It has been four years since we last met in Berkeley, where you honored me with the Presidency of this great Union. During this unusually long period between the Thirteenth and the Fourteenth General Assemblies, we have suffered many losses of friends and colleagues. Among the most notable of our colleagues who have passed away are F. A. Vening‐Meinesz, a past President of our Union; W. Rleeker, a distinguished meteorologist from the Netherlands; Lloyd V, Berkner, a past President of ICSU and URSI and an outstanding leader during the IGY and during the fruitful period following the IGY; Julius Bartels, our former Vice President and a leader in geomagnetism and aeronomy; and M. Doporto, Chairman of our Finance Committe