NSF:
Long Rejects New Offer President Nixon moved last week to mend his frayed relationship with the scientific community brought about by his blockage of the appointment of chemist Franklin A. Long as National Science Foundation director. The President conceded that he had erred in his earlier decision not to appoint the Cornell vice president for research and advanced studies because of the latter's alleged opposition to the ABM. The Chief Executive also disclosed that two weeks ago he asked Dr. Long to reconsider the job. Dr. Long said no thanks. Mr. Nixon admitted his error last Monday at a rare White House meeting with the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Board, and Presidential science adviser Lee A. DuBridge. That evening, Dr. Long, who had wide backing in the scientific community for the NSF post, issued the following statement: "The press report in which President Nixon affirms his intention to keep NSF nonpolitical is welcome news. I very much hope this is agreed to by all parties. "It is true that I was approached about two weeks ago to ascertain if I was willing to reopen discussions about myself as a candidate for the NSF directorship. I very much appreciate this as an indication of new directions. However, feeling as I did that the earlier events had inescapably made me become a politically marked and polarized figure so that my presence would make both the operations of NSF and the carrying out of its administration more difficult, I said no to those approaches."
Dr. Franklin A. Long To Nixon:
thanks, but no thanks
The scientific community is up in arms over what they claim is an unwarranted intrusion of politics into a traditionally nonpolitical area. And Presidential science adviser DuBridge apparently did little to calm the storm last week when he told National Academy of Sciences members that, "When we meet politicians on their own ground, we must not be surprised if they judge us on the basis of our political opinions rather than on the basis of our scientific competence. Whether we like it or not, science is in politics and politics is in science. " Meanwhile, Rep. Emilio Q. Daddario (D.-Conn.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Development, cautioned the scientific community against "overreacting" to the Long fiasco. Speaking at the American Physical Society meeting in Washington, D.C., he cautioned the scientific overreaction to the Administration's action "would only harm NSF and the university research we strive to improve and strengthen."
FRANCE:
Apres Moi, Who? For 11 years French President Charles de Gaulle dominated European political life. The end of the de Gaulle era will mark dramatic changes in Europe, whatever candidate is elected in early June to head France. The European Economic Community, the monetary system, aid to Israel, NATO, foreign investment in France, and French nuclear policy are among the problems to be most drastically affected by de Gaulle's resignation last week. Georges Pompidou, 57, France's former premier, appears to be the most likely candidate to fill the now vacant president's seat. Election of Pompidou, an administrator and former director-general of Rothschild's Bank, backed by the votes of the "European" moderate center and by Gaullists, would produce greater French receptiveness to international monetary cooperation, British entry into EEC, and other issues involving cohesion of the western community. Pompidou, although leader of the Gaullist party, has opposed de Gaulle's views in the past on such subjects as the "unified Europe of states," France's sharp turn against Israel in the wake of the June 1967 war, and especially on the issues of internal and social problems. The most serious candidate to challenge Pompidou appears to be Alain Poher, president of the Senate and present interim French president.
de Gaulle The deluge failed to materialize
Poher, 60, was virtually unknown until recently when he helped lead the successful opposition campaign against de Gaulle's referendum proposals. He has the support of some of France's centrist parties and has been promised the endorsement of some leftist leaders. Although Poher's political views are little known he is a strong supporter of E E C and of British membership. An influence in the race for the presidency might be Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, a former Gaullist minister and leader of the conservative Republican Independent party. D'Estaing said last week that he would support Poher, not Pompidou. A likely dark horse candidate for president is socialist Gaston Defferre. Whichever candidate is elected next month, the first problem he will have to deal with is the weakness of the franc. The franc continues its downward slide, and European bankers think that devaluation is inevitable. French financial observers tell C&EN that the prediction for the devaluation is in the range of 10 to 20%. This could be a serious blow to Britain's unsteady pound, and would shake the world monetary system.
EARNINGS:
First Quarter Gains While chemical makers continued to make steady, if unspectacular, earnings gains in the first quarter of this year, drug makers enjoyed a particularly profitable three months and oil men encountered an unusual break in their almost traditional pattern of solid and reliable earnings growth quarter after quarter. With almost complete returns now in, it appears that the basic chemical industry sold 7% more and earned about 6% more in the first quarter of this year than it did in the first MAY 5, 1969 C&EN 9
