Joining nations 1947-1990

FIVE

A FIRST CRISIS AND ITS AFTERMATH, I 96 I - I 964

u P to 1961, the progress of the IIW had been relatively smooth, one of the reasons being certainly the harmony which prevailed at all levels concerning the goals envisaged and the way to reach them. But increasing activity inevitably meant increasing expenditure; the pro– posal made at New York that member countries' subscriptions should be increased by one-third in 1962 led, as we have seen, to severe criticisms and a contested vote in the Governing Council, and to the promise by the Executive Council of a fundamental review of financial matters, including the delicate problem of the fixing of national subscriptions. The review undertaken concentrated on two matters - publications and subscriptions. It was proposed that the procedures for treating documents recommended for publication should be simplified to reduce work, that the IIW should itself publish these documents in its own journal and that emphasis should be placed on publishing as a source of revenue. In respect of subscriptions, the principle was for– mulated that each national subscription should consist of a fixed sum for the primary member society, a lesser sum for each additional mem– ber society, and a sum proportional to the national steel consumption. The departure early in 1 962 of Mademoiselle Blosset from the Scientific and Technical Secretariat was one of the reasons which led President Edstrom to constitute a consultative committee composed of persons outside the Executive Council to review the organisation of the IIW. The Committee met once before the 1962 meeting of the Governing Council in Oslo which approved the revised publishing arrangements, including the plans for an IIW journal, and the new formula for fixing annual subscriptions. At the same time the IIW's share of enrolment fees for Annual Assemblies was increased from £z to £4 per person with effect from 1963 . Other decisions of the Governing Council were to elect Professor K Ruhl to succeed President Edstrom the following year, to set up Commission XVI on the welding of plastics, and to elect Hungary to membership.

34