642 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



blackleg professors, set up elaborate restriction on output, 

 and rule that no research worker must publish more than one 

 paper a year. And the strange thing is that the people who 

 conclude thus rashly are the last to admit that the power and 

 influence which organised labour has gained for itself in the 

 State are really due to the adoption of such practices. We 

 believe that this power and influence is simply the natural 

 consequence in a democratic community of the form of organ- 

 isation which the manual operatives have adopted, and that 

 it will never be obtained by other groups in the community 

 unless they follow the example and unite themselves in truly 

 representative and all-inclusive associations. It is from the 

 number of their members and the width of their membership 

 that they derive their strength ; it is in this, and not in the 

 details of their policy, that we wish to imitate them. 



And perhaps a second purpose which may be usefully 

 served by the Union should be indicated. There are many 

 sectional scientific associations in existence and there are more 

 forming ; all are striving to promote the interests of their 

 branch of the profession. It is by no means impossible that, 

 in the near future, these interests may clash ; we would 

 suggest that the best means of avoiding the disastrous disputes 

 which would ensue is the formulation of a common policy in 

 a common society. 



Other questions concerning the Union are, I hope, sufficiently 

 answered in the pamphlet for which every one interested is 

 asked to write ; but one important question may be answered 

 here. The originators of the Union feel it would be ridiculous 

 for them or for any other self-appointed body to attempt to 

 lay down permanently even general conditions for a Union 

 intended to embrace all scientific workers. While, therefore, 

 they express in the pamphlet some suggestions of what the 

 Union may be or may do, they are devoting their energies 

 entirely to the formation of a preliminary organisation which 

 shall enable a meeting to be summoned in which every one will 

 be represented who cares to be. The meeting thus summoned 

 will determine the future of the Union, and may possibly deter- 

 mine it in a manner unexpected by its conveners. The explana- 

 tion of this preliminary organisation is the main object of the 

 pamphlet ; but we would urge that dissent from any of the 

 views which the present committee may indicate is not a 



