of factual advance planning, we cinweil start our look into the future in the laboratoly. All agree there will be more and better research. Our experience in wartime emergencies should enable 11s to make a keener selection of problems, a more discriminating attack, and a more aggressive program of commercialization. There will be an increased demand for chemists and chemical engineers, even after demobilization. These jobs will be found not o d y in the process industries but throughout the manufacturing world. The war has shown clearly the importance of the technical man in all fields of business and the lesson will not be forgotten. w e should therefore examine the educational developments which will make our profession still more usefd in the world of the future. The implementation of new chemical discoveries to commercial scale will make increased demands 011 the talents of our chemical ellgineers. What have we learned from the war that will help in the tramition and postwar periods? Chemical manufacturing involve# large investment in equipment and heavy depreciation. What are the financial problems we will face in reconversion? We must remember that postwar readjustments are a world problem. What are the opportunities for the chemical industry in i.nternationa1 trade? We must be leaders. Finally, the war has drawn management and technical men even closer together. The more intimate this cooperation, the Inore we can expect in the way of B concerted, aggressive effort toward a better tomorrow.
AN EYE to the future is second nature to both the chemical
profession and the chemical industry. Their parallel development during the past two cehturies is based on the concept that it is always possible to do things better, and that advances in science and its applications 6hOdd not be left to chance but should be systematically encouraged. I n brief, then, forward planning-today usually called “postwar planning”-is nothing new to us; now we are merely placing greater emphasis on N basic philosophy to which we all subscribe. The chemical industry in its many branches is and will continue to be a t the heart of the war effort. The munitiom program, the gigantic synthetic rubber industry, the expansion of aviation gasoline production, and the development of a host of wartime aubstitutea for other essentials leave no doubt that chemicals are the lifeblood of our approaching victory over the Axis. Thesc contributions are absorbing all our attention, technical manpower, and facilities. The Nation, however, is convinced that industry must take seribus account of the problems to be faced when the war j s won. Victory will be hollow if management has not made preparations to the best of its ability for the readjustment of our economy to pencetime basis. The manufacture of chemicals will play a vital part during the transition and postwar periods. Our improved products will be the focus of new developments in other industries. During
J 387
a
B
W.R~sdk
