Committees at Work

Last year a tremendous drive was initiated by Dr. Menninger to bring members into active participation in the functions of the American Psychoanalytic Association. This was done through the establishment of various committees. We have tried to acquaint you with the work of these committees. They are busily trying to find themselves. Some of them have already been able to delineate clearly their functions and goals; others are still searching and may find that they have no real function at all. This is an exploratory period and it is expected that we will not hear too much from these committees until they have oriented themselves. Most of the committees are going to get together in December at the midwinter meetings and we hope in the next issue of the Bulletin to be able to report on their activities in more detail. In the meantime, we should like to report to you of the activities of some of the committees.

On July 3, 1948, Dr. William Menninger asked Dr. John A. P. Millet of New York to accept the chairmanship of the International Committee of the American Psychoanalytic Association, and suggested names of a few analysts who had declared their intention of attending the International Congress of Mental Health in London. Following is a report from Dr. Millet:

“The first job of this Committee was to consider the suggestions of Dr. Kubie's committee for amending the constitution of the International Psychoanalytic Association and to discuss these suggested amendments with our English colleagues. A secondary goal was to determine the future of the International Journal for Psychoanalysis with respect both to financing and format.

“After writing several colleagues, inviting them to join the Committee, I received acceptances from Drs. Daniel Blain, William H. Dunn, John M. Murray, Maxwell Gitelson and Rita Parker. Dr. Carl Binger did not accept membership on the Committee but agreed to take part in