Journal Article Wartime Concentration of British Industry Get access Mary E. Murphy Mary E. Murphy Hunter College Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 57, Issue 1, November 1942, Pages 129–141, https://doi.org/10.2307/1881816 Published: 01 November 1942
The article assess the accomplishments of seven International Congresses of Accountants held to date. The first congress held in 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri sponsored by the Federation of Societies of Public Accountants in the U.S., must be attributed to George Wilkinson, an Illinois certified professional accountant (CPA) who was born in England, but spent his professional life in the U.S. The 1904 Congress was an ambitious event for the American accounting profession. It was held when The American Association of Public Accountants had a membership of only 140 scattered over 15 states, of whom 81 held CPA certificates. The Third International Congress was held in New York City in September 1929. Joseph E. Sterrett and F. van Dien, presidents of the earlier congress, served as Honorary Presidents, while Robert H. Montgomery held the role of President of the 1929 sessions. The 1952 Congress, convened in London, England, included about 80 CPAs from the United States. It exercised a constructive influence on international finance and commerce, and stimulated avid discussion and subsequent research on fluctuating price levels in relation to accounts, accounting requirements for issues of capital, the accountant in industry, the accountant in practice and in public service, and the incidence of taxation.
The first treatise on double-entry bookkeeping published in Dutch appeared in 1543. With the early foundation of bookkeeping in the Netherlands, it is surprising that the profession developed so slowly and so late. It was not until 1880 that the first public accountant's office was established there, but by 1905 there were four societies of accountants in existence. The oldest professional body is Het Nederlandsch Instituut dan Accountants, founded in 1895, with a membership originally divided into first and second class. The four professional bodies were amalgamated in 1934 under the title, Het Nederlandsch Instituut van Accountants, its headquarters is at Herengracht 491, Amsterdam. The Netherlands Institute was established on English lines, its founders having been especially influenced by The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. In the early years, the accountant was regarded merely as an expert and confidential adviser to his client. In the course of time, attention was directed to the accountant's third-party relations.