Februasy 8, 1918] 



SCIENCE 



135 



chemical trade has now concluded its delibera- 

 tions and issued its report, the following ac- 

 count of which is given in Nature. The 

 committee was appointed (1) to advise as to 

 the procedure which should be adopted by the 

 Minister of Reconstruction for dealing with 

 the chemical trade; 2 to consider and report 

 upon any matters affecting the chemical trade 

 which could be more effectively dealt with by 

 the formation of special organizations for the 

 piurpose, and to make suggestions in regard 

 to the constitution and functions of any such 

 organization. 



The members of the committee are: Sir 

 Keith W. Price (chairman), Mr. John Ander- 

 son, Mr. J. F. L. Brunner, Dr. Charles Car- 

 penter, Professor J. G. Lawn, Sir William 

 Pearce, Mr. K. B. Quinan, the Eight Hon. 

 J. W. Wilson, and Mr. G. C. Smallwood 

 (secretary). The committee says that it is 

 evident that during the process of reconstruc- 

 tion numerous difficult problems and questions 

 are likely to arise in connection with the 

 chemical trade. The committee is of opinion 

 that these can be satisfactorily settled only by 

 the closest collaboration between the Minister 

 of Keconstruction and the representatives of 

 the trade, and it appears to be necessary that 

 the minister should be in a position to obtain 

 the views both of the trade as a whole and, 

 in the case of particular problems, of that 

 branch of the trade directly concerned. 



This end could probably be attained in a 

 satisfactory manner if there were in the chem- 

 ical trade a representative body, which could 

 advise the minister and act in a consultative 

 capacity on cliemical matters. Such a body 

 should be fully representative of the whole of 

 the trade, and the difficulty of the committee 

 lies in naming an association which could be 

 said completely to fulfil this condition. 



The committee is of opinion that, in dealing 

 with the chemical trade, the Minister of Re- 

 construction could properly act in collabora- 

 tion with the Association of British Chemical 

 Manufacturers. It is further of opinion that 

 with a view to convenience of practical work- 

 ing, and in order to establish the permanent 

 link which should exist between the ministry 



and the trade in all its branches, a standing 

 committee should be established fully repre- 

 sentative of all the interests concerned. 



As to points of reference No. 2, the opinion 

 is expressed that whatever may be the func- 

 tions of the Ministry of Reconstruction, it 

 will be necessary to establish a section of that 

 department which will be in a position to 

 deal with matters which may arise in con- 

 nection with the chemical trade. The appoint- 

 ment to the Ministry of Reconstruction of a 

 scientific man of good standing, who would 

 command the respect and confidence of the 

 trade, together with the necessary staff, is sug- 

 gested. This section, working in conjunction 

 with the standing committee previously men- 

 tioned, would provide the Minister with an 

 adequate organization for dealing with such 

 questions connected with the chemical trade. 

 The following would represent some of the 

 duties of this section : 



(1) To ascertain with the assistance of the 

 standing committee the chief problems which 

 are likely to arise in the process of reconstruc- 

 tion after the war, and the best means of 

 dealing with them. (2) To survey generally 

 the chemical trade, both at home and abroad, 

 and in consultation with the standing com- 

 mittee to afford advice for the broadening and 

 improvement of the chemical trade of this 

 country. (3) To collect and disseminate in- 

 formation on, and statistics of, the chemical 

 trade. (4) To collect and collate as much in- 

 formation as is available on the work which 

 has been done during the present war, which 

 would, no doubt, be of great interest and as- 

 sistance to the chemical trade as a whole. 



The committee states in the report that it 

 has confined its recommendations within the 

 narrow limits defined by the terms of reference, 

 which speak only of " chemical trade." If, 

 however, for that expression were substituted 

 " the national chemical industry." a much 

 broader purview would be involved, and spe- 

 cific reference would be necessary to existing 

 organizations other than those specifically 

 founded for " trade " purposes, among which 

 may be mentioned: The Society of Chemical 

 Industry, the Government Laboratory, the 



