254 



NATURE 



[April 29, 1920 



selves to a brief statement of the general impres- 

 sions which the members of the Mission gained 

 concerning the present development of chemical 

 industry in Germany, and its potential future as 

 affected by the war. 



To begin with, the Mission was strongly 

 impressed with the evidence of scientific method 

 which appertained to everything relating to the 

 industry, not only to the laboratory and the factory, 

 but also to accountancy, buying and selling, 

 and the management of labour — in fact, to every 

 side of business activity. This result had been 

 achieved by an efficient combination of experts. 

 "The Germans, in fact, have learnt how to use 

 their leaders with utmost effect." It has been 

 the fashion to disparage the originality of the 

 Germans and to point to their lack of inventive 

 power. Whatever may be their failings in these 

 respects, there is no question that it is through 

 their willingness to co-ordinate their efforts that 

 much of their striking success is to be attributed. 

 Moreover, as is pointed out, the chemical industry 

 occupies a high position in Germany, and it can 

 command the services of the best brains in the 

 country. The status of the chemist is such that it 

 is now, at least in the higher positions, one of the 

 best paid of the professions in Germany — far more 

 so than the Law and the Church, How this has 

 been brought about is clearly stated : 



"During generations past, unlimited facilities 

 have existed for providing those who wish to 

 become chemists with an education which is 

 nowhere excelled, so that not only is the status 

 of the chemist high, but the man himself, in 

 virtue of his thorough training, is fitted to main- 

 tain the high position in which he is placed. 

 Everywhere the chemist is to the fore, and not 

 only are chemists found in the chief administra- 

 tive positions of the large chemical undertakings, 

 but they frequently control the great organisations 

 characteristic of German industry generally." 



The author of the summary has a very definite 

 opinion as to the influence of the German educa- 

 tional system in the universities and the poly- 

 technics in reaching this result, and he contrasts 

 it with our own system of scholarships and bur- 

 saries, which he evidently disparages : 



"As German education has been carried on 

 without money bribes in the form of scholarships 

 and fellowships, and without competitive examina- 

 tions, the system has been one of almost complete 

 Lernfreiheit. Although it has often been adversely 

 criticised by those unacquainted with its workings, 

 the results belie all such criticism. At least, the 

 student has always worked with a forward out- 

 look ; his effort has been to solve a problem, not 

 NO. 2635, VOL. 105] 



merely to acquire knowledge. The system has 

 been as far removed as possible from that pursued 

 In this country, especially at Oxford ; there can 

 be little doubt that it has been a factor of great 

 importance in the development of industry on a 

 scientific basis in Germany." 



Now, while there is much that is unquestion- 

 ably true in this statement, in his desire to decry 

 our own educational system the writer has shown 

 either that he himself is not wholly acquainted 

 with the later development of the German system, 

 so far as It Is concerned with chemistry and Its 

 Industrial application, or that he is guilty of a 

 suppressio veri. The German leaders of chemical 

 Industry some time ago determined to attract 

 promising chemical students by that very system 

 of "money bribes" which he deprecates, and to 

 endow what are practically fellowships to be held 

 in connection with German university laboratories. 

 In principle there was nothing in this essentially 

 dliferent from our own procedure — except that the 

 aims of the German manufacturers were not quite 

 so altruistic as those of the "pious founders" in 

 our own universities. 



The writer of the summary pays a well- 

 deserved compliment to the enterprise, skill, and 

 courage of the men who controlled these vast 

 Industrial concerns — their breadth of view and 

 keenness of outlook ; their tireless efforts and 

 unfailing perseverance in attacking problems need- 

 ing years for solution, and for which no early 

 return for the large expenditure Involved could be 

 anticipated. Nothing, we are told, appeared to 

 have struck the Mission more than the lavish 

 monetary outlay on laboratories, libraries, and 

 technical staffs. As an example, an account is 

 given of the leading features of the great Bayer 

 works at Leverkusen, one oi the most highly 

 organised of the Rhineland factories. We have 

 also a brief statement describing the rapid 

 development of power stations In the Rhine 

 district, especially during the war; and some 

 account of the working of the Interessen Gemein- 

 schaft (I.G.), by which the leading chemical firms 

 co-operate so as to secure community of interests. 

 But limits of space preclude any detailed account 

 of the several matters of Interest covered by the 

 report. Enough, however, has been written to 

 indicate its importance. Whilst we cannot wholly 

 subscribe to every statement of the writer of the 

 summary, who has been allowed, possibly, too 

 free a hand In Interpreting the findings of the 

 report, we can at least testify that he has the 

 courage of his convictions and little hesitation In 

 giving utterance to them. 



