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The twenty-first annual meeting of the American Economic Association was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, December 28 to 31, 1908. Three smaller bodies, the American Sociological Society, the American Statistical Society, and the American Association for Labor Legislation, convened at the same time and place. Various economists and sociologists read their paper on different subjects. Several joint sessions were devoted to subjects of common interest. Professor J.B. Clark of Columbia University, New York, read the chief paper on collective bargaining. The joint session to consider legislation affecting laborers was opened by an address by Professor H.W. Farnam of Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

This article presents a brief information on social conditions of the U.S. Robert Lipsyte, that most perceptive sociologist who masquerades as a sports columnist for "The New York Times," says of the "Super Sixties" that "we won't know what really happened until the films are developed." That, of course, is true, but the end of a decade confronts editorial writers with art irresistible temptation to comment on the decade that has come to an end, if not to speculate on the one that lies ahead. The week between Christmas and New Year's is traditionally a time of scientific and scholarly meetings, at which in past years, chose to discuss, were safely bounded by their specialties. But times have changed. The shift could be noted in 1968, and it was accelerated in 1969. Technical papers still dominated, but at major conventions, such as the one held in Boston, Massachusetts, by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the relation of science to society, and the social responsibilities of scientists, generated the most excitement.

The article focuses on the death of Oscar Ameringer, a national sociologist. His death in the struggle, at Oklahoma City on November 6 can be attributed to his trip last year to the Louisiana colony, where he hoped to set up for the Negro workers a school as well-equipped as the Eva Frank Schoolhouse, built under Ameringer's direction, for the whites. He was suffering from heart trouble when, against the advice of his doctor, he made the long trip to the Delta. As was his custom, he lived in cheap hotels, took no heed of his diet, worked furiously over his plans-at anything but union hours.

The rebellion on the island started on the night of July 18. Although the Socialists had, of course, heard radio accounts of Spanish General Francisco Franco's rebellion and had been advised by a few of the older men to expect trouble at home, they were quite unprepared to defend themselves. Incredibly enough, they made no attempt to conceal party documents or to disguise party activities, much less to prepare for armed resistance. On July 19, therefore, the rebels were able to enter party headquarters without a serious struggle. There was some shooting, particularly in the early morning hours, but the Socialists were so hopelessly outnumbered that their abortive attempt at counter-revolution was quickly checked.

This article briefly discusses the books "Robert Dale Owen: A Biography," by Richard William Leopold. "The Incorrigible Idealist," by Elinor Pancoast and Anne F. Lincoln. Two biographies of Robert Dale Owen have recently appeared; the one by Richard Leopold is the first full-length portrait of a man whose long life of seventy years spanned the political and economic ferment of American development. It is a scholarly book of interest not only to historians but to sociologists and psychologists. Robert Dale Owen, the eldest son of Robert Owen, industrialist and socialist reformer, started life with the disadvantages--and advantages--of a guinea pig in an experimental school.

Presents several letters to the editor on the socio-political conditions in the U.S. Role of the Democratic Party in supporting the political program of U.S. President William Howard Taft; Comments on professor Henry Jones Ford's article "The Pretensions of Sociology," focusing on interpretation of sociology by sociologists; Questions on whether the Bible is or not a good literary model.

Presents several letters to the editor related to the current issues in the U.S. Appeal of sociologist Stuart Palmers to use a Jew for a sociological study; Comparison of sociologist Stuart Palmer with sociologist S.J. Perelman; Comments on the article "The Case of the Missing Purpose," by Hans Meyerhoff.