SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
BLIND TO THE FUTURE. 
Although, more and more, the leaders of industry are awakening 
to the grave necessity of encouraging and fostering scientific industrial 
research, there is still blind opposition, or cold indifference, on the 
part of a large section of the public to further action in this direction. 
The Chemical Age draws attention to the short-sighted action of a 
section of shareholders in causing the withdrawal of an excellent 
proposal of the directors of Brunner, Mond, & Co. ‘to distribute 
£100,000 among Universities, and other selected institutions, for the 
furtherance of scientific education and research. At the present time, 
perhaps more than at any other period in the history of the Empire, 
the maintenance of our old industries and the establishment of new 
ones depend upon an adequate supply of scientists and technologists. 
' The fight for industrial supremacy will be won by the most’ efficient 
nation, and it is largely by public-spirited action on the part of 
successful business institutions that research and technology will be 
advanced. To rely solely upon Government institutions, particularly 
at a time when.every Treasurer is at his wits’ end to secure money 
for ordinary departmental activities, is stupidly optimistic. Professor 
Donnan, commenting upon this decision of the shareholders in Brunner, 
Mond, & Co., writes: “The financial exchange is heavily against 
Germany, but I do not think the intellectual exchange is against them. 
The present situation in the United: Kingdom is well known to the 
far-sighted and able directors of Brunner, Mond, & Co., and it is very 
earnestly to be hoped that the shareholders of this great and deservedly 
famous company will support their directors in the splendid and 
_ pioneering action which they have desired to take.” 
GERMANY’S BROWN COAL DEPOSITS. 
The annual report of the German Mineral Oil Oo., states The 
Chemical Age, refers to the great success attained in the last three 
years in extracting lubricating and heating oils from brown coal. Large 
brown coal mines have been bought up with this aim, and as the annual 
‘output of brown coal is about 100,000,000 tons, and is rapidly increasing, 
it is caleulated that Germany will ultimately be able to get along with 
very small imports of petroleum. The brown coal extraction process 
was known before the war, but was put into force first in 1916, when 
the shortage of lubrications threatened to stop the whole German war 
machine. 
INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATION IN AUSTRALIA. 
Some months ago, the Institute of Science and Industry published 
a bulletin dealing with plans for nwelfare work in various parts of the 
world. Under the title of “Industrial Co-operation in Australia” a 
second bulletin has now been issued outlining purely local activities. 
Every effort was made to obtain particulars of all the schemes in 
operation, but it is possible that the whole field has not been covered. 
The range is sufficiently wide, however, to indicate the main features of 
the work, and from the replies received to the many inquiries that 
were made it is clearly apparent that a great deal of thought is being 
given to the question of improving the working conditions of employees 
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