220 APPENDIX B 



to demand an equally definite answer if they are con- 

 tested. The Guild therefore sent Professor Soddy's 

 article to the principals and representative professors of 

 scientific subjects in the Scottish Universities, and asked 

 for an expression of opinion on the matter. Nine replies 

 were received, but no attempt was made by any of the 

 correspondents to refute the particulars given by Professor 

 Soddy as regards the allocation of the amounts received 

 from the Fund. The general opinion expressed was of 

 a laissez-faire kind, with the addition of the following 

 individual views : (i) That the Board of Trustees should 

 consist much more largely of men who are professionally 

 and actively engaged in scientific work and have had 

 experience of research ; (2) that commercial education 

 on a large scale should be taken in hand by the Trustees ; 

 (3) that a case had been made out for careful investiga- 

 tion, and that the matter should be considered by the 

 British Science Guild to see what action, if any, is 

 justifiable and practicable. 



As the chief object of the British Science Guild is 

 to safeguard the interests of science and promote the 

 application of scientific knowledge to national welfare 

 generally, the matter is one to which the Guild is bound 

 to give attention. After careful consideration of the 

 material placed before it, the Guild has come to the con- 

 clusion that Professor Soddy's serious charges should 

 not be left unanswered, and that the diversion of the 

 funds from their main purpose, as defined by Clause A 

 of the Trust Constitution, and their use to strengthen 

 the general finances of the Scottish Universities, deserve 

 the attention of those to whom has been entrusted the 

 future of science in national reconstruction. 



The Guild is glad to note that three well-known men 

 of science Sir J. J. Thomson, O.M., President of the 

 Royal Society; Sir David Prain, F.R.S., Director of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ; and Sir George Beilby, 

 F.R.S. were appointed at the last Annual Meeting of 

 the Trust to fill the vacancies on the Board of Trustees, 



