July, 1924
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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
A Political Platform for the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Editor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: Germans and Austrians have been excluded from the Union for political reasons. If this is to continue, the Union should adopt some political platform as the basis for adherence to the Union. Consciously or unconsciously, the reason why Frenchmen are unwilling to see Germans admitted is because they believe that Germany is preparing for another war and that German chemists are in sympathy with such a purpose. With this in mind, the proper platform for the Union would be: 1--War under modern conditions is intolerable and must be avoided. 2-Nations adhering to the Union must agree that, in the future, they will settle all their differences by diplomatic means or through the World Court. As between Germany and the Allies the following logical consequences seem to follow: German:; should agree: 1-That Austria was wrong when she refused to submit her quarrel with Servia to The Hague and Germany was wrong in supporting her. 2-That, as soon as Germany has been admitted to the League of Nations and t o eaual terms in the World Court. all nuestions of difference between bermany and any of the Allies shall be submitted to the World Court for decision and shall not be used as a basis for another war. The Allies should agree: 1-That the question of the legality of the occupation of the Ruhr should be decided by the World Court. 2-That in the future, additional German territory shall not be occupied except in support of a decision of the World Court.
I am very far from thinking that any political platform for the Union is desirable. A political basis for membership seems to me just as undesirable as a religious basis would be. But if a political basis is to be continued, it should be clearly defined and applied impartially, instead of resting, as it does now, on the misunderstanding, hatred, and suspicion which have grown from the war. So long as either the Allies or Germans insist that the mistakes and wrongs of the last sixty years have been all on one side, there can be no peace and each will continue to prepare for another war. When each is willing to admit that there has been some wrong on their own side and when each is willing t o leave to a less partisan coming generation a more accurate decision about relative guilt, and, above all, when each is willing to agree that future differences must be decided by some legal process and not by war, there will be some hope of a permanent peace. The political leaders of Germany and of the Allies seem to be preparing for peace on the basis of the report of the commission of experts. Is i t not possible for the scientific men of the world to lead in ways of peace instead of merely following the financiers and politicians? W. A. NouEs TRIANON PALACE HOTEI. 1 BIS R U E DE VANGUARD PARIS., FRANCE April 29, 1924
Dear Dr. Noyes: You have given more careful attention to the problem than I have, and, not being on the ground, i t may be presumptuous for me to say that I think the only real opportunity for accomplishing the end you so much desire is the preparation of a workable plan for bringing scientists together. We all should desire to see this done and I think most of us do cherish the hope that really
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international conferences may soon be possible, but somehow I cannot help feeling that efforts to get people who have quarreled and who have fought, to agree as to who is responsible and entirely to forget the experiences through which they have been are not likely to be blessed with success. I know much less of the real personalities and temperaments of the several peoples involved than you do, but I doubt whether any amount of altruistic work, which we all commend, could bring those concerned really to forget their long-standing hatreds, animosity, and even, a t times, unfortunate desires for revenge. There are, therefore, many causes for antagonism between these people and grounds upon which they cannot meet with any degree of satisfaction. Granting that they should be brought together in amicable fashion and for constructive work, we must find some common ground upon which such a meeting could take place. This is obviously science. Even here, Belgians, Englishmen, Germans, or Frenchmen could not discuss a topic without having their poorly concealed feelings come boldly into the open; but so long as there are some representatives of these countries who can control their language and behavior, there certainly should be provided a place where they can meet and, forgetting all else a t the moment, devote themselves to the furtherance of science. Therefore, I think what you want me to print is n o t the “Political Platform” you have sent me, but rather your definite proposal and plans for such a real international chemical conference. Can it be carried out successfully? Frankly, I do not know. Representatives of the National Research Council interested in biological abstracts who are planning to go abroad had hoped to have an international conference on their problems. They were strongly advised against it, however, by a well-known, truly neutral Swiss, but to substitute a series of discussions in the dcfferent countries. He seemed to feel that the very presence of these former antagonists would create an atmosphere in which nothing could be done. However that may be, is it not possible that feelings may so change that the International Union will this year be willing to call upon the International Research Council to alter some of the original requirements for enttance and make it possible for such nations as desire membership in the Union to acquire i t ? But you will know better than I what to suggest. The summation of all this is simply to suggest to you that we discontinue trying to fix the blame for the war, give up any effort t o have any of the belligerents recognize that they were not wholly blameless, and taking conditions as they exist, formulate a workable plan aimed a t a worthy ideal and concentrate our efforts upon having it adopted. H.E. HowE WASHINGTOY, D. C. May 13, 1924
.............. Editor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: I have two objects in the “Political Platform” which I sent you. I wish, first, to make it clear that if we have a political basis for the International Union a fair application of a reasonable platform would require concessions from the French which they are no more ready to accept than the Germans. The International Union was founded, practically, on the basis of victor and vanquished. They say, in effect, that that basis must be continued-that the Germans might be admitted if they would admit that Germany was solely responsible for the war and if the signers of the manifesto would repudiate it. Self-respecting Germans would never enter the Union on those cbnditions, and we ought not to expect them to do so, The only basis suitable for an International Union, as i t seems to me, is that men on opposite sides in the war shall clearly understand that their opinions about the origin and conduct of the war will continue to differ for a very long time to come, but that these differences should not prevent them from working together in scientific matters.
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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
The French have also desired to continue the relation of victor and vanquished on the political side, with the result that France found herself very nearly isolated in the face of Germany and is compelled to accept the report of the experts as the only basis on which the cooperation of the Allies can be restored. The fundamental basis of that report, as stated by Dawesin theintroduction, is that Germany and the Allies shall share equally in the cost of restoring Europe to normal conditions. Equality is the only basis on which i t is possible to build permanent peace. The article has already been published in Chemistry and Industry, and if you will compare an editorial by Dr. Miall in the same number with one published several weeks before in connection with a letter from Dr. Fritsche, I think you will agree that some progress has been made toward gaining his support for international cooperation. My second purpose is to help to make clear that the only hope for permanent peace lies in the direction of judicial settlement of international differences. We have made far more prog-
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ress in that direction since 1914 than most people realize. Notice the rehabilitation of Austria and Hungary under the League of N a t i o n s t h e settlement of the Italo-Greek controversy-of Memel-and, most important of all, the commission of experts, which I believe is the beginning of real peace. As to a further program, I agree with the Swiss that it is probably not wise to raise the question of the admission of the Germans a t Copenhagen. Feeling is very intense in Germany a t the present time, as the result of the expulsion of 100,000 Germans from the Ruhr during the Occupation. There is now no confidence in the fair dealing of the other side, either in France or Germany. If the two countries actually work together for a year in carrying out the report of the experts, I hope that a willingness to cooperate in scientific matters may be more in evidence a year from now.
W. A. NOYES VILLB STE. MARIE-DES-FWTS
ST.PAIRPRES GRANVILLE, MANCHE, FRANCE May 25, 1924
Second National Colloid Symposium
THE Second National Colloid Symposium, held a t Northwestern University, June 18 to 21, has again focused atten-
the melting o! a gelatin gel, the photocoagulation of silver particles in a Carey Lea silver sol, and the formation and coagulation tion on this rapidly expanding branch of science, and if the of a bismuth sol under the influence of light. The portion of the film showing the coagulation of silver particles was particularly brilliant researches discussed a t this meeting are any criterion of future progress, we may look forward to some startling develop- striking. At the final showing of the picture, this portion of the ments in this field. The extent of the interest in colloid chem- 5lm was run through backwards, and the reversal demonstrated peptization of the silver particles just as strikingly as the original istry can be measured, to some extent a t least, by a study of the illustratcd coagulation. Dr. Kraemer pointed out that by means registration records a t this second symposium. More than 300 registered during the three-day session, and over half were of the “cino-ultramicroscope,” as he termed the combination from outside of Chicago. Practically all states and several of the cinematograph and ultramicroscope, it is possible to record foreign countries were represented. Of the 152 who came from data which would otherwise have to be gathered rather laboriously distant sections, 68 were university or college men, 67 were men by the statistical route and which frequently cannot be gathered connected with industrial concerns, 6 came from Government by visual observation. Furthermore, the study of processes and laboratories, 3 were consulting chemists, 2 were journalists, and 6 changes taking place in colloid systems can be carried on a t will after the photographs have been made, and by the use of a caligave no classification. Of 19 papers’and demonstrations, 12 were furnished by college brated screen measurements can be made in a simple manner. The method is, of course, limited to cases where data can be obmen and 7 by representatives of industry. While the distribution of papers between college and industrial men was not so well tained by photographic means. balanced as the attendance of these respective groups, the differThe paper by R. A. Gortner on “Acid and Alkali Binding by ence was not in any sense due to a lack of interest on the part of Proteins” was of far-reaching importance, and bids fair to change the industrial group. On the contrary, one of the striking many present conceptions based on the work of Loeh. He defeatures of the symposium was the keen interest and apprecia- scribed two types of combinations between proteins and acid and alkali. The paper by E. C. Bingham on “Plasticity in Colloid tion displayed by the industrial group in the papers involving Control” was also outstanding. He showed that properties of fundamental research. There was a splendid balance-or shall we say, equilibrium-in flow can be used to advantage in dealing with colloid materials where melting point, boiling point, and solubility are either all things throughout the entire symposium. Sharp clashes of wholly lacking or are ill-defined. viewpoints, sometimes resulting from experimental findings of investigators working in the same or related fields, were totally Much credit is due Prof. Frank C. Whitmore and his colleagues lacking; in fact, another outstanding thing about this symposium of the chemistry department of Northwestern University, for the was the remarkable dovetailing of the various investigations re- efficient manner in which the details of the symposium were handled. The university dormitories were opened to the visitors ported upon. One paper seemed to bear out the findings of another and, as one memher put it, there was unmistakable evi- and meals could be had close by, so that the group was able to dence that colloid chemistry has passed definitely from the mix between meetings for informal discussion and exchange of qualitative to the quantitative basis, and progress from now on views. will be rapid. On Wednesday evening an automobile trip through the north shore towns, followed by an informal banquet and dancing a t The program was well arranged and the diversions provided by the Orrington Hotel, was a pleasant diversion. On Friday evethe local committee maintained the balance already mentioned, in leisure hours as well as during the sessions of the symposium. ning the members had an opportunity to join the Chicago Section It would be difficult t o single out any one from among the many of the AMERICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY a t its last regular meeting of excellent papers presented and say that it was the most important, the season. This was held a t the City Club and was preceded by hut unquestionably the paper and demonstration by E. 0. a dinner attended by more than 200. The main speaker was W. Kraemer on “Brownian Movement in Gels” attracted the great- D. Harkins, who gave a lecture on “Isotopes,” which was followed est attention. His moving pictures were nothing short of sen- by four group meetings devoted to the following subjects: indussational. They were shown three times on three successive days, trial research, phosphorescence, arsenic and flame propagation, because of the great demand to study them. The pictures showed and antiknock action. successively the Brownian movement of mercury particles, of The 1925 symposium will be held a t the University of Minne. sulfur particles, of gold particles, the formation of a gelatin gel, sota.
