NOTES 



The British Science Guild and the Fight for Science 



We are glad to hear that the British Science Guild has 

 decided to continue its action regarding Science and the State 

 in spite of the pressure of business caused by the war. Indeed, 

 the moment appears to be an auspicious one for endeavouring 

 to impress upon both British Governments and their subjects 

 that there is such a thing as science — which they seemed 

 almost to have forgotten before the war. Owing to our for- 

 tunate geographical position, to our brave sailors and soldiers, 

 and perhaps still more to our extraordinary good luck, we have 

 hitherto escaped the immense danger which has long threatened 

 us in consequence of our wilful indifference to the power of 

 science in all departments of human life, including strategy. 

 Nations, like individuals, must make up their minds as to 

 whether they intend to be nations of sentimentalists, faddists, 

 and indifferentists, or to use the brains that nature has given 

 them. 



The difficulties under which science labours in Britain have 

 been much commented upon in past numbers of Science Pro- 

 gress, and in October last we published a programme of reforms 

 which require immediate attention. The British Science Guild 

 has now taken up the direction of affairs in this matter, and is 

 issuing circulars to all men of science asking for information 

 on many points. We sincerely hope that all scientific workers 

 will support the Guild, and, if they do not receive copies of 

 these circulars, will write for them to the Secretary, 199, Picca- 

 dilly. 



The Fools' War 



The question of the cause of the war should still exercise 

 the minds of scientific men and other trained reasoners. One 

 of the most valuable publications on the matter is called The 

 Case of the Double Alliance v. the Triple Entente, argued by James 

 M. Beck, formerly Assistant Attorney-General of the United 



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