Mat 1, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



633 



we neglect our present opportunities to 

 study the anthropoids, our children's chil- 

 dren will condemn us for neglecting in- 

 valuable opportunities. To-day, the chim- 

 panzee, the orang-outang, the gibbon, as 

 well as many species of monkey, are at hand 

 for observation. A generation or two 

 hence, many of the primates may be ex- 

 tinct. Should we not, in the interests of 

 genetics, whether we be concerned pri- 

 marily with problems of structure or of 

 function, see to it that we adequately use, 

 for the purpose of advancing human wel- 

 fare, our present primate materials? 



Egbert M. Terkes 

 Harvard University 



SWEATING TEE SCIENTIST^ 



In the four last numbers of Science Progress 

 a notice has been inserted asking for infor- 

 mation on the emoluments of scientific work- 

 ers; and a considerable number of interesting 

 replies have been received. They are not 

 numerous enough to form a basis for any 

 statistical investigation of the subject — which 

 it is hoped may be attempted later on when 

 more evidence has been collected; but the 

 replies received, combined with information 

 which may be otherwise obtained, suffice to 

 prove the low scale of payment given through- 

 out the British Empire for such work. 



The term " scientific worker " includes, ac- 

 cording to the notice, all salaried workers — 

 that is, men of all grades, namely, research 

 students, assistants, professors, directors of 

 laboratories, and other fully paid workers, and 

 also half-time and whole-time workers. The 

 duties generally include teaching and the ad- 

 ministrative charge of university departments, 

 museums and special laboratories. The low- 

 est scale of pay mentioned in the replies is 

 £85 a year for half-time work ; but it is notori- 

 ous that a large number of such workers, espe- 



1 An editorial article printed in the April num- 

 ber of ScieTuie Progress in the Twentieth Century: 

 A Qiuirterly Jcmrnal of Scientific Work and 

 Thought, edited by Sir Bonald Boss. 



ciaUy in medical subjects, are paid nothing 

 at all. The pay of junior posts (which are also 

 sometimes unpaid) rises from about £120 to 

 £200, £260 and, rarely, £300 a year. These are 

 of course not so important as the upper scales 

 of pay for full-time professorships and perma- 

 nent appointments. For the latter, the high- 

 est pay mentioned in the replies amounts to 

 £850 a year, with a small pension (Ceylon). 

 The next highest are salaries of £750, both in 

 South Africa, and one of £500 in Canada, 

 with small pensions generally contributed to 

 by the holders of the appointments. It is well 

 known that many professorships in Britain 

 yield £600 a year, with very small contributory 

 pensions. In no cases do there appear to be 

 any arrangements for family pensions in the 

 event of the holders' death — such as are often 

 provided in the public services; nor insurance 

 against illness or accident. Notoriously, very 

 few even of the highest posts receive a salary 

 touching or exceeding £1,000 a year; and in 

 nearly all eases the pensions are contributory 

 and are of a very small amount — retirement 

 being often compulsory at the age of 60 or 65 

 years. Progressive rises of pay are also seldom 

 provided for; so that a man who obtains an 

 appointment when comparatively young can 

 seldom hope for any increase during the rest 

 of his life. Lastly, payment is laid down at 

 many universities according to a flat rate, or 

 according to fixed endovraients which depend 

 upon the funds originally allotted — so that no 

 provision is made for retaining specially good 

 men. In some cases holders of fully paid ap- 

 pointments are able to increase their emolu- 

 ments by outside work. Many medical pro- 

 fessorships are quite unpaid. 



The rates of pay must be judged by the 

 locality in which they are given. Thus £750 

 in South Africa is worth very much less than 

 that sum in Britain, the cost of living being 

 perhaps twice as great. A correspondent from 

 Canada remarks that a salary of £800 a year 

 in England is equivalent only to about £600 

 a year there, and is not sufficient for a pro- 

 fessor. " A member of a learned community," 

 he says, " can not live in a back street like a 

 laborer, and if he takes an unfurnished house 



