Cancer Problem - C.C. Little, Roscoe B. Jackson Memorial Laboratory Genetics and the Food Problem Genetics and Plant Breeding - Arne Munteing, University of' Lund . 3 Hybrid Corn: Its Genetic Basis and its Significance in Human Affairs - P.C. Mangelsdorf, Harvard University Genetics and Plant Pathology - J.C. Walker, University of consin Genetics and Animal Breeding - J.L. Lush, Iowa State Co1 Genetics and Modern Thought - Julain Huxley, formerly Secreta General UNESCO Also as a part of the celebration the Golden Jubilee Co secured the cooperation of the Public Affairs Committee in pamphlet (No. 165) entitled, "Genetics - The Science of He These pamphlets were distributed with the complements of the S to those attending the meeting. The Golden Jubilee, the largest meeting ever held by the Society, was one of the most enjoyable, partly in consequence excellent physical facilities assigned to the society by AIBS a local committee. Except for the first evening gathering, all 1 were held in the new auditorium of the State Archaeological with a seating capacity of 600, which was expanded to about making use of the wide foyers. The Genetics Society is hap particular auditorium was allocated to us on this important occ and thanks are due the Ohio State Archaeological Museum, the st AIBS, and the local committee for their careful planning. 19 Report of Committee 9 The report of the special committee of 9 (consisting of Committee Counteract Anti-Genetics propaganda plus the Executive Committee) *s to have been presented by Bentley Glass, the Chairman of the E .mmittee. Instead a tele!gram from the chairman read, "Delayed by @n wreck. Will you present report of Special Committee. Thanks. Bentley Glass." kl t d t The report of the committee was then presented by i Vice-President, M.R. Irwin. This report had previously been cir- ae oa 11 th e members in a letter dated August 25, 1950. The btier was as follows: August 25, 1950 pear Fellow Member: The Genetics Society's Special Committee of Nine, appointed in rccordance with the resolution passed at the Business Meeting of the Society in December, 1949, has considered as fully as possible the $oposals for "a committee to speak for the Society in matters af- freedom of science. n Many things have transpired since ussion last December which led to the appointment of the Com- and opinions may-well have changed. Certainly the fluid inter- situation, with its impacts of various sorts upon our science, res us to act with foresight and to remain free to alter our pro- m as new conditions arise. In the considerations of the Special Committee, three things be- e uppermost: first, the need for vigorous and outspoken defense cientific freedom and for refutation of all misrepresentations of cs is a crucial and continuing problem; second, any committee Society should, in true democratic spirit, have the right and re- bility to speak out for itself and make public its findings and sions; third, no committee ought to assume the responsibility of ing scientific freedom and combating anti-genetics propaganda ehalf of the Society except that committee be truly representative reat majority of opinion within the Society and enjoy the utmost of the members. With these things in mind, the Special of Nine recommends as follows: A Standing Committee on Public Education and Scientific Freedom should be established by the Society. A. This Committee should have power to take action on all public matters of concern to the Society. It should have the right and responsibility to publish or to make statements for publication, but with the requirement that it speak and publish solely as a Committee of the Society and not in the name of the Society as a whole. 20 B. The scope of the Committee should include not only freed04 of science and anti-genetics propaganda, but should extend to the contribution of genetic knowledge to debates about ,i atomic energy and atomic bombs, and the bearing of medii cal and commercial practices, such as the use of radiatiou on the genetic welfare of the people. The Committee shoul 1 be left free to exercise its judgment as to the most advis-! able program in the light of the current, changing world :`q picture. .I , C. The Committee should not only make statements of fact in, reference to debated points, but should plan and execute a 4 long-range policy of public education in the methods, prin,; ciples, and applications of genetics. This might include sponsorship of a series of popul (of the Penguin type), articles in general and popu entific magazines and the Sunday magazine sections o newspapers, radio and television programs, etc. Thi public education upon fundamentals might well become* soundest long-range activity of the Committee and th designed to create that basis of knowledge and judgm which would be the strongest defense against quacks communists. The Public Affairs Pamphlet "Genetic Science of Heredity," to be distributed as a part of t Golden Jubilee of the science of Genetics at the meeting and prepared under the auspices of the Golden Jubilee Committee, isprecisely the type of 2. The Standing Committee on Public Education and Scientific F should be as thoroughly representative of the majority opinion Society as possible. It is therefore recommended that it be co posed as follows: A. The Chairman of the Committee shall be the President Genetics Society. B. Either the most recent past-President of the Society or Secretary of the Society, as may be determined by vote of the Society, shall be a second member.* 9 G. Three additional members shall be elected for terms of:$ three years each by mail ballot of the membership of the; Society; except that initially one member shall be elected for one year, o ne for two years, and one for three years,; that every year thereafter one specially elected member, the Committee will retire and be replaced. D. Nominations will be made for the election of the Committee in the customary way (one each member-to be elected being made by Committee of the Society and one by the members of the j *The Committee is not in unanimous agreement on these points. 21 Society through a nominating ballot); except that in order to avoid delay in initiating the Committee in 1950, these mem- bers will be nominated from the floor and elected by ballot. Two nominations should be made for each member to be elected, except for the initial year, when five should suffice. Each nominee should be asked to furnish a brief state- ment regarding his views on the work and function, of the Committee so that members may be informed prior to voting. The Committee on Public Education and Scientific Freedom should, like the Committee to Aid Geneticists Abroad, be empowered to seek funds from members of the Society and other sources, so as to enable it to meet, and to prepare, publish and circulate materials in the interest of public education in genetics or dealing with issues of scientific freedom; these funds should be supplemented if necessary from the Treasury of the Society to the amount of $100.00 annually. It is suggested that the above recommendations be considered in- dividually, part by part, and only finally as a whole, inasmuch as acceptance or rejection of the whole ought not to depend upon strong reaction to some one part. signed : Robert C. Cook W. R. Singleton Th. Dobzhansky L-I-I, Snyder M.R. Irwin -. T.M. Sonneborn I-L J. Muller Curt Stern Bentley Glass, Chairman Since time was running short: and since all members of the Society had received a copy of the report printed above it was thought not nec- issary to read the entire report of the committee but vote on the dif- [erent sections of the report separately. The first item voted upon was 91. A standing committee on Public Education and Scientific Freedom should be established by the Society." After but brief discussion on the motion to adopt point 1 the mo- `bon was lost 60-86 with many abstaining. Then the discussion, which hould have preceded the voting began. Muller, Cook, Huskins and everal others joined in the discussion. The concensus of the meet- seemed to be that a mistake had been made in rejecting point 1. Around 2:30 pm a motion was made by Stadler that the meeting This being seconded was put to a vote and was rejected by a majority. Huskins introduced a motion that "a committee should appointed to work out statements to be approved or rejected by the utive Committee and that the members of the Society stand be- the Executive who makes statements." This motion was seconded. following amendment was introduced by Lederberg: "That the rd. mmittee be empowered to express the Society's abhorrence to the ic a ion of scientific principles by the Soviet Union" t t' This amendment was seconded and passed. 22 However, when it seemed to be the wishes of the members that < the action on point 1 be reconsidered the motion under consideration was withdrawn, by Huskins, Lederberg and the ones seconding the amendment and motion. Then Luria made a motion that point 1 be reconsidered. This was seconded and carried. Voting then proceeded on the different points of the report of the special committee. Items A, B and C under point 1 were not voted upon at the meeting. > Under point 2, Item A was amended to read "The president shall be a member of the committee which shall elect its own chairman."' This was then approved by the Society. Point 2B was approved by the Society with the proviso that the Secretary of the Society shall be a member of the committee. Point 2C was approved as printed above. Point 2D was approved with a minor change in the procedure for election of the committee the first year. The change in the last sen- tence of the first paragraph is as follows: "These members will be nominated from the floor at the annual meeting of the Society and elected by mail ballot." Point 3 was approved as printed. Following the approval of the individual items a motion was made that the entire proposal be ap-`. proved. Seconded and carried. The nominations from the floor, in order nominated were Sturtevant, Muller, Lederberg, Cook, Glass, Luria, Stadler, Huskins and Plough. The next item of business was action upon a recommendation of' the Executive Committee that the Society furnish 1350 copies of the abstracts for publishing in Genetics. This action was approved. For the meeting place in 1951 the secretary reported that the Executive Committee had recommended that we meet again with A.LB.S., the 1951 meeting to be held in early September at the Univ- ersity of Minnesota in Minneapolis. This action was approved. M. J.D. White then made a motion that the Society extend a vote of thanks to the local representatives of the Columbus meetings, Dr; David C. Rife and R.G. Jaap. Motion seconded and carried by acclamation. Meeting adjourned at 3:15 pm.