NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE LIMITS OF SCIENCE. "Tho scientist is perhaps only a passing phase in tho evolution of man; after uuguessable years it is not impossible that his work will be done, and tho problems of mankind will become for each individual tho problem of best ordering bis own life. Or it may be that tho programnio of the scientist, although finite, will turn out to need more time than tho life of the world itself," writes Professor P. W. Bridgman, of Harvard University, in Harper's Monthly. "But doubtless by far the most important effect of this revolution will not bo on tho scientist, but on the man in the street. Tho immediate effect will bo to let loose a veritablo intellectual spree of lic.entious and debauched thinking. This will come from tho refusal to take at its true value tho statement that it is meaningless to penetrate much deeper than tho electron, and will have tho thesis that thero is really a domain beyond, only that man with his present limitations is not fitted to enter this domain. The man in the street will, therefore, twist tho statement that tho scientist has coroo 'to tho end of meaning into tho statement that tho scientist has penetrated as far as ho can with tho tools at his command, and that there is something b.eyond tho ken of the scientist. This imagined beyond, which the scientist has proved he cannot penetrate,will become tho playground of the imagination of every mystic and dreamer. The existence of such a domain will be made tho basis of an orgy of rationalising." REPARATIONS IN KIND. The transfer of reparations from Germany has been a material factor in the difficulties of tho British coal industry, according to remarks made by Mr. Edmund Hann at the annual meeting of one of the Welsh coal companies. "It is a fact which is not sufficiently recognised that the arrangements for reparations in kind have gravely injured the industries of this country, and at the same time havo conferred advantages both on our Allies and on our former enemies," ho said. "Of all tho industries in this country tho coal trade has been tho greatest sufferer, and of all tine coalfields South Wales has had to bear tho greatest share of tho burden, as German reparations coal has invaded markets which formerly drew the bulk of their coal supplies from South Wales. Italy provides a striking example of what has happened. In 1913 Italy imported 10,700,000 tons of coal"; of which 9,600,000 tons were supplied by Great Britain, South Wales' share being 5,500,000 tons. In 1927 Italy imported 14,000,000 tons, of which only 6,800,000 lons woro imported from Great Britain, South Wales supplying 3,200,000 tons for tho Italian market, a decrease so far as South Wales is concerned of 2,300,000 tons. Tho import of Gorman coal into Italy has, on tho other hand,. increased from 950,000 tons in 1913 to 4,100,000 tons in 1927, an increase of over 3,000,000 tons. I am afraid that unless, as a result of tho discussions which are at present taking place, thero is a substantial reduction in the amount of reparations in kind which Germany is permitted to make, these deliveries will continue to have a depressing influence on our industry."