J U N E 1, 1927
Vol. 19, No. 0
The Privy Council Report HE Coiiiiiiittee of tlie Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of Great Britain has recently issued its eleventh report, which contains much food for thought. We h a m examined with interest the summaries of the work carried on by some tvieiit y-six trade associations, the formation of which has been encouraged by t,he Brilisli Government for the prosecution of research. Of these, twenty-two h a w been in existence for more than five years, two have terminated their existence, while a third has temporarily suspended operations. Some of the activities of the British Council could be duplicated in o u r on-n country wit'h niuch advantage; for example, a "survey of the state of scientific- and industrial research in tlie country in order t o afford an opinion as to how far its derelopment could be further assisted." The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research finds some of the greatest opportunities, and indeed the largest demand a t present, for trained men t o be in the borderlands between chemistry and agriculture, chemistry and botany, chemistry : ~ n dphysics, and other such subjects. Reference is also imide to the proper relationships between government and industry in the prosecution of research. Hcrc n-e find it, s t a t d that "the limits (speaking of nioney grants) i i i m t be c1ict:itcd not only by the distinction of the iyorlier aiitl the iiatiirc of tlie m r k but aldo hv the iuidehirability of w i n g public fundi: to provide would more p r ~ p e d ycollie from other sourc tlic ('oiiiicil, wliieh l i n b Ijeeli gil-en .;onie large funds for dislxirsi,tiiiwt i i i ,sll])lJ(JI'l ( i f sciiJritific work, Iia.: S t l l l J d read\- to r ~ w a ~ * l i iei is iiciv ficltls of knowledge, particul:irly tliwc? whicli a1qie:ir to IJCof potential benefit t o industry, it clearly h1iei-w that thci Gciver~i~iie~it's function is to encour:ige research ill iic~gic~ctcd fields, occasiolially to take t h e lead iii thew new resc:irrh~~.,h i t always to be ,careful that the Chveriinieiit dois licit i1ntlc~rtnke restwcli ~vliicli CHI^ better be done by the intlustrie.; themselves. "The main :IW faced is lion- to eiicoiirage ltlitl ~~ro1111~1ii with wliicli assist tlic iiioveiiieiit fur i i d w t r i d r e m ~ r c l ixitho1lt takiiig over fuiictions which are best carried out 11y intiii>try itself.*** A large portion of tlic TT.o~E;of a goi-ernnient wily bc tlirfctetl toivnrd 1 to help itself." At tht. S:IIIIH tinie it must be recognized that, there :ire certaiii typcs i~i'rt~searc~li probleins of i;ucIi n-ide iritcrest or of aiicli i i i i p ~ ~ r t : itun ~tlie n-elfare of tlie state that they caliiiot be left wlic~llyto private initiative. Agaiii n-e fiiitl the Council clear ill the opiiiion that piirc: aiid applied re.-earcli caiiiiot be promoted as it should bo iuitil public opinion ih fully arou>ed to its iiecessif.y, a n :~rgunieiit that has IJeeli used with justification throughout the derelopment of the -4. C. S.S e w Service. .Iiiother point of mutual intere5t ie the irisktence that industry build 1113 a reserve of hcieiitific hion-ledge in the creation of which the expenditure of stockliolders' money is amply justified, mid look upon iiitlustriul wbearcli "iiot a': a cure for but as a prei-eiition of baiikruptcy ." ~
(
3
One other ret'ei~~~ice. and perliaps one of the iiiost iiiiliort:int, is to t,he ruck i i p ~ i iwhich several prograins of tradc earch havc groutided--nRmely, the applindustrg of tlie results of industrial research. It i-: not difficult, as the report points out! to prepare rqmrts of research results, hiit to make surf t h a t the iiienibers I J f the association apply these. results a i d tliu!: dirertly I~rncf~t, from t'lie work they support is quite another iiiattcr. Ais soon as the time conies n-lien they think that tlic return is not adequate for their espendit'ure. there is either a curtailment of funds or internal di rision that may e w i i cause the ~ ruqieiisiori of a5wciation nork. The remedy W I J L I ~se(:ni to he the creatioii of an educational section and of R stroiig utilization section in any trade association research organization and perhaps ewii in the scientific groups of o m larger industries. =1fter all, qcieiice in industry ii: a iconiparatively r e m i t innovation. ?\lore thought is being gii-en to it, than at aiiy other period, aiicl n-c nixy confidently expect eveii the major probiems to be rednced to their conipoiient~parts, which r i i i be solved one liy oile.
Table d'Hote l I I < S C offering \riclc LI fied tastes of c1i(miihtG i- iii 1) tute of Chemistry of the -11
:i c.1111i
to Iiiwt tlic tli\.orsiatioii for tlic Iiisti-
LhfEITIC.lX CHEhfIC.lL
SOCIETY.
I+eliininary :iiiiioiiiiceiiieiiti ha\-e brcii iiiacle viitl lJ(J(iklets, filled Tvitli detail, are a\.ailable to tliow ~ d i owill write for them. Tlic Institiite is not to lie c~oiii'iiscdwitli ally otliw clieniical activity i n this coiiiitry. It is i i i i i q i i e . I t i: ( I t s signed for a special purpose, aiid \?-e I~rt~tliet~ tlixt tliosic tvlio procrastinate i i i a y find thciiiselT-es tlcqniwc1 of one ( i f tlic ))est opportuIiitie> which has I ) t w i affortleil .hiicric:iti cliciiiids. If y i i i ~:ire ititelit U~JUII vmrkitig ~ ~ iiiiniiti!, r ytlie ~irograiii i)I' the Iiistitute \rill affortl ~ i ~ ) j x ~ r t i ~ for t i i t ythe utilizatioii I J ~your energy. The Scn-b Etlitioiis of ?\\lay 10 :iiid 20 iilclicated a niimlwr I J ~courscx which niay be attentlecl :it will 11)- tliore M - ~ ( J tlwirc i i c ) cdlege credit for their sitminer's ~ r k . In thi, n-:iy R yariety of topics, pr cialistr, c:tn lie licm-d. The morning iiiitil I 1 o'clirk c:tti I J C ~ thus i~cc~ugietl, n-liilc cl;~cliclay a t that hour a gciieral coliicwnce, for nhicli soiiio of the topics have been :innoiuic.ctl, will take plxco. Herc rccogiiized authorities will miii 111) for yoii the Imseiit ,-tatiis of the science in li particular topic., followd by g t w ~ a ldiscw&n. AAt the clo.je ui' tlic coiiference intcwstecl groiips will ui~clou~~teclly coritinue thr: dibcws~ion in the institute dining 1i:iIls. Thereafter you may gather under the trees, at golf, or :rtteiitl other courses. The laboratories will be open and every caliance giveii for work. In the early erening scielltific niotion pictures and later additional lectures aiid siriiilar events for iiistructioii or entertainment. will be offered. S o doubt in iilany cases 50 o i l 1:ir into the groups will continue discussioiis ~~ailcl night ."
