Modern Mercenaries?

Most thoughtful scientists are deeply worried about having their discoveries turned into weapons of war. They fear that they will be cast as the real villains of a World War III. This fear is well founded. Last week an anonymous* article in the Christian Century blasted the scientists as "modern mercenaries" who will serve any master, however evil, that helps them in their research.

"Scientists," writes "One of Them," "are the mercenaries of modern warfare. Almost wholly devoid of humanitarian impulses, they consider their cold and analytical search for scientific knowledge more important than any current affairs of mere mortals. If a scientist is given a chance to pursue his line of research unmolested, he doesn't care about the type of government he is working under, or the condition of the people, or anything else. Science is the thing, not people . . .

"Give a scientist a problem, any problem, and he is happy. During the war it was the problem of killing people in greater numbers than ever before. The scientists . . . came up with schemes that military men never dreamed of."

The author does not accept this activity as patriotism in time of war, nor does he accept the scientists' broader claim that they are not responsible for the way the world utilizes their discoveries. "I would say," writes he, "that this is the No. 1 fallacy of the scientific mind . . . Certainly they are responsible . . . Certainly they can control how their new scientific principles are utilized; certainly they have to consider the implications of their research, and not merely strive blindly for facts, facts, facts."

The author does not suggest how scientists can decide which facts to avoid uncovering--or how to tell in advance what good or what evil a new discovery may lead to. But he does suggest a general attitude that may be more high-minded than practical: "To prove that they are not mercenaries . . . they might take a stand against the continuation of military research. They might urge their fellow technicians to stop making more bombs. They might indeed stop supporting war, either directly or indirectly . . . The people want our scientists to do more than damn the use of yesterday's weapons. They want them to stop making weapons for new wars."

-The author, who signs himself "One of Them," claims to be a scientist who has worked on a military project.

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