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Show The Parties Look at Science The report of 14 Democratic scientists on the technical aspects of keeping the peace is an important document in itself. Moreover, it points up the considerable difference of viewpoint between the two parties. The proposal contrasts sharply with a Republican statement on "The Impact of Science and Technology,", published a week previously. And the difference is apparent immediately in the makeup of the groups responsible. For the Democrats 14 scientists and intellectuals, including two Nobel prize-winners; for the Republicans two businessmen, a doctor, two architects, a college administrator, an opinion researcher, a laboratory administrator ad-ministrator and a broadcaster. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Republican report advocates that the federal government retreat from applied research re-search except for weapons development; that it use tax favoritism to encourage private research; and that whatever funds the government puts into basic research should be "within the limits , of existing budgets." It wants the government to stay out of science as much as possible because "scientists themselves above all do not want a centralizer control of themselves." The scientists who made the Democratic proposal do not see it quite that way. They advocate an independent government (Continued on Page Four) The Parties Look at Science (Continued from Page 1) agency to investigate scientific problems of keeping the peace; they want the government to spend a "sizeable amount" in this work. But the biggest difference is in the essential nature of the reports. The Republican group concerns itself with charting the probable course of scientific development, frets over the prerogatives pre-rogatives of "private resources," calls for patent protection for "commercial application of inventions" and echoes the President's Presi-dent's budgetary timidity. The Democratic proposal, on the other hand, crackles with ideas. Its primary demand is for a scientific approach to disarmament dis-armament through the development of superior seismographic detection as well as satellite reconnaissance, to make control really possible. It suggests scientific inquiry into foreign aid whether, for instance, better vaccines or better bullock carts would best aid India. And itcontemplates that the U. S. agency it suggests might eventually become an international instrument for aiding the peace. It is, in fact, an adventurous fearless and thoughtful document. docu-ment. The Republican report, by contrast, smacks of Eisenhower, smells of Wall Street and is tainted with Grand Old aPrty guff. Above editorial is reprinted from the Nashville Tennessean. |