TOPICS OF THE DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21208, 3 September 1940, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Scientists and War “Having regard to the highly technical nature of modern warfare, with its manifold contacts with, and dependence upon, geographical and meteorological knowledge, engineering, chemistry and chemical industry, medical science, psychology and so on, it is obvious that men of science are closely concerned in the construction of an adequate policy of national defence as well as the formation of an adequate structure of peace. They have an important part to play, both professionally and as citizens. The association of science with war and the prostitution of scientific effort to war purposes cannot be condemned too strongly, yet few scientific workers would wish to avoid participating in adequate and tffective methods of national defence, or to fail in their service to the high humanistic ideals for which science stands. Every nation has the right to decide upon its own form of government—democratic or autocratic—just as it must be left free to follow its own religious ideals. When the deliberate policy of a State is to impose its system by force upon people who wish to be free and have entirely different ideals, all believers in liberty of conscience and in the principles of natural cultural development should range themselves against such aggression.”—Sir Richard Gregory.