CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING
NEWS JULY 15, 1957 VOL. 35, N O . 28 APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS Director of Publications: C. B* Larrabee Editorial Director: W . J . Murphy Executive Editor: James ML Crowe Production Manager: Joseph H. Kuney CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING NEWS Editor: Richard L. Kenyon Managing Editor; Robert F. Gould EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS Washing-ton 6, D. C . 1155 Sixteenth St.. N.W. Phone Republic 7-5300 Teletype WA 23 News Editor: Gordon H . Bixler Associate Editors: David M . Kiefer, George B. Krantz, R u t h Cornette Assistant Editors: K a t h r y n Campbell, Helen H . Blunt, Irene G . Kiefer, Betty V. Kieffer, Wftilden W . Johnson, David E. Gushee, A r t h u r Poulos, Robert J . Riley, Robert J. Kelley, James H . Krieger Editorial Assistants: Ruth L. Connor» Barbara R. Christie, Hanns L. Sperr Staff Artist: Melvln D. Buckner BRANCH EDITORIAL OFFICES C H I C A G O 3, I L L . Room 926 36 South Wabash Ave. Phone State 2-7688 Teletype CG 72S Associate Editors: Kenneth M. Reese, Chester Placek Assistant Editor: Laurence J . White H O U S T O N 2, TEX^ 718 Melrose Bldg. Phone Fairfax 3-7107 Teletype H O 72 Associate Editor: Bruce F. Greek NEW Y O R K Î 6 , Ν . Υ . 2 Park Ave. Phone Oregon 9-1646 Teletype N Y 1-4726 Associate Editors: W i l l i a m Q. H u l l , Harry Stenerson. Howard J . Sanders, D. Gray Weaver, Walter S. Fedor, M o r t o n Sal kind SAN FRANCISCO 4, C A L I F . 703 Mechanics* Institute Bldg. 57 Post S t . Phone Ex brook 2-2395 Teletype S F 549 Associate Editor:
Richard G . NewhaSI
EASTON, PA. 20th and Northampton Sts. Phone Easton 9111 Teletype ESTN Pst 48 Associate Editor: Charlotte C. Sayre> Editorial Assistants: > Joyce A. Richards, Elizabeth R. R u f e . June A . Barron EUROPEAN O F F I C E Bush House, Aldwych, London Phone T e m p l e Bar 3605 Cable J I E C H EM Associate Editor: Albert S. Hester Advisory Board: Hazel Bishop, Maurice F. Crass, Jr., R; L. Ericsson, C. C. Furnas, Lloyd A. H a l l , Theodore S. Hodgins, J . R. Hoover, J. Warren Kinsman, R. W . McNamee, Lloyd H. Reyerson, E. G . Rochow, Glenn T. Seaborg, Carl Setterstrom, Frank J . Soday, Thomas H . Vaughn -f.Advertising Management: REiNHOLD PUBLISHING C O R P . 430 Park A v e . , New York 22, Ν . Υ. (For Branch Offices see p a g e 9 1 ) The American Chemical Society aasnmés n o responsibility for t h e statements and opinions adranced b y contributors t o its publications. Views expressed in t h e editorials are those of the editors and do nor necessarily repxeicne the official position of the American Chemical Society.
A N D W E T H I N K W E H A V E TROUBLES! British Report Recommends Thai Industry Help to Staff T&chnical Colleges
JL H E SHORTAGE of young, highly competent scientists and engineers L· the U. S. and the impending crisis in our colleges are topics that keep coming up more and more often. W e are not the only ones in this fix. The information that filters through the Iron Curtain discloses that in Russia and some of the satellite countries training of scientists and technologists has been p u s h e d now for a decade, largely at the expense of other professions In Western Europe the dearth of scientists and engineers is even more serious than in the U.S. A committee under the Minister of Education in Britain reports thut the shortage there is acute. T h e cornniittee's report ("The Supply and Training of Teachers for Technical Colleges," British Information Service, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, N e w York, Ν. Υ., $1.77) should he studied by industrialists and educators in the U. S. There is much food for thought here. Ideas in trie report go further than any yet proposed to U. S. industry. British industry, the committee says, must be willing to accept and, indeed, encourage and assist the transfer of experienced staff members t o full-tmie teaching work. It suggests that certain staff members of industry, commerce, and government departments help with training in scientific and technical schools t h r o u g h part-time teaching appointments. These would carry special status and title, such as special lecturer and reader. T h e report adds quite a few other proposals, all with provision in mind for the "seed corn" for future crops of scientists, especialK engineers. The British Chemical Trade Journal and Chemical Engineer corn ments that the chemical engineer shortage is drastic. W e h e a r d one of t h e foremost authorities on British chemical industry say last year in L o n d o n that Great Britain is at least 10 years behind in its training program for young m e n in this field. F o r some years the British chemi cal process industries must b e prepared to lose more than they appear to gain. W e in the U. S. are not much better off. U. S. Netvs and World Report describes the impending crisis as one caused by too little money, too few teachers, and a shortage of classrooms for the floods of students soon due. American chemical process industries have not yet been asked to send junior a n d senior staff members back to the schools as full or part-time teachers, b u t this could well be the urgent plea in the near future. Industry has been asked not to raid teaching staffs, and industry has cooperated. N o r do we believe it right for us to recruit too many scientists and engineers from abroad. If conditions are even half as bad as they a p p e a r e d to b e in Europe last summer, we should not be a party to making them worse b y enticing the best brainpower to come here to relieve a temporary shortage. W e sympathize with the young foreign scientist who thinks there is a pot of gold at the end of the U. S. in dustry rainbow, but his own country will not progress if its technical manpower deserts for seemingly fantastic salaries and opportunities elsewhere. American taxpayers supply billions of dollars for foreign aid. Much of this is earmarked for technical assistance in building u p industries in underdeveloped countries, thereby improving living standards. But w h a t sense is there in spending this money if w e take away their few scientists and engineers? Let's solve our problem by using our own potential effectively
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