^ettena t& tile Sdcton-
prove feasible in certain cases for contracts to be drawn up between student and employer for future full-time employment after graduation. New York, N. Y.
Thanks The following letter was addressed to the President of the AMERICAN- CHEMICAL SOCIETY : DEAR S I R :
Answering an invitation of the B.A.E.F., I took part in a mission of scientific information in the United States. I stayed there for two months and during that time I visited several American universities as well as several laboratories of industrial research. I marvelled at the huge effort the American scientists made during the war in improving the development of the means for the investigation of chemical and physical properties of matter and especially of its internal structure. Thanks to so wealthy an equipment of the laboratories put at the disposal of numerous first rate scientists, we may look forward to a wonderful era of scientific progress. But while I was highly interested in the conversations I had with many colleagues and in the beautiful apparatus they showed me in their laboratories, I was very moved by their kindness and the devotedness to make my stay among them as fruitful as possible. I should like to express to them my very hearty thanks. L. D'On Li&ge, Belgium Peace DEAR S I R :
Wallace P. Cohoe's address [CHEM. ENG. NEWS, 24, 1792 (1946) ] is on a subject of great interest at present. His thesis is that the people of the world desire lasting peace, and this peace rests in the hands of the English-speaking nations, for through their superiority in science, they have the power and, through their superiority in morals, the right to assume this responsibility, fie says, c 'The prevention of World War I I I is the manifest duty of the Anglo-American family. Physically we hold the fate of civilization in our hands." This seems quite an attractive idea until we reflect that there maybe other families of nations which have the similar idea that it is they who, through their superior righteousness, have been chosen by God to bring peace to the world. We all desire peace provided it is a peace of our own making, for obviously such- a peace is the only just peace, and justice must prevail. All nations are peace-loving if they feel they can gain nothing by war, and all become aggressor nations when such a course appears advantageous. Every great nation in the world's history has become great through aggression. 2852
It would bo a n interesting development if soxne of the genius and energy of scientists now exercised on inanimate things could, be applied to the affairs of men. Let a few of o u r clever minds begin to study man, not from the standpoint of his c"interests", b u t strictly as a biological phenomenon, a n d let such concepts as "righteousness" and "wickedness" be discarded. Here is a field for some ''pure" scientist. Perhaps his research would show that war is necessary and desirable, as our own Ted Roosevelt believed. DONALD DAVIDSON
Chicago, III. GI
Students
DEAJR SIR:
Casual inspection would seem to indicate that the G I Bill greatly eases the lot of a l l students a n d especially of those who had previously worked their way. Closer examination reveals that conditions are not the same a s existed before the war. While the tuition and expense grant seems adequate for most courses, the subsistence allowance is certainly insufficient even for a mere existence. We must assume that the student has sufficient savings to see hiim through his studies or that he must wc-rls part-time. However, rustiness in the field can only mean t h a t more time and effort will b e expended in assimilating information, leaving less for earning. Then, too, the students are several years older and—especially among candidates for higher degrees—many have assumed the responsibilities (and expenses) of familiesEx-GI students, then, must work while stuclying if they are to exist. For students taking full courses and drawing the "full" subsistence allowance, this work must be a part-time job. I have been wondering whether any thought has been given to a plan whereby chemical industry and research in this country would make available part-time openings for such students. Admittedly, such a plan would not be economical. I contend, however, that longterm benefits would accrue which would more than compensate for the immediate waste. Given a reasonable chance of obtaining part-time employment, more veterams will avail themselves of the GI Bill, thereby ensuring sufficient trained personnel. Of greater importance will be the exT3erience garnered by the students. -Among other ideas, the following might be considered: The employer could, by agreement with university authorities, suggest research topics in which he has special interest and thus employ the student working orx these topics; or several stixdents might h e employed as a research team for specific problems. I t might even
Coal
JACOB G. RABINOWITZ
Problem
D E A R SIR:
Frank Wills, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Francisco, first called my attention to the editorial "Will Science Solve the Coal Problem?" [Ind. Eng. Chem., 38, 767 (1946)]. We have been working on that problem for some years. In fact the writer has been at it since 1890 during a period when mine fires occurred. Gasification of carbons in situ might be abbreviated "mine fires in reverse". Anyone who has helped in quenching a coal mine fire knows some things not yet in the books of science. Practical experience has of course supported the theory but on such a scale as to fog our scientific concepts ! One need not be surprised that the Soviet scientists had labored so long, up to 1943 when they made a 248 B.t.u. synthesis gas a t Gorlovka, and said so little. And now, with their Peter Kapitza low-cost oxygen, they probably intend to advance their work much beyond 1943 in the Donbas (see April 1946 Coal Age, page 128). I hope they do. The attitude of the U. S. coal industry on this subject leaves much to be desired. The industry is based upon production of lump coal. It insists (through its Bituminous Coal Research, Inc.) upon using the methods and mechanisms suited to lump production. The attitude of the gas and coal industries is based upon recognition of the wane of such substances in the United States. They cannot pay lump- or sized^-coal prices even though they have much of the "knowhow" of gasification and liquefaction of coal. From the Bureau of Mines through the universities, lack of finances ties the hands of the science workers who have the necessary experience. As to who could gasify coal in situ, my guess would be the gas and oil Industries. Uniquely 4 0 % of the production of the coal industry has been invaded by oil and gas. The remaining 60% cannot compete with in situ techniques from which practically all but coke fuels would derive. The work would initiate in California where our folk are gas-fuel minded. Recent period coals occur sporadically, remote from cities or rail access, and are filthy, low grade, warped, and faulted, but their carbon is yet carbon and their gasification in situ takes no heed of such shortcomings. Conservative estimates say that thousand-mile gas lines cannot compete. Even "Dobie" Keith (hydrocol processor of natural gas in Texas) holds for coal work. F. C. G R E E N E
Berkeley, Calif.
CHEM! CA L AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
