July, 1918 C. U. C. P. ALUMNI JOURNAL 107 



])Ian until the committee as a whole has arrived at some positive conclusions. 

 The problem is too big" to decide in a few weeks or even a few months. Our 

 committee has already learned that it is well nigh impossible to arrive at a decision 

 by mail ; hence plans are now being inaugurated to hold a committee conference 

 in Chicago prior to the meeting of the A. Ph. A. in August. 



On the other hand a discussion of the general features of federation is both 

 timely and important and this paper is being read for the main purpose of finding 

 out the opinions of the members of this Association on the subject; to begin a 

 discussion that may be of value to the Federation Committee in arriving at conclu- 

 sions. In beginning this discussion the writer will quote what he has published 

 elsewhere on the subject: 



"The general idea of federation is worthy of our most serious considera- 

 tion, for the plan is laden with tremendous possibilities for g"ood, if wisely 

 planned and is fraught with distinct danger if carelessly and hastily contrived. " 

 "No one can gainsay the immense influence that could be wielded by a 

 united pharmaceutical America, retail, wholesale and manufacturing, when 

 banded together in a common cause. Think of the legislative influence that 

 could be wielded by the 100,000 Americans directly or indirectly interested 

 in the drug trade, if welded into a flexible whole. Again, think of the possi- 

 bilities of pharmaceutical betterment suggested by a huge federation with 

 means enough at its disposal to conduct laboratories, legal bureaus and other 

 aids available to every member of the federation. Most alluring is the pic- 

 ture thus presented. 



"On the other hand the creation of such a federation will be accom- 

 panied by many difficulties. How can such diversified interests as manufac- 

 turing-, wholesale and retail pharmacy get together upon a broad basis of 

 mutual agreement? It can be done only by settling upon points of agree- 

 ment and by leaving the points of disagreement to the separate trade or- 

 ganizations. The differences of viewpoint existing among the various lines 

 of pharmaceutical endeavor are no farther apart than are the viewpoints 

 of Oklahoma and New York, let us say. The experiment of federal govern- 

 ment has stood the test of over a century including a veritable test by fire, 

 the Civil War. The success of this national federation of conflicting interests 

 is largely due to the fact that basic principles of our government are a feder- 

 ation for mutual defense ; a confederation for mutual benefit. As long as 

 our government stands for these two principles ; as long as it abstains from 

 attempts to force the local opinions of New York upon Oklahoma and vice 

 versa, its success is assured. 



"In the proposed pharmaceutical federation, the same spirit should pre- 

 vail. We have ever with us a need of defense in the thousand different kinds 

 of legislation that zealots outside of the calling try to force upon the trade. 

 The first principle of the federation should therefore be uniformity in legis- 

 lative matters and a strong committee consisting of members of the legisla- 

 tive committees of the several national associations should be the first duty 



