New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-02
ENGINEERS ELECT
BRASHEAR HEAD
Four Days Convention of
Mechanical Experts
Begins.
MAYOR TO MAKE
ADDRESS TO-DAY
Human Element Necessary to
Industrial Success, Says
President Hartness.

The annual convention of the Amer
can Society of Mechanical Engineers
opened yesterday in the Engineering
Building, 20 West 39th st. The con-
ventiQn will last four days. Regis
trstion and council meeting occupied
ihs afternoon session.
James HARNESS, president of the SO
ciety for 1914, formally opened the con-
vention last night with an address on
The Human Element-the Key to Eco
nomic Problems" A reception by the
society TO the president and the presi-
dent-elect for the ensuing year, DR..
John A. Brashesr, followed the address.
DR.. Brashear, the new president, has
wide reputation as an inventor and
manufacturer of precise astronomical
instruments. His Pittsburgh firm bears
his name, and il is their boast that
hey have no patents and no secrets,
plished they have given freely TO the
world. DR.. Brashear is also widely
known for his part in the educational
work of Pittsburgh. He is the admins
traitor of fund of s2j0,000, which is
being used 10 send teachers 10 different
parts of the country for rest and study,
and has also been trustee Of the Car
negie Institute of Technology. He is
member of several prominent scien-
titic bodies, including the American As
ISOLATION for the Advancement of Sci
ence and the Royal Astronomical So
cieties of Great Britain, France and
Belgium.
President Hardness. in his address,
pointed out that the world of mech
anism has become so intricate and
complex that il has gone beyond the
capacity Of any single individual, that
each one must be content to compre-
bend only a small part, and that it is
only by selecting the character and
limiting the amount Of material that
Is taken into our individual minds
that We can hope to accomplish the
best results. We should not overload
our minds with data to the exclusion
% thoughts of an initiative character.
Referring 10 the present day ten
dency for the human element" TO be
recognized as an essential TO the sue
cess Of every large industry, the
speaker said that, in addition 20 the
regular treasurer's report, there should
be human report.
"The human report would begin with
a description of the directors and go
through the entire organization" he
continued. This report would contain
a statement regarding the elements Of
harmony of organization; Of length of
service of manager and workers; the
frequency of change Of methods or ar
ticle manufactured; intelligence Of
executives in the management of men;
the degree Of contentment of each
member: the extent 10 which each man
in the organization approaches the best
position for which he is endowed, and
how nearly he obtains the best remun-
Grafton for which he is qualifed the
extent to which the management rec
ognizes the inertia of habit OF both
mind and body; the degree in which
the various men in the organization
approximate the condition of highest
efficiency: the extent to which the
management goes in expression of sp-
probation: the degree of its knowledge
Of the most important characteristics
Ct man as indicated by his inner mo-
tives and desires. and the condition OF
his mind as he goes TO his home at
night"
The feature of the professional side
Of the annual meeting will be sessions
to-day relating to the work Of the en-
gineer in public service. The morning
session will be opened by Mayor Nit
chel. and papers will be presented by
Henry Bruere, City Chamberlain; Nor
rir l.. Cooke. Director of the Depart
mont Of Public Works of Philadelphia;
Edward rlad. Consulting Engineer Of
ST. Louis, and c. +. Drayer, chairman
OF the publicity committee OF the
Cleveland Engineering Society.