November i8, 1920] 



NATURE 



39 > 



National Union of Scientific Workers. 



THE annual nieetin{j ot the council of the National 

 Lnion of Scientific Workers was field at King's 

 Colle^je on November 13. In fiis address Dr. J. vV. 

 livans, tlie retiring president, dealt witfi tfie subject 

 of •• Kesearcfi at ttie Universities. " Dr. Evans paid 

 a tribute to tfie acliievenients of scientific worfcers 

 during the war, and pointed out tfiat the task ahead 

 of them was of even greater consequence and allowed 

 of no relaxation of effort. .After summarising the 

 activities of the Department of Scientific and Indus- 

 trial Research, he expressed dissatisfaction with the 

 present attitude of this Department towards the 

 scientific and technical faculties of our universities. 

 Since the publication of its first report the Department 

 appeared to have abandoned the more fruitful policy 

 of encouraging to the utmost the research workers 

 at the universities. The restrictive character of the 

 present grants to individual workers at such institu- 

 tions tended to divorce research from teaching. In 

 his opinion this was a fundamental error, since the 

 best results in research could be achieved only by 

 those who devoted some time to teaching. .Apparently 

 the Department looked to the universities and techni- 

 cal colleges to maintain a supply of competent research 

 workers for the State-aided research associations 

 rather than to undertake industrial research for them- 

 selves. He considered that a teaching staff engaged 

 in research work, both in pure science and in its applica- 

 tions to industry, was in a more favourable position 

 to discover and develop new principles than research 

 workers isolate<iand restricted in the laboratories of re- 

 search associations or even Government research insti- 

 tutions. In conclusion, Dr. Evans urged the importance 

 of universities including in any course in science some 

 training in research methods. This he embodied in 

 a resolution which was supported by Prof. Soddy, 

 who stated that Prof. Pcrkin had already applied this 

 principle to the chemistry courses at Oxford Univer- 

 sity. Chemistry students there had shown by their 

 enthusia.sm how much the change was appreciated. 



Continuing, Prof. Soddy said that since the presi- 

 dent had prepared his address there had been a com- 

 plication brought about by a request from the War 

 DfTue that the universities should undertake research 

 into the development to the utmost extent of chemical 

 warfare research for offensive and defensive purposes. 

 He expressed the view that it was a matter that 

 must inevitably be considered, sooner or later, by the 

 union. It ought to be considered before rather 

 than after the occasion arose. He was glad that the 

 executive of the union had already decided to appoint 

 a committee to go into the whole question. 



The resolution disapprovinjj of the policy of the 

 Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, in 

 establishing and financing re.search associations, which 

 hands over to the private use of profit-seeking mono- 

 polies valuable knowledge obtained at the expense of 

 the whole community, and places the research associa- 

 tions in a position to exploit the scientifir workers of 

 the country for their own benefit, was carried 

 unanimously. Prof. Soddy stated that the Government 

 had capitulated to the big business interests in politics 

 and ileparted altogether from its original intentions. 

 There was no greater example of unfair competition 

 than in the chemical industries. 



Mr. A. A. Griffith, in moving a resolution that for 

 the present Advisory Council of the Dep.irtnienI 

 •ihould be substituted a council elected on different 

 principles, pointed out that there could be little effec- 

 tive rrifirism of the Department under the existing 

 arrangement whereby the Government practically 

 appointed Its own critics. It was certain that a 



NO. 2664, VOL. ro6] 



council part of which was elected by democratically 

 constituted scientific organisations would result in 

 more careful scrutiny and criticism of the acts of the 

 Department. 



.-\ resolution by Mr. F. A. Potts to the effect that 

 scientific workers employed as whole-time officials in 

 Government Departments should enjoy status and pay 

 not less than those enjoyed by the administrative class 

 of Civil Servants was carried unanimously. 



Prof. Leonard Bairstow was elected president for 

 the ensuing year. 



University College of Swansea. 



THE I'niversity College of Swansea, which was 

 incorporated in January of this year and made 

 a constituent college of the University of Wales by a 

 new I'niversity charter sealed as recently as 

 .\ugust 13, opened its first session on October 5. 

 The court of governors of the college held its annual 

 meeting on Monday, November 15, and at the con- 

 clusion of the meeting the principal, Dr. T. Franklin 

 Sibly, delivered an inaugural address. 



.After paying a tribute to the pioneers of the univer- 

 sity movement in Wales, the principal recalled the 

 fact that the local initiative and private benefactions 

 which brought the college into being had their main- 

 spring in the demand for scientific teaching and re- 

 search which should benefit the great industries of 

 the district. Byt no time was being lost in making 

 provision for a faculty of arts, in willing response 

 to the insistent local demand which arose from the 

 conviction that a one-sided institution could possess 

 no full title to university rank. It was, however, in 

 the domain of science that the college w'ould always 

 discharge a large part of its mission ; and Dr. Sibly 

 laid emphasis upon the true humanity of the man of 

 science and the nobility of the scientific ideals of a 

 search for truth and of a disinterested co-operation 

 with other workers. 



The college was situated in the industrial heart of 

 Wales. The leaders of local industry, headed by the 

 president of the college. Mr. F. W. Gilbertson, were 

 displaying a unique degree of enlightenment and 

 generosity in their support of the colletre. To the 

 original endowment fund of some 70,000!. they had 

 already added donations amounting to more than 

 4tK)oJ. and subscriptions which totalled more than 

 6(KX)l. per annum. The subscriptions, having been 

 promised for a period of five years, were expected tO' 

 earn an equivalent annual grant from the State. Dr. 

 Siblv believed that the workpeople of the district 

 would prove no less staunch as supporters. 



The Municipality of Swansea, which had promoted 

 the college, had already given a magnificent site of 

 fortv-five acres in Singleton Park, offered the use 

 of Singleton House, and promised further sup[)ort. 

 The college set the highest store on all grounds by 

 its close association with the town. 



There were, however, some serious material di». 

 advantages. The adverse factors of inflated prices 

 and depreciated currency were all the more serious 

 in view of the relatively heavv cost of staffing and 

 equipping technological departments. The measure 

 of State aid in sight was quite inadeqtiate. 



Outlining' the range of their activities and the spirit 

 in which thev entered upon them, the principal laid 

 stress upon their work in applied science on one hand, 

 and upon the extra-mural field open to them on the 

 other. Thev possessed the means of building up a 

 great school of metalliirgv which would work in the 

 closest co-operation with industries at Its verv doors. 

 \ strong department of mining and fuel technology 



