Joining nations 1947-1990

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS, l 949- l 9 5 4

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H Biers, USA, President, 1954-7.

ELECTIONS TO MEMBERSHIP

The first countries to be elected to membership subsequent to the foundation of the Institute were Finland in l 949 and New Zealand in 1950; there followed the elections of the then Federal Republic of Germany and Canada in 1951,Japan in 1952, Uruguay and the then Yugoslavia in 1953 and Australia in 1954· It is ironic to note that, on the election of Japan, the chief of the Japanese delegation expressed the view that, for geographical reasons, Japan's contribution would be small. COMMISSIONS It would have been astonishing if all the Commissions initially set up in 1948 had survived even six years without change. Such was not the case and the following changes were introduced between l 949 and 1954:

1949 Commission XIII Fatigue Testing set up 1950 Commission XIV Welding Instruction set up

1950 Commission X Residual Stresses and XI Stress Relieving merged as Commission X which combines both subjects in its title