"44 



NATURE 



[October 24. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



17 /,, i at 11 dot s »"' held : I 1 opinions ex- 



pressed ' ■'" ;pOHftent&. \ ei//«i i i 



return o\ to correi pond with the vritt 



. nd, d fot this or any othei pari oj N ituri . 



The Organisation of Scientific Workers. 



Tin VY'hitle) Report on Industrial < ouncils raises 

 several questions of peculiar interest to scientific 

 workers, h is proposed thai a predominant pari of 

 the control of an) industn shall 1"- based on the 

 mmendations of industrial councils, bodies com- 

 ! of representatives of the employe'rs' associations 

 and trade unions concerned. Among the subjects with 

 which these bodies will deal are conditions of em- 

 ployment, ti i hnic al edui ation, and industrial n 

 (para, id), which are of special interest to the scientific 

 staff. Owing, however, to the lack of organisation 

 among scientific nun, there is no method of obtaining 

 their representation on these councils, and if this is 

 not done these matters will be decided h\ the other 

 bodies involved, without reference to those whom the) 

 particular!) concern The need For such organisation 

 is urgent, for ii is made cleat (Appendix, question _;i 

 that onl) trade unions and employers' associations are 

 to be represented, and thai am, bod) formed later than 

 the council can he admitted onl) with thi approval of 

 its predecessors. The interests of the scientifii 

 workers in an) industry, therefore, demand that the) 

 should form themselves into trade unions. 



This statement is not so alarming as it at first sight 

 appears, for legall) a trade union is mere!) an) bod) 

 among the objects of which is the regulation of condi- 

 tions of employment ; so that any organisation formi d to 

 represent its members on the councils would be auto- 

 maticall) a tradi union. Employers' associations an 

 technical I v trade unions The othei methods of obtaining 

 its aims are determined b) itself, and, naturally, no course 



of action repugnant to the majorit) of scientifi n 



could be taken b) a bod) that they themselves govern. 



Foi \er\ similar reasons it seem-, desirable that 

 workers in pure science should form a trade union 

 among themselves. The Department of Scientific and 

 Industrial Research is likely to extend its influence 

 very much in the near future, and pun- research will be 

 aided by the i stablishxnent of many fellowships and 

 studentships, the workers appointed being in the posi- 

 tion of employees of the Department. Here, again, 

 there is no machinery for ascertaining the opinion of 

 the employee on matters that concern him: and it 

 seems at least as desirable to consult the opinions of 

 rorkers in their own affairs as those of 

 ordinary workmen, as will be. done when the Whitle) 

 ■ is carried out. That the success of die scheme 

 promoted by the Department depends largel) on the 

 satisfaction id the employees with theii position is 

 admitted repeatedl) in its latest report (pp. 21, 43), 

 and a means "l expressing their views i- needed; this 

 can be afforded only h\ a e., neral organisation of 

 research workers on a democratic hasis and working 

 in close touch with die Department. At the same 

 time such a bod\ musl dial with conditions of re- 

 search in general, and would come within the legal 

 definition of a trade union. 



The only bod\ al presenl In process ol formation 

 that aims al attaining these obiects is the National 

 Union of Scientific Workers, lis inclusion of both 



pure and applied science within its scoi responds 



with the policv of the Department of Scientific and 

 Industrial Research, and seems hivhh desirable from 

 the point of view of the co-Ordination ol science and 

 industry. ( '. She vri r. 



Fr vnki ;n Kidd. 



NO. 2556. VOT.. T02] 



■ > E I \;> r IRLIAMENTARY 

 REPRESENTATION. 



rHE discussion which ha meeting 



id the medical profession held at Steinway 

 Hall mi October 1. "having fur its object the 



a mure adequate representation of the 



medical profession in Parliament," lias m-i 1 

 show thai its restricted is hazardous ami 



inadequate. Hut at least it made prominent 

 of tin- essenl ial conditi en 



from the earthquake of the world war, viz. 

 instant and judii competent 



knowledge t<> every branch ol national and pro- 

 vincial administration. Those who think this must 

 accompam schemes of national development will 

 thank die conveners oi the recent meeting, 

 recognise the value of the discussion it induced, 

 and proceed to ponder how fitting use ma) 

 he made of the opportunity described by Dr. 

 Addison, the Minister of Reconstruction. [l 



iadi cli ir that, in the opinion of many 

 entrusted with the executive power of the Si 

 the time has come when those who possess trained 

 knowledge have special opportunities to which as 



patriot thi OUght to respond. These opportuni- 

 ties have no' come to medicine alone; they have 

 come to every branch of science and technol 

 It may hi- well, therefore, to review very briefly 

 the circumstances in which the contributions 

 trained knowledge to national development ma) 

 now he made continuously effective. Most of the 

 factors ot use or abuse are common to the pro- 

 fessions, and if medicine is chief!) referred to 

 in illustrating, it will be as a tribute to its 

 splendid services to-day and to its Steinway Hall 

 initiative. 



Nothing can he satisfactorily attempted in Par- 

 liament or politics generally unless goa 

 clearly slated that willing' plavers of the game can 

 see them. At the recent meeting, v. here one goal 

 was assumed to Im? sought, two were set. There 

 was, first, the goal of the "representation of the 

 medical profession" in Parliament, to quote sum, 

 of the speakers, the Times leading article, and 

 some later letter-writers. There was, secondly, the 

 goal of making possible to the community and 

 Parliament "the considered experience and help of 

 medical men as representative of the public in- 

 terest and aiders of their constituencies" (Dr. 

 Addison 1. Xow the two may stand in the same 

 field, but they are different. They may not be 

 wholl) incompatible, but they are diverse; twins, 

 perhaps, but of very different temperaments. 

 Despite some obscurities, Dr. Addison's address 



suggests that he prefers the second. In letters ti- 

 the medical and general Press some powerful 

 critics have made it clear that they agree with 

 him. So do we. It is the more catholic, 

 practical, and promising; and for this reason: 

 whatevei the professions apart from politics 

 surmise, the political instincts of a politti 

 matured people are not likely to err. It may- 

 be hoped, therefore, that these will promote, not 

 the representation of particular interests in Parlia- 

 ment, but the selection of leading- men from alt 



