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The summary dismissal of the director of the National Bureau of Standards, A. V. Astin, by Secretary of Commerce Weeks is a matter of deep eoncern to all scientists. Dr. Astin was chosen for his post after careful scrutiny of his qualifica tions by a group of some of America's best scientists. There is no indication that any of these men were consulted regarding his dismissal. It is a serious step to remove the head of one of our most highly respected gov ernment bureaus. Such a step is wrong without clearly proved grounds, publicly stated, of misconduct or incompetence. The reason given to the press is that, in Mr. Weeks's opinion, the bureau had failed to give a fair trial to a battery additive which had been tested and found t o b e without merit. It is difficult to see how the Secretary was able to judge as t o the fairness of the trial since there is no evidence that any recognized authority in the field was consulted as t o the technical aspects of the tests. (Apparently neither the group at MIT nor Dr. Laidler had previous experience with storage battery testing.) Dr. Astin's suggestion that the matter b e reviewed either by the visiting committee of the Bureau of Standards or by the National Academy of Sciences was apparently ignored. The implication is clear in Mr. Weeks's statements in the press that "unfairness" has been imputed to those members of the bureau staff who did the work because they were acquainted with, and discussed the tests with, employees of battery manu facturers. This is indeed a new sort of guilt by association. Any scientist must resent the imputation that discussion of a problem with those expert in the field can poison the minds of competent men. There would appear to b e two immedi ate effects of Dr. Astin's dismissal and the manner in which it was carried out. Doubts will be raised in t h e public mind as to the integrity of the Bxireau of Stand ards. In fact, Secretary Weeks has indi cated his own doubts by bis statement to the Senate Small Business Committee that he "cannot help but wonder how many similar cases of unfairness bave never been heard of." This is sheer surmise and un supported by the slightest evidence. An other effect' will he to cause most scientists to question the judgment of those mem bers of the Administration charged with formulating the policies of the Bureau of Standards. Secretary Weeks has publicly questioned the "objectivity" of the bureau's scien tists. Can he possibly believe that objec tivity is fostered by the summary dis missal of a man who stands up firmly, even at the cost of his position, for the rights of scientists to state the facts as they find them? Certainly the effect of the Secretary's action will be to discour CHEMICAL
EDITOR
age the best men of science from govern ment service and to induce in the re mainder a timidity which is the very oppo site of objectivity. May the day neve come when the men of the Bureau ο Standards find it necessary to be governe< by political rather than by scientific con siderations in the performance of thei duties. UPTON B. THOMA
Summit, N. J. P o l i t i c s Rules Science DEAR
SIR:
I believe the appended translation of a introduction to an article in the Januar 1953 number of the Journal of Generi Chemistry, USSR, may be of some interei to quite a few American chemists. I assume no responsibility for the mear. in g of this statement, but can assure yo of the translation's being literally exact. W.
M.
STERNBER
Louisiana, Mo. Extract from an article by B. A. Kazansk and G. B. Bykov On the Question of the Status of th Theory of Structure in Organic Chemist! Journal of General Chemistry, USSR, 2: 168 ff. (1953). A creative development of the theori< of chemical structure of A. M. Butlerov the basic problem in the field of theoj to be solved by the Soviet chemists. T l dialectic materialism—the methodolog foundation of Soviet science—demands t l study of the development, motion an changes in phenomena. With an histor approach to the contents of the basic coi cepts and laws of the theory of chemic structure, it becomes, therefore, impossib to discover neither the deep ration changes in them, nor the appropriate ten< ency for their further development at tl present time. The idealistic theory of resonance ar mesomerism were justly subjected to devastating criticism at the Council on tl theory of chemical structure convened the section of chemical sciences of t] Academy of Sciences of the USSR in Jui 1951. This removed the fundamental ο stacle for the fruitful development of tl theory of organic chemistry which is ii possible without creative discussioi without a struggle of opinions, witho criticism and self-criticism. However, ere tive discussions of our chemists will be fruit only if the businesslike discussion the questions raised was conducted wi no polemical sophistry, which interfei with the objective solution of debatal questions. W e consider the fundamental questio to required discussions are: ( 1 ) The mo em conceptions of chemical structure; ( the modern conception of relationship 1} tween the structure and properties of ς ganic compounds. The council meeti has demonstrated the existence of ma different, and frequently incompatib viewpoints, and the accord of the Sov chemists is particularly important on tl problem. AND
ENGINEERING
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