Science and War
In the magazine Science Dr. Peter L. Kapitza. a
physicist whose name is identified with brilliant efforts!
to reach absolute zero, reviews the work done by Rus-;
sian scientists to improve weapons and to find substi
tutes for much needed importations. His story parallels,
that which has been told by American and British
scientists. If it departs from the familiar pattern it is!
because of its insistence on the highly practical char-]
acter of Russian scientific research. Since science must
serve the state in Russia, it has concerned itself with
discoveries that can be applied in the factory, on the
farm and in the hospital. Though this policy has made!
it difficult for the theorist to thrive, it is now bearing
fruit in the form of highly efficient airplanes, improve
ments on old surgeal procedures and the better utiliz
ation of raw materials. Here and in Great Britain it
was necessary to mobilize science for the war effort.
Russian science was mobilized by the state from the
very beginning, so that the change from peace to war;
research was easy.
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Scientists Deplore War
Scientists deplore war not only because it diverts;
attention from the urgency of problems which, if solv
ed, would conquer baffling diseases and shed much
needed light on the structure of the universe, the na
ture of matter, the mystery of life, but also because it
exploits science. Dr. Kapitza strikes a different note.
As he sees it. science derives much inspiration from
war. He makes much of the Haber process for syn
thesizing ammonia—a process which not only enabled;
Germany to stave off defeat during the last war but
which gave her fertilizers. He might have gone far
ther. The laws of gravitation were derived from ballis
tics as much as from swinging pendulums. Studies of
the gases liberated when guns are fired gave both
chemistry and physics an enormous impetus. Blood
banks and the control of typhus came out of war, and
so did some of the new techniques for operating on the
brain and for repairing head injuries.
It is worth noting that the only institutions where,
science was systematically taught during the eight-'
eenth century were the artillery schools of France;!
that the heavy chemical industry was created when!
Leblanc met. an urgent wartime need for soda; that |
the earliest sewing machine, that of Thimmonier, was!
first used in making uniforms; that synethic rubber,'
synthetic gasoline and the whole coal-tar chemical in-1
dustry were developed by Germany with an eye on!
the inevitable British blockade. What gains science
may make as the result of the present war no one can
predict with certainty. Already it is clear that new i
plastics of startling properties will be developed, that
a healthy synthetic rubber industry will be established!
and that new sythetic drugs will take the place of those
which we have hitherto extracted from imported
plants.
BORIS OF BULGARIA BOWS TO HITLER
I
King Boris of Bulgaria hows his head as Hitler grasps
his hand when the Bulgarian monarch went to Hitler’s
» headquarters March 25, to have w hat the photographer
who made this picture calls “A hearty chat about the
r questions interesting both nations. This picture, just
received in the U. S., was aproved by German. Portu
guese, British and U. S. censors.
** - 4k r
LOCKVdffl!
It’s your “Lucky Day when you land
that prize beauty — you’ll feel extra
lucky when you add to your enjoy
ment with CREAM OF KENTUCk V 1
Name Schenley Employee
As ‘Typical Member' of
Women’s Defense Group
NEW YORK — A 24-year-old
bride of less than a month whose
husband is serving in the army
and who works in the advertis
• ing dcpa; ;mcnt of Schenley Dis
tillers corporation here has just
: been selected as the “typical
I member” of the National Secur
ity Women’s Corps.
She is Elizabeth Bradbury,
who as a member of the Schen
ley Unit of the Corps belongs to
one of the organization’s six
i units in New Jersey and New
! York.
j Mrs. Vincent DiLoo in private
life, MLss Bradbui'v devotes ev
, enings and weekends to defense
j work and military training in the
j Corps. Its volunteer members
[ are organized along military lin
| os and trained to assist police,
fire, air raid wardens and other
civilian protective services dur
ing wartime emergencies.
M ..s Bradbury, wearing her
I Schenley unit uniform, will pi•
for a poster to be painted by
Darrell Brown, recommended
I the job by Howard Chandler
Christy. She is five feet, eight
inches tall, and has wavy brown
hair and brown eyes.
Among factors that led to her
being named were her proficien
cy in courses she has taken in ]
first aid. motor mechanics and j
map reading.
AFRICAN WARRIOR > WITHOUT GUNS
m]
W ARRIORS IN AFRIC A—No one else can ever touch the blades used as bayonets by these
fierce South African natives in Capetown area. Troops arc not permitted to carry firearms.
MODEL PLANES FOR TRA \1NC, NAVY PERSONNEL
NAVY CETS 2,000 MODEL PLANES —Displayed on a “V” shaped counter are about 2,000 scale model planes presented
by Los Angeles high school students to the navy. The models will be used to train pilots, eunners and civilian observers.