CORRESPONDENCE 305 



(p. 7) or " manifests a desire" (p. 25) or even suffers from "its unsatisfied 

 desire " (p. 66). The psychology of motive and emotion makes sad confusion 

 among mechanical facts. 



Tastes differ even among scientists, and it is possible that other critics 

 may be prepared to disregard as venial slips, in a plausible aggregate, what I 

 have instanced as fundamental misconceptions. And it must be admitted 

 that your reviewer is not alone in his opinion. Another reviewer in a con- 

 temporary journal [Nature, May 12, 1921, p. 328) gives equally unqualified 

 commendation to the same work. By a happy accident of the press your 

 own reviewer is made to say that "the methods of eliminating fiction are 

 described." The statement is premature. 



G. T. Bennett. 



Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 

 May 23, 192 1. 



To THE Editor of " Science Progress " 



RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS 



Dear Sir, — Russian scientists are at present in extremely necessitous 

 circumstances. Reference has frequently been made to the matter in the 

 newspaper press and elsewhere. Maxim Gorki in particular has made 

 urgent appeals to our men of science and artists to come quickly to the aid 

 of these unfortunate people, and since the frontier between Finland and 

 Russia was reopened, for diplomatic intercourse at least, certain Finns 

 have been able to visit Russia and to verify the accounts received from there. 

 At Petrograd, for instance, there are more than five thousand scientists, 

 with their families, who are fighting for their lives against hunger and other 

 privations. More than one scientist of European reputation has already 

 perished. 



We, the undersigned, who have been appointed by our colleagues of the 

 University of Helsingfors as a Committee to assist the Russian scientists in 

 their extremity, deemed it to be our duty to look for help in the first instance 

 in our own country. 



We recently supervised the dispatch of several wagon-loads of food- 

 stuffs to Petrograd for distribution by trustworthy persons. But this help, 

 to be effectual, must be continued for months, especially as it is foreseen with 

 certitude that the appalling food-crisis which exists in the Russian cities 

 will become more acute in the immediate future. It would also be desirable 

 that help should also be extended to other cities, particularly Moscow. 



It is to be feared, however, that the resources of our country will not suffice 

 the purpose we have in view. We, the undersigned, therefore, with the 

 approval of our colleagues, have decided to approach a certain number of 

 persons of eminence in the scientific world in order to obtain, through their 

 benevolent mediation, publicity for the facts of the case. It may perhaps 

 only be necessary to bring the precarious situation of the Russian scientists 

 to the notice of the world in order to secure for them the assistance of which 

 they stand in need if they are to be saved in the terrible crisis with which 

 they are confronted. With this object in view we venture to count upon 

 your sympathetic co-operation. 



We add : Should our project, thanks to your enlightened efforts, be 

 efficaciously supported by others, and should our Committee, by reason of 

 the vicinityof our country to Russia and of the knowledge we already possess 

 of the means of transport in Russia, be able to serve the cause by accepting 

 the role of intermediaries, we shall be happy to place our services at your 

 disposal. If this proposal is accepted we request you to be kind enough to 



