Evening star., 1933-01-14
ENGINEERS SCORE
TECHNOCRACY IDEA
DisavoW Any Connection With
Much Discussed Move
ment.

"Technocracy" was disavowed by the
American engineering profession in
resolutions adopted today by the Amer
ican Engineering Council at its annual
meeting
The American Engineering Council
is the official voice of the profession In
this country.
Not only did It deny the claims Of
the technocrats to speak for engineers
! as body, but it expressed grave doubts
as to the practicability of their schemes
and regretted the effort to set up a
class autocracy, or government of en-
gineers.'
Accepted After Debate.
The official statement of the council,
accepted after considerable debate, fol-
lows:
"The statements of a group of men
organized under the name "Technoc-
racy" have received wide publicity
through the press by reason of start
ling predictions which involve a COM
plete overturn in our economic struc-
ture. These pronouncements, circu-
lated as coming from engineers, have
led to the belief that they represent
, responsible engineering thought.
MANY requests for information on
| Technocracy have come to American
Engineering Council, which is the rep
resentatiye of national, regional and To-
cal engineering societies in the United
States. The council has endeavored to
obtain from the promoters OF the move
ment an authoritative statement OF
! their findings and their program. 1t
| Is significant that no information could
| be obtained beyond what has appeared
! in the press.
"The accepted practice among engi-
neers OF presenting new Developments
! to some engineering society for critical
| study and discussion has not been fol-
| lowed The data and statistics brought
! forward in magazine and newspaper
articles as a basis for speculative claims
! are open to question; some OF the find
| ings have been discredited or diSproved
| by other Investigations.
Statements Attacked.
"These statements and conclusions
may have serious effect Of undermin-
ing public confidence in our present
| civilization and are. holding out an un-
warranted promise Of quick solu-
ton of economic ills. The method of
presentation has been marked by exag-
Grated, intolerant and eXtravagant
claims. They have capitalized the fears
miSeries and uncertainties due to the
depression and have proposed con-
troll which is, in effect, class dictator
ship.
Contrary to these claims. there Is
nothing inherent in technical improve
ment which entails economic and social
Embellishments. Indeed, technology
offers the only possible basis for con-
tinuing material progress. The volume
of goods produced, distributed and con-
sumed during the years 1928 and 1925
was not excessive That volume may
and should bessurpassed upon the re-
turn of prosperity.
The alleged unmanageability OF
machine economy has not been proven
Its dislocationS are traceable to i'm
proper and unskilled use rather than
| to inherently harmful characteristics
Complete replacement of men by the
machine is precluded by the law OF d.
creasingly in evidence Contrary to the
pronouncemerits of technocracy, applied
science holds the promise of better
things to come in a society which fear
lessly and intelligently meets its prob
| lens. 1t is the considered opinion OF
| American Engineering Council that oul
present economic structure contains
| within itself the possibilities of progress
Sive improvement and attainment OF
hlgher standards Of living"