Preparing for October's XIV World Congress of Accountants

Bertil Edlund of Sweden, president of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), has a ready answer when asked why American CPAs should attend the World Congress of Accountants to be held in Washington, D.C., on October 14-18, 1992: "Because it's being held at the right time and in the right place and it has the right program." In a recent Journal interview, Edlund said, "Since the 1987 World Congress in Tokyo, the Berlin Wall has fallen, Eastern Europe and Russia itself are moving toward market economies, the European Community has become a reality and Pacific Basin countries have enjoyed unprecedented growth. The flow of capital over borders has become much larger in the last five years and is still growing rapidly. Sooner or later, the global economy will affect every accountant in the world. It is surely time for another World Congress of Accountants." He added, "This World Congress will address a wide area of topics associated with globalization, and not just accounting issues. We will cover problems and opportunities in international capital markets, international communications techniques, developments in Europe and developments in Asia, as well as progress on the harmonization of international financial reporting standards. Thus, we have the right program. Also, the congress is being held in an American city that is a delight to visit and where CPAs in the United States can attend at moderate cost and minimum disruption to their jobs and practices." Peter Agars, IFAC's incoming president and an Australian, is equally enthusiastic. To him the World Congress is "the best-value experience accountants will be able to get for the next five years." In addition, "It's a very important time for the future of the profession. At the congress, Bertil Edlund will present the results of the strategic planning process IFAC has undertaken over the past two years. The strategic plan that has just been completed calls for some very significant shifts in direction for accountants throughout the world and the structure of their firms, their companies and their practices. This will be a rare opportunity for American accountants to focus on what other parts of the world are doing and to exchange experiences with their international colleagues." The upcoming congress's success will be measured against the goals set for it by its sponsor, IFAC, and its hosts, the American Institute of CPAs, the Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors. They are striving to create an atmosphere of cooperation equaling that established at the first two international gatherings of accountants held in the United States. THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS: A MANDATE FOR UNIFORMITY The first International Congress of Public Accountants was held in Saint Louis, Missouri, on the grounds of the Saint Louis Exposition. The congress opened on September 26, 1904, had 83 registrants and ran for three days. Attendance was high, considering the proportions of registrants to the total membership--340--of the two major organizations for accountants at that time. The Financial Record's coverage of the event mentioned that the accountant's gathering "eclipsed" the Bar Association annual meeting, which was held at the same time. Although the congress was billed as an international event, only about 10 representatives of societies in England, Scotland and Canada attended. In addition, E. Van Dien from Amsterdam, Holland, was present as a guest of the congress and addressed it on the third day. However, he was not registered as an official representative of his society because of what the Record calls an "oversight." In his opening remarks, Congress Chairman Joseph Edmund Sterrett, CPA, president of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, referred to a problem still plaguing CPAs today when he said, "The public accountant as a sort of detective, whose chief service is to show how a thief tapped the till, is a conception of our worth that is altogether inadequate. …

Field of study: Business