Industrial Research 



197 



vegetable oils, phosphates, and agrieulliuul j)i(i(hicts, 

 has constituted an important sphere of activity. 



French designers of packages for perfumes and cos- 

 metics lead the world and have consciously or uncon- 

 sciously exerted a world-wide influence on industrial 

 design, not only in packaging but as well in architecture, 

 furniture, equipment, automobiles, railroads, and other 

 lines. 



Although considerable research is conducted bj' trade 

 associations, it has been difficult to ascertain its extent. 

 The French rubber plantation interests maintain a 

 research institute in cooperation with similar Dutch 

 and British institutes for development of new uses for 

 rubber. A foundry research bureau was organized in 

 1938. 



Research in Germany 



During the nineteenth century science in Germany 

 made tremendous advances, and German scientists 

 were encouraged to apply the results of their discoveries 

 and inventions to the development of industry. The 

 enormous growth which followed in the chemical, 

 steel, electrical, and other industries was in large 

 measure due also to the association of science with the 

 traditions of German learning and the prestige which 

 science gained from recognition by the Government. 

 The Government and state research institutes, the 

 universities anil institutes of technology, and in- 

 dustry all played important parts in this remarkable 

 development. 



Germany was among the first countries to recognize 

 the importance of research in science and industry 

 before the World War, but perhaps the most brilliant 

 period in her science occurred when a defeated nation 

 turned to research as a means of overcoming the mate- 

 rial and human losses sustained. Before the depression 

 Germany was one of the leading nations in organ- 

 ized scientific research. With the ascendency of the 

 Nazi regime a change took place in the attitude of the 

 Government toward research, the efforts of which were 

 directed to the interest of the national economy and 

 preparedness. 



Prior to 1933, the foundation of research and science 

 in Germany was in the five states, each of which luTil 

 its Department of Science and the Arts. The iiighest 

 developmi>nt was in Prussia. The state, through the 

 Prussian Ministry for Science and the Arts, largely 

 controlled important scientific and research personnel 

 b}' such means as financial support of research fellow- 

 ships, consultation fees, and guarantees for lectures. 



Following the lessened ability of industry to bear its 

 share of financing research and the consequent burden 

 placed on the state in the post-war period, the char- 

 acter of German research changed, and the vohune di- 

 mmished somewhat by 1924. During the depression 



with its attendant unemployment, the proportion of 

 scientific research done in institutes of technology, uni- 

 versities, state bureaus, and industry became; high, and 

 the trend of industrial research turned from new process 

 developments toward improvements in old processes. 



The attitude of National Socialist Germany toward 

 research is indicated in the following preamble to the 

 law of March 16, 1937, establishing a National Research 

 Council (Reichsforschungsrat) . 



The great undertakings which the Four- Year Plan has set for 

 German science make it necessary that all the forces of research 

 which can contribute to the fulfilling of these tasks be centrally 

 coordinated and set in motion. The principle of free inquiry 

 will not be interfered with by this direction of certain branches 

 of science toward the goals of the Four- Year Plan, nor by the 

 centralized allocation of research funds, nor by the systematic 

 assignment of problems, since freedom of inquiry is based not, 

 on an arbitrary choice of problems, but on the independence 

 with which the research process is carried out. At an liistorical 

 moment like the present, when scientific investigation has the 

 task of reaching goals on which the existence of the whole Nation 

 depends, it is needless to explain why research must devote 

 itself to this type of problem, and thus at the .same time pos- 

 sibly have to neglect less important and less urgent problems — 

 even when these latter may be more in keeping with the investi- 

 gator's previous work and with the usual dispensation of funds. 



The policy of giving a political coating to the scien- 

 tific pill has been applied alike to Government, uni- 

 versities, research institutes and industry, to individual 

 scientists, and to organized groups. The scientist has 

 to demonstrate his usefulness to the nation. 



Government Research Institutes 



There are numerous research institutes in the various 

 ministries, both of the Government and of the principal 

 States. These cover a wide range of subjects from the 

 physical and natural sciences to the social sciences and 

 the humanities, and in numerous instances the work is 

 supported in part by industry. 



Among the most important of these are the Physikal- 

 ische Technische Reichanstalt, leading research bureau 

 of the State of Prussia, which is equivalent to our 

 National Bureau of Standards. The Staathches Ma- 

 terial Priifungsamt is the testing materials laboratory 

 for Prussia. The Chemical Technical Institute is 

 concerned with chemical and physical problems relating 

 to general chemistry, explosives, metallurgy, and 

 materials testing. 



The German State Council for Research (1937) has 

 as its object the coordination of scientific research, 

 including activities of industrial research laboratories. 

 One of its most important duties is furtherance of the 

 Four- Year Plan. It cooperates with the Kaiser Wilhelm 

 Institutes. Fourteen departments had been organized 

 in 1937 as follows: 



Physics, including mathematics, astronomy, and meteor- 

 ology. 

 Chemistry and physical chemistry. 



