Address

President of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Even a casual visitor to the edifice whose dedication is the occasion of the present festivities, must be impressed by its simplicity, its beauty, and its substantiality. The personnel of the executive departments of the associated Societies that have here domiciled themselves recognize its fitness and its spaciousness. All these qualities will endure except the last. The future will doubtless bring a congestion of occupancy which seems to be an inevitable metropolitan characteristic. The Founder Societies at the present time have a total membership of nearly 12,000. Of these members more than 15% live in New York City or in its vicinity, and to them the building is accessible. Eight Associate Societies who are also at home here have a membership of approximately 4,000, about 40% of whom dwell in this vicinity. An inspection of the curves of growth of membership in the three Founder Societies shows that the present enrolment will be doubled in 1920, if past policies of management be maintained. Even times of financial depression do not lessen the membership but lessen its rate of growth. But the short period of joint occupancy just elapsed, has evidenced a stimulation to increased activity which if maintained will make membership more desirable, and a greater increment may be expected.