LETTERS To the Editor: When in the August issue Dr. Emst A. Hauser enthusiastically commented on the German colloid chemist, Wolfgang Ostwald, whom, as he relates, he had invited to be guest of honor a t an American colloid symposium, he must unfortunately have become the victim of typical Nazi deception. A considerable number of former European scientists, now in this country, vividly remember the swastika which Ostwald wore on his lapel in Germany after Hitler's rise to power. Remarks, both in private and in public, such as the following, revealed his attitude: .Before we now enter into the scientific part of our meeting, we have the duty, and, I think, the inner urge, to remember the man who with unheard-of energy threw our nation, then in the process of decomposition and disintegration, into the crucible, and who subjected it to that bitterly needed recrystallization, so that now again we may enjoy being Germans. . ." [Translation from Kolluid-Z., 69, 260 (1934); see also 77,154 (1936), and85,115and 119 (1938).] When in 1935 Ostwald became a fnll professor, he was receiving a promotion of a kind never a t that time granted to anyone not closely connected with the party. All this is evidencein which only the actual determination of his party membership number is lacking-that Wolfgang Ostwald was a very good Nazi, openly so inside Germany, but disguised on some of his brief visits abroad, well in accordance with official Nazi policy, as a friendly representative of "internationally minded" German science. Death indeed saved the clever, double-talking propagandist for German "culture" the personal disaster of removal from office by the Allied Military Government. It saved the false solicitor of international good will from becoming a witness of the final downfall of one of the most vicious brands of nationalism, of
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which he had permitted himself to become an active--' even though minowtponent. De mortuis nil nisi bene? No, if a greater than personal issue is involvedl At no moment in history has it been more important for us to be able to discern wisely merit and guilt. There were and still are scientists even in Germany, who, though unable to leave their country or to protest effectively the crimes of their Nazi masters, silently kept their faith in a final restoration of human dignity. Wolfgang Ostwald unfortunately was not one of them. MAXA. BREDIG
To the Editor: Although in my opinion there is nothing more detestable than to mix science and politics and although I feel that the pages of THISJOURNAL should not be used to air political opinions, I cannot let Mr. Bredig's words, particularly his statement that I must unfortunately have become the victim of typical Nazi deception, remain unanswered. I do not doubt that Wolfgang Ostwald wore the swastika on his lapel i n Germany. That he ended his opening addresses a t meetings of the Kolloidgesellschaft with the compulsory "Sieg Heil" can also be found in print. That one had to be a party member to be permitted to teach in the educational field is also well known, and Wo. Ostwald did not need a promotion, he was internationally well known anyhow. But if Mr. Bredig has no better proof to offer that Wo. Ostwald was a very good Nazi, he has no real basis for his accusation. Why did Mr. Bredig not refer to. the fact that at the beginning of every meeting Ostwald read the list of deceased members, which included British, American,
