California ; W. D. Scott, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania ; A. HELGESON, North

Dakota ; J. F. TUCKER, New York. Auditing: T. A. CONSIDINE, Baltimore, Maryland, Chairman; E. H. STADOLNIK,

Massachusetts; W. B. HARPER, Birmingham, Alabama. Associate Membership: L. J. MOREMEN, International Nonwovens & Disposables

Association, Chairman; C. W. CAMPBELI., Reliance Electric Company ; M. S. GODSMAN, Bennett Pump Incorporated; C. E. Joyce, The Pillsbury Compans: A. SANDERS, Scale Manufacturers Association; R. SOUTHERS, American Petroleum Institute; J. F. SPEER, Milk Industry Foundation ; R. TOLLEY, National Canners Association; E. E. Wolski, Colgate-Palmolive Company; E. F. WEHMANX, Neptune Meter Company.

REGISTRATIONS

MRS. E. M. BURNETTE, Miss PATRICIA RASCHELLA, MRS. JOAN SCHNEIDER,

MRS. S. J. WILSON

LADIES' ARRANGEMENTS

MRS. H. F. WOLLIN

MONDAY, JULY 23, 1973

OPEN COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Monday was set aside for meetings of the four Conference standing committees. Notices of these meetings were carried in the Conference Announcement booklet, in all pre-Conference publicity, and in the printed Conference program. Many delegates participated in the committee meetings. The discussions which took place were particularly helpful to the members of each committee and played an important role in guiding the committees in their deliberation and preparation of their final reports. The final reports of the committees will be found beginning on page 171 and will reflect the discussion that took place and the actions taken by the Conference at the time the final reports were presented to the delegates.

MANUFACTURERS' EQUIPMENT DISPLAY

An informal display of new equipment by manufacturers was held on Monday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for the education of the Conference delegates.

Mr. J. I. Moore, North Carolina, the Conference Chaplain, delivered the invocation and led the delegates in the Pledge of Allegiance.

MEASURES FOR PROGRESS

by GEORGE L. Johnson, Conference Chairman, Director of Weights

and Measures, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

As Chairman of the 58th National Conference on Weights and Measures, I take pleasure in welcoming you to Minnesota and to the opening of our General Conference Session.

In the twenty-six years that I have been Director of Weights and Measures in Kentucky, I have always respected the efforts of this conference. I can honestly say, however, that until this year I never really realized the tremendous behind-the-scenes planning and coordination

that goes into this annual meeting. I sincerely wish that every weights and measures official could experience a year as Chairman so that you too could gain an insight into what makes the ('onference so vital to our profession.

Experiences during my year as Chairman, which I shall detail in a minute, ranged from the thrill of appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to the dubious honor of being marooned for a day and a half with Earl Prideaux, Bob Williams, and Sam Valtri of the Education Committee in Austin, Texas, during the worst ice storm in the history of Texas. I might add that the reason we decided to hold the Interim Education Committee meeting in Austin was because Bob Williams assured us that Washington weather in January is terrible. That is the last time an honest Kentuckian like me will listen to a Texan.

In reporting to you on the activities of my office, I would like to focus on several significant areas.

1. OINL: On August 3, 1972, I appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requesting that membership of the United States in the OIML be approved. In addition to my testimony, there were speakers in support of OIML from the State Department, the Ameri

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can Petroleum Institute, and the Scale Manufacturers Association. On August 11, the Senate gave approval to our membership by a vote of 79–0. Subsequently, a National Committee has been established under the aegis of NBS to assist the U.S. delegation to OIML on matters to be discussed at the International Meeting. This spring Mr. Jim Lyles of Virginia was appointed by your Executive Committee to serve as the Conference's representative to the National Committee for a period of

two years.

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Our membership in this organization will contribute greatly to uniformity of laws and regulations by helping bring about harmonization of weights and measures laws among all nations. We must realize that ours is a shrinking world. As we expand our world trade to Russia or China or other countries, we should recognize that commercial equity becomes an international responsibility. I believe the National Conference on Weights and Measures can stand as an example of what (IML can be internationally.

2. Metric Conversion: A second major area of interest to the Conference is the conversion to the metric system. Last year, Senate Bill 2483 was passed which provides for a national conversion program. However, the Bill did not have time to clear the House of Representatives. At present there are thirteen pieces of legislation that have been introduced in ('ongress, with over fifty ('ongressmen cosigning the proposals.

I do not believe there is a question as to whether or not this country will convert but a question of when this will come about. In my travels I have found a great interest in the metric system and I believe the majority of people would welcome the decision to get on with the conversion. This country is very fortunate in having Dr. Richard W. Roberts, Director of the National Bureau of Standards, supporting the idea in an active manner. When this comes about, there is no doubt but that we, the weights and measures officials, will have a very important role in the conversion.

I hope you will take the time to visit the metrie information display sponsored by the Committee on Education, Administration, and Consumer Affairs. It is an excellent assemblage of metric education materials and will give you some good ideas on how to answer the many inquiries you are probably receiving on the metrie system.

I would like to now turn to the theme of this year's ('onference, "Measures for Progress.“ Webster offers sixteen acceptable definitions for the word "measure.“ However, I think that there are three which are pertinent to this conference and what we are attempting to do:

1. First, we can look at the word as meaning the act or process of measurement itself, which carries a technical connotation. Both industry and our public rightfully consider us their experts in the field of measurement. We must retain that reputation by remaining abreast

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of the many advancements in the field of precision measurement. It was our thought in planning this Conference that we should offer informa

tion on new measurement systems handled by some of the most knowltters migeable technical people in our country to promote our understandcribe ing of these innovations and their impact upon our daily programs.

I think that in reviewing the program you will be able to see that we are accomplishing that end.

At the present time we are faced with many problems, such as the testing of moisture meters, the measurement of liquid fertilizer, the measurement of liquid agriculture feeds, in-motion weighing, timing

devices, and a better method for the testing of odometers to mention a inst a few. We must work through the Conference and the Office of

Weights and Measures to solve these measurement questions.

2. A second definition of the word “measure” carries a legal connotation. It refers to a legislative enactment, statute, or law. In this context we can very well consider the many model laws and regulations

promulgated by this Conference as “Measures for Progress” in that 3 they are vital to our mission of promoting uniformity in weights and

measures enforcement in this country and, indeed, with membership in OLL, in the world.

3. Thirully, we can use the word "measure” in terms of an instrument for measuring—not in a technical sense--but in a programmatic sense, ila in measuring the effectiveness of our programs. We all know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete with other government gencies for program resources. Here again, we have attempted to forus in on the problem by bringing knowledgeable people to the Conference to discuss these matters. I am particularly delighted that this year the Conference will initiate its first Survey of Weights and Measures Administration. I urge all of you to lend your support to this effort.

I have given my “full measure" of effort over the past year to this Conference. It is now up to you to do the same. I hope you have studied vonr program announcement and are familiar with the tentative recommendations that have been made by your respective committees. I have seen these committees labor long and hard during this past year in order to reach the decisions and recommendations that they present to you here. It now becomes your responsibility and mine to take the final actions. I promise you a favorable working climate. All meetings

will -tart precisely on time, order will be maintained and, hopefully, ch

Ineetings will close on time. This is your Conference. Please take advantage of every program presented.

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ADDRESS

by ROBERT W. Carlson, Commissioner, Public Service Commission,

Minnesota Department of Public Service, Saint Paul, Minnesota

I bring you greetings from Minnesota's Governor Wendell Anderson, from Minnesota's great food and tourist industries, from Minnesota's Public Service Commission and, of course, from all of the citizens in this land of 15.000 lakes.

I bring you further greetings from the Department of Public Service and its employees, particularly from Warren Czaia and the good people in our Division of Weights and Meas

ures who are very pleased to host this, your 58th National Conference. Truly, we are exceedingly happy that you are here.

Minnesota, you know, is a State of many records, far and beyond the subzero temperatures and the heavy snows that you may read about in your hometown papers. We are proud of our mining industry. Our lumbering industry ranks high in the nation. Minnesota is headquarters for many of the nation's great electronic and scientific space-age companies. Our medical centers are known throughout the world, and all of them are dependent upon precise weights and measures.

Tourism is second only to agriculture among our Minnesota industries, and we do hope that you can arrange to extend your stay long enough to journey northward into our northern lake country for postconvention rest and relaxation; or at least saunter along the beautiful downtown malls in either Minneapolis or St. Paul—a great place to watch our beautiful Minnesota girls.

Hopefully, you will intermingle a little bit of fun with your business conference. From looking at your program, you do have many important matters coming before your business sessions. From the program, it is obvious that yours is a very highly specialized and highly technical field of endeavor.

It is particularly interesting to note the wide range of agencies of both Federal and State governments involved in providing public assurance of proper weights and measures. Even more significant is the wide range of people who represent business and industry who are here, providing something of a partnership with governments in fulfilling not only statutory obligations of proper weights, but also meeting sound, basic business obligations to the people they serve.

In each State I am sure the responsibilities of each weights and measures agency differ to some degree. The story of the Minnesota