Conant Asks New Emphasis in Field Of Pure Science

President Conant last week lashed out at the current manpower drift away from pure sciences.

Speaking at the dinner of the International Congress of Pure and Applied Chemistry, of which he is honorary president, Conant expressed concern at "the incessant drain of able young men towards the field of applied science."

Theoretical chemistry, he explained, is the branch upon which all practical applications of chemistry must be based.

But, he said, "the dramatic triumphs of chemistry in the fields of medicine and industry tend to focus people's attention on applied, rather than pure chemistry."

Conant, who also castigated the refusal of the House of Representatives to provide funds for the National Science Foundation, told the meeting that the greatest danger "to the progress of theoretical chemistry ... is not in the lack of dollars, but of men."

He termed the House action "an example of a wide misunderstanding as to the vital importance of advances in pure science." He said he hoped the Senate would "rectify this error." The House granted the Foundation only $300,000, a cut of 98 percent from the requested $14,000,000.

Citizens Don't Understand

"Here in America," warned Conant, "it is evident that many intelligent citizens fail to comprehend the role of theory in modern science. They do not understand the importance of improving and expanding the theoretical basis of chemistry."

Broadening the scope of his talk, Conant pointed to the "rearing of the ugly head of dogmatic nationalism" in Germany and now Russia.

"More than one ... a nation has interpreted science in terms of national political philosophy," he said, "and enforced its interpretation by official means. On the other side of the Iron Curtain we see even in the field of chemistry evidence of what to us chemists must seem an appalling mixture of a dogmatic philosophy with our science."