Abstract
MB. HEBBEBT MORRISON, Lord President of the Council, addressed the chairmen of councils and directors of the industrial co-operative research associations at a conference in London on October 15. The express purpose of this conference was that the delegates should acquaint the Government of their progress and difficulties in research so that the findings could be integrated into Great Britain‘s overall economic programme. Mr. Morrison believes that the first problem of economic recovery is one of increased productivity, and the key to this is to be found in more knowledge—knowledge both of technical processes and also of human relationships. The Government is fully aware of the importance of the issue and is prepared to support State and private research with every financial help ; thus the trend of increase in cost—£470,000 in 1938, £2 millions last year and an estimated £2½ millions next year—is not a matter for concern but a sign of the ever-growing importance of research and a pointer to bigger things to come. Recent material results have convinced Mr. Morrison that the money is well spent, and he referred, for example, to the technical advances made in pottery firing operations, infra-red drying of paints, fitting of shoes, adjusting of peak electrical loads, production of linen, improvement of iron foundries and development of ‘nodular cast-iron', design of more efficient domestic grates, scientific research into better houses, and the improvement of road surfaces. It is important that manufacturers should bear in mind the improvement of quality and lowering of costs in addition to increased productivity. All these problems can be solved by more scientific investigation, and Mr. Morrison considers that research is the spearhead of the advance of industry by which We will determine whether we are going to hold our place in competitive world industry or degenerate into a third-rate Power. Not only must the value of research be recognized, but also the conditions of scientific workers must be improved and their status acknowledged. Responsible people do realize these points, but are they fully understood by the general public? The research associations must publicize their activities and see that the world knows of the excellent results being obtained by British research effort.
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Research and Recovery. Nature 162, 645–646 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/162645e0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/162645e0