Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-03
lis rich in thymol and can be cuitivat-
ed as an abundant source Of the drug
Millikan Will Get Commission.


ed as an abundant source Of the drug
MiIIikan Will Get Commission.
The work Of all the committees OF
the council is closely. tied up with the
practical war needs, of the government.
Not only are officers Of the army and
navy serving on many of the special
committees, but. Prof. Robert A. Nil
likan, Of the University Of Chicago,
vice chairman Of the council and its
executive director, is at the request OF
General Squier about to be made a
major in the signal corps of the army
SO that the link may be still more in
innate.
Major Millikan is also head Of the
physics committee Of the council,
which is taking ast-aative part in work
intended to meet ,ybe Submarine men
ace. 1t bps beens instrumental in or
ganfzing 5everal groups of scientists
and technical experts, who at stations
on the ocean and inland are spending
all their time in devising and testing
various forms Of apparatus.
Visibility of Periscopes.
One Of its subcommittee has COM
pleted elaborate tests at sea on vari-
GUS physical devices designed to in
crease the visibility Of periscopes and
has made recommendations which
have been favorabIy considered by the
authorities of the navy 1t has also
made recommendations regarding the
selection and training of lookout men
on ships, which the navy has under
consideration, in connection with re-
ports submitted in the same new field
by the subcommittee on psychology.
The research council puts at the i'm
mediate disposal Of the government
the counsel and suggestions Of the
most eminent scientists in America.
Thus, when the recent scientific mis-
sion sent to Europe by the council re-
turned home a meeting was called
here in Washington at which forty
leading physicists we're present. Also
in attendance were the scientific and
naval missions from our European al
lies and the experts Of our own naval
department. The subject under discus
sion was measures of offense and de-
Tense against the submarine.
Laboratories in Service.
The men sent abroad by the council
reported, and what they said was am
plified by the members Of the French
and English missions. Then the whole
subject was discussed in all its angles
and the problem divided up into spe-
cihc problems. Just what progress was
reported may not be stated. but 1t Is
revealing no secret to say that in many
research laboratories the brightest
minds in the country are now hard at
work-and each man has his own job
laid out for him.
1t is fascinating to go over the work
under way by all the many subcom-
mittees. The engineering committee,
for instance, has been investigating
the question in error in gun fire from
a rolling ship and has made sugges-
tons to the navy department for con-
trolling and eliminating such errors.
It is also Investigating the feasibility
Of the steel body armor, with which
it Is proposed to equip part Of the
expeditionary force going into France.
Problems For biologists.
The geology committee has made
four specific suggestions to the war de-
partment as to how biologists may be
OF direct help in military operations.
There is the proper location Of camp
sites, the location and drainage Of
trenches, and the sources OF drinking
water, the determination in every To-
cality Of the nearest and best source
Of rock material for road building. the
location and development. OF, new de-
posits OF minerals useful in war, and
! the measurement: % earth vibrations
as affected by heavy gun fire.
IN almost an infinite number OF ways
the. associated scientists are making
themselves useful to the nation and it,
armed forces. They have been instru-
mental in organizing local research
boards in some seventy colleges ant
universities.
When the war IL over the nAti0na
research council proposes to continue
Its work, devoting its attention TO ths
development Of all the resources Of. tn
United States and 20 The provision q
new means for the extension OF Tor.
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