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T H E JOURiVAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION AND RESEARCH OF T”E MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE QF TECHNOLOGY
As a result of the activity incident to raising its Eight Million Dollar Endowment Fund, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has established a form of relationship with certain commercial organizations which bids fair to become an important factor in that much discussed and highly desired cooperation between educational institutions and the industries of the country. This relationship is set forth in a contract between individual industrial organizations and the Institute of Technology, under which the industry pays an annual retaining fee to the Institute, in return for which the Institute assumes certain definite obligations of such a character as it is clearly in a position to meet. To execute the obligations thus incurred, the Institute has set up a separate organization known as the Division of Industrial Cooperation and Research. The adjective industrial limits the noun “cooperation” rather than “research,” because the research work made possible by the new contract plan is not limited to industrial investigations. While originally the funds obtained under the contract were applied to the Endowment Fund of the Institute, those which accrue from contracts obtained since March I will be devoted to the support of the Division and to research, largely in fundamental science. This work will naturally be carried on largely a t the Institute, but not necessarily so. The industrial progress of the community depends upon an active and productive interest in research everywhere, and it is the intention of the Division to support investigations of promise wherever found. Obviously the most insistent demand which the industries make upon the universities is for men trained to solve the many problems with which these industries are confronted. Unfortunately many manufacturers in America still suffer from the erroneous idea, seldom met in Germany but very prevalent here, that only those men specifically trained in a definite industry can be of any help in promoting the progress of that industry. A soap manufacturer still asks for a man trained in soap-making; a tanner still seeks for a man who has had a “cotu-se in tanning.” If a new factory is to be put into operation along old and well-tried lines, it is clearly to the advantage of the owner to obtain a man who can do well those things which have already been done by others. For this purpose, however, a man with factory experience and not a man who has just graduated from the university is indicated. If, however, it is desired to do better something which is already reasonably well done, the greatest promise lies not in the man who has spent his time while at the university in learning the specific details of this one industry, as these details were then known and practiced, but rather in a man whose whole time was spent in acquiring a sound knowledge of science and, so far as possible, a training in the application of science to existing problems, whatever the field in which those problems may have been found. Hence the Institute does not agree to train men peculiarly fitted for any particular industry or to organize courses of study for the development of specialists. This special knowledge can best be obtained by working in that particular industry under a superintendent who knows well the technique of the industry. A year’s factory experience in a well-administered plant will superimpose upon a man’s scientific foundation a structure which will enable him not only to follow the old methods, but to determine the underlying reasons for their existence, and hence to form a rational plan for trying to improve on them. Someone has said that a practical man is one who continues to make the same old mistakes; a scientific man makes mistakes but they differ from time to time. But for those industries which want to advance, something more must be done than to supply them a man with the regular
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four-year undergraduate course of study. The application of science and scientific method not only to the search for new knowledge and new processes but also to rational improvement of old processes is susceptible to organized effort, and is generally spoken of as “training for research.” The method is the same whether the object be to establish some underlying principle or generalization without reference to its immediate application (pure science); or whether the problem be a search for knowledge concerning a definite reaction in order that the yield of a particular process may be thereby increased (applied science). Some men work more enthusiastically on one type of problem and some on the other; and obviously the training can be as effective in one case as in the other. It is the quality and fundamental character of the work which counts, and not the interval of time which may be expected to elapse before the results may find utility. The Division of Industrial Cooperation and Research will foster both types of investigation. The work in fundamental science will be supported by the retainer fees paid by contracting companies, while studies in applied science will be paid for by the contractor for whom the work is done; obviously, in the latter case the results obtained become the property of the contractor meeting the expenses of the investigations. As previously stated, it is not the intention of the Division t o limit its contractors to the facilities of the Institute. I t has already been found advantageous to divert a large number of queries submitted under this plan to consulting engineers throughout the country, and it is expected that the practice will be greatly increased. That wonderfully effective cooperation which in Germany was brought about by the interposition of governmental authority over both the universities and the industries must in America be effected by some such voluntary plan of mutual helpfulness as this contract provides. The Technology Plan will doubtless be improved upon as time goes on, but even to-day it has elements-of great promise. WILLIAMH. WALKER,Director Division of Industrial Cooperation and Research MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTEOF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MASS., March 16, 1920
PURCHASE OF GERMAN BOOKS AND PERIODICALS
Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: It may be worth noting in the JOURNAL that the Leipzig Book Dealers Association has agreed upon an arrangement whereby it is practically impossible to purchase German books and periodicals in any way that will even approximately take advantage of the current exchange rate of the German mark. A great many chemists have ordered German publications in the hope that in some way this could be done. How this works out may, however, be indicated by the following : All German publishers now ask IOO per cent over the published price of all books and in addition to this the Leipzig Association adds 400 per cent for all publications for export (on January 15 this was 340 per cent). Furthermore they insist on payment a t the rate of $9.00 per IOO Marks regardless of the current rate of exchange. I have inquired into this carefully and I find that most of the importers are really getting a very small profit. The difficulty is a t the other end. For example, a recent small book, publishers’ price 2 0 Marks, actually sold to the American purchaser through a well-known New York importer for $4.00. The working agreement of the Leipzig Association does not apply to secondhand books. It is possible for private individuals in Germany to purchase publications there a t 100 per cent over
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the published price. No established dealer or importer will undertake to purchase books in this manner for American clients on account of the penalty of being excluded from all further purchases from any of the members of the German PubVshers Association a t Leipzig if discovered. A notice sent out by the Leipzig Association on January 1 5 , 1920, states that government cooperation in this matter has been sought, but it is not clear that the government is actually a party to this arrangement. Certain German publishers and dealers bill their goods only in foreign money a t substantially the equivalent of price increment agreed upon by the Leipzig Association. -4 set of Liebig’s Annalen advertised by a well-known German dealer a t 14,000 Marks was sought by an American importer who cabled his Leipzig agent to purchase a t this figure. In due time reply by letter was received to the effect that the price would be 21,000 Marks. A second cable to purchase brought the belated reply that the price would be 42,000 Marks, a t which point negotiations were dropped. This may give your readers some notion of the situation and indicate that the idea of purchasing German books a t this time a t a low figure on account of the exchange rate is largely a delusion. 25 WEST 43rd STREET B. T. BROOKS N E W YORK,N Y . March 2, 1920
CHEMICAL MARKET IN INDIA Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: In one of your more recent issues, as I recall, you requested your readers to send in notes which might be of some interest to the rest of the subscribers to your magazine. It has recently fallen to my lot to purchase, or at least try to purchase, chemicals and chemical apparatus. The situation as I find it is that the country has but few houses supplying these things and, due to the war, low stocks. What we do get is Japanese and though these goods had a clear field they have failed utterly to capture the trade or gain the confidence of the Indian manufacturers and the buyers in the many colleges here. Just now supply houses are offering the remnants of their pre-war stocks of German goods, which are being bought in preference to Japanese goods. This is true of many kinds of buyers. I t occurs to me, therefore, that this country offers a peculiarly good place for American goods. I am constantly being asked the names of factories producing this or that thing of a chemical nature and it would seem to me that with the desire of the Indian purchaser t o obtain American material some of our factories might well try to place their articles here. Thus far, needless to say, one cannot get an American chemical or piece of apparatus without importing i t himself, but he can get and will be forced to accept German or other articles unless there is greater ease of purchase of American goods than a t present. With the tremendous industrial development which India is making, and the far greater development which will be one of the not far-
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distant results of the war, this country will be a market worthy of some serious consideration, I trust that this little note may be of some interest to the manufacturers a t home. It is given for what it may be worth, but with the certain knowledge that the field is open and that American goods will receive a ready welcome here. LAHORE,INDIA HAROLD S.BENNETT January 12, 1920
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Throop College of Technology a t Pasadena, California, has recently changed its name to the California Institute of Technology, in order to denote its transformation from a college of local significance to a scientific school of national scope. The institution has recently received two gifts of $zoo,ooo each to form permanent endowments for the support of research in physics and chemistry, and a gift of $800,000 for general maintenance on condition that the new endowment be increased to a total of $2,000,000. Gifts totaling $280,000 have been received for the construction of new buildings, including an auditorium, physical and chemical laboratories, and a laboratory for aeronautical research.
CHANDLER LECTURE The Chandler Lecture will be given on April 2 7 by Dr. Willis R. Whitney a t Havemeyer Hall, Columbia University, on “The Littlest Things in Chemistry.” The Lectureship, which was inaugurated a t the time of the celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of the School of Mines, in 1914, was allowed to lapse during the period of the war, and is now being reestablished.
SQUALENE: A HIGHLY UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON IN SHARK LIVER OIL-CORRECTION In the article of the above title [THISJOURNAL,
12
(I~zo),
63 ] the following correction should be made : Page 7 1 , 1st col., 19th line, “benzene” should be written
“benzine.” TOKYO, JAPAN
MITSUMARU TSUJIMOTO
THE DETERMINATION OF CELLULOSE IN WOODSCORRECTION In my article under the above title [THIS JOURNAL, 12 (1920), 2641 the following correction should be made: Page 267, 1st col., 12th line, “sufficient 3 per cent sodium hydroxide solution added” should read “sufficient 3 per cent sodium sulfite solution.” BERKELEY,CALIFORNIA WALTERH. DORE
SCIENTIFIC SOCIET1E.S ALL READY FOR THE ST. LOUIS MEETING
That the members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY will
respond in legions to the invitation of our hosts of Missouri is Special Correspondence t o the JOURNALos INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY by JOHNWALKERHARRINGTON shown by the many reservations which are being made a t the
ST. LOUIS, MARCHn~-All signs indicate that the largest meeting of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY ever held will be that of the spring of 1920. If the enthusiasm and interest of the St. Louis Section can accomplish this alone that goal has already been reached. The St. Louisians never fail in anything which they undertake, and the members of this enterprising represent the spirit of progress western Section of our SOCIETY which has always characterized this city of leaders and pioneers.
hotels of the city. Arrangements have been made for special trains from neighboring centers, and it is expected that with the coming of April 1 2 there will be from two to three thousand chemists assembled for the sessions of the SOCIETY. Owing to the forethought of the Section in this city and of that of the University of Missouri, a t Columbia, which joins with it as host, nothing has been omitted for making the stay of the visiting delegation an experience which they will remember with delight in years to come.
