MARCH OF SCIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22792, 30 January 1936, Page 6

MARCH OF SCIENCE

MODERN DEVELOPMENTS ADDRESS BY MR G. A. LAWRENCE Modern developments in civilisation in which an important part has been played by science were referred to by Mr G. A. Lawrence, of Wellington, in an address last night to members of the New Zealand section of the Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, of which he is chairman. "Along with the gradual mechanisation in industry and the increase of scientific management of industry during the past 20 years there has been a growing fear," said Mr Lawrence, " that the benefits derived are being outweighed by new problems arising from these new conditions. On the one hand, we have tremendously increased production in every need which should go to make the lot of the average individual happier and, on the other hand, we have the _ everincreasing army of unemployed which is steadily but surely breeding a hopelessness of outlook for the future. We have people seriously advocating the temporary cessation of scientific research in order that world affairs might have time to reach a stage of equilibrium. Such action is, of course, impossible; the many thousands of workers the world over are not going to cease work at the strike of the clock. A solution to the present difficulties is more likely to be found with a continuance of the efforts than adopting the Macawber-like attitude of waiting for something to turn up. " There seem s little doubt," he added, "that certain countries, including Great Britain, have tended to swing too far along the road of industrialism to the detriment of agricultural pursuits. The prospect of a country becoming almost entirely an industrial centre is not a happy one, nor does it seem desirable for some countries to remain entirely agricultural. Apart from the obvious military weakness under such conditions, xt is unpleasant to think of industrial workers being entirely removed from the amenities of rural surroundings, and it is equally detrimental for rural people to be entirely removed from the cultural influence afforded by larger cities and towns. The lessons which were learned from the last war have shown the undesirability of predominant dependence of one country on another for and the struggle since that time for national sufficiency has at least had the effect of stimulating some of the industries which had been flagrantly neglected. NEGLECT IN GREAT BRITAIN.

''The failure to recognise the value of scientific research in Great Britain prior to 1914 was no doubt due to the fact that she was the first of the modern industrial States. The demand by the'rest of the world for her products had brought about such colossal prosperity that the nation sat back as it were with the idea that the state of things would continue indefinitely. Germany, on the v other hand, was anxious to establish external markets, and paid assiduous attention to research in industry, with the result that by 1914 she had built up a huge export trade and had far surpassed Great Britain in the application of chemistry to industry. Had Germany not gone to war in 1914, but continued with peaceful commercial penetration, it is hard to imagine what the state of its world trade would have been to-day. One thing is certain; we cannot afford to disregard the possibilities of scientific development. The production of petrol and other oils from heavy oils and from coal is very largely due to the result of the research work of the Germans and the great works just recently erected in England by Imperial .Chemical- Industries subsidised by the British Government for the production of petrol from coal is largely based on German patents. BENEFIT FROM WAR. One great benefit the British derived from the Great War, Mr Lawrence continued, was that it brought the nation face to face with the fact that it had slipped badly in its neglect of science. The production of heavy chemicals was an industry of considerable dimensions prior to 1914. and the annual output of sulphuric acid was looked upon aB a reliable index to the state of national prosperity, but when the war started the production of oleum and the potential facilities for its production was far below those required for the manufacture of explosive for prosecuting the war. Just what effect that had op the early progress of the war no one could estimate, but it was known that the British soldiers were for a long time carrying on without adequate supplies of the ordinary necessities of war, while their Opponents were fully supplied. It was fortunate that the country had many chemists of outstanding ability. Many were recalled from the front lines, and the problem of increasing production of explosives and other necessary chemicals tackled. When it was realised that in many cases whole plants had to be erected and the processes started from bedrock considerable credit was due to the men responsible. The # post-war years had been a period of renaissance in British chemistry.

" The fact that the last war was a war of science," Mr Lawrence continued, " has, unfortunately, given the public an impression that chemists are all the while searching for new and devilish explosives, chemicals, gases, and devices for use in war. The fact of the matter is that very few chemists are engaged in the production of explosives and general munition work, while hundreds of thousands are engaged in supsrvising research and production of almost every article required for the good of mankind."