NATURE 



317 



THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1920. 



The Federation of Science. 



WE referred last week to the harassed con- 

 dition in which many scientific societies 

 find themselves in consequence of the greatly 

 increased cost of publication of papers communi- 

 cated to them, and other additional expenses 

 involved in the rise in prices. While the incomes 

 remain much the same as they were before the 

 war, the essential expenditure has become so 

 much greater in proportion to them that the 

 outlook is depressing- to contemplate. Any 

 increases in subscriptions which would prevent 

 the younger scientific workers from joining 

 learned societies, or cause a number of present 

 members to resign would be detrimental not only 

 to British science, but also to the extension of 

 natural knowledge and to the welfare of mankind. 

 The fields are ripe, and more labourers are now 

 being trained to work in them than ever before, 

 but if advantage is to be taken of the harvest, 

 machinery for carrying it must be provided, and 

 granaries built in which it can be stored. As 

 things are at present, most of the scientific grain 

 is cut by voluntary workers, and they are 

 perplexed because they cannot see how they 

 are to pay for the construction of a building 

 in which to store it for the benefit of the 

 community. 



We are painfully reminded of this association of 



• high motive with restricted effectiveness by the 

 third annual report, which reached us a few days 

 ago and is summarised on another page, of the 

 Conjoint Board of Scientific Societies, The Board 



'was constituted in 1916 for the purpose of "pro- 

 moting the co-operation of those interested in 



■ pure or applied science ; supplying a means by 

 which the scientific opinion of the country may, 

 on matters relating to science, industry, and 

 education, find effective expression; taking such 

 action as may be necessary to promote the 

 application of science to our industries and to the 

 service of the nation ; and discussing scientific 

 questions in which international co-operation 

 seems desirable." In the main, these objects are 



■ much the same as those of the British Science 

 •."Guild, founded by Sir Norman Lockyer in 1905, 



but the constitutions of the two bodies are dif- 

 ferent. Whereas the British Science Guild aims 

 at securing the active interest and support of all 

 members of the public who desire to promote the 

 application of science and scientific method to 

 NO. 2637, VOL. 105] 



national and provincial affairs of every kind, 

 membership of the Conjoint Board is limited to 

 representatives nominated by scientific and tech- 

 nical societies. 



The total number of constituent societies now 

 represented on the Board is fifty-seven, and it 

 includes practically all the leading British societies 

 concerned with the advancement of science and 

 technology. The Royal Society sends four repre- 

 sentatives, and the other societies one or two, the 

 total number being eighty-seven, and including 

 leaders in all departments of science and techno- 

 logy. We have, therefore, in the Board a federa- 

 tion or union which can faithfully represent joint 

 opinion upon any scientific or technical matter of 

 national importance submitted to it. The organ- 

 isation is thus admirable for its purposes, but, as 

 in all like British institutions, it has not the means 

 to carry out its aims and objects. The funds of 

 the Board are derived from contributions from the 

 constituent societies, and these amounted last year 

 to about 600Z. Three societies have intimated that 

 they are unable to make a contribution this year, 

 owing apparently to the necessity for limiting in 

 every possible direction the claims upon their 

 incomes, so that this splendid organisation not 

 only finds its activities hampered through a miser- 

 ably inadequate income, but must also contem- 

 plate the future with serious misgiving. For 

 though British science may organise itself, it has 

 not the means to provide the motive power for 

 the machinery it has created. 



How different the conditions are in the United 

 States may be judged from the article upon the 

 National Research Council printed elsewhere in 

 this issue. Like the Conjoint Board — or Federa- 

 tion, as it should have been called, to prevent 

 confusion with the medical Conjoint Board — the 

 National Research Council was started by men of 

 science themselves, and represents their efforts to 

 mobilise the whole strength of American science 

 for the promotion of national well-being and the 

 advance of science itself. While recognised by the 

 United States Government, the Council was not 

 organised by it, and is not supported by it. The 

 Council's funds are derived from private sources, 

 and the Carnegie Corporation alone has con- 

 tributed no less than one million pounds, which 

 is the amount given by our Government in 1916 

 in establishing the Department of Scientific and 

 Industrial Research "for the conduct of research 

 for the benefit of the national industries on a 

 co-operative basis." The Council has permanent 

 headquarters at Washington, with an executive 



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