The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-11-04

4. Industries with the largest propor-
ltion of companies reporting short
ages of research scientists and engi-
neers were aircraft, electrical equip
ment, petroleum, paper, food and
primary metals.
Every aircraft company in the sur
vey indicated shortage of research
and development personnel. One of
fetal put it this way: "Our organiza-
ton has been literally limited in its
development work by the unavailable
ity of qualified personnel"
Three-fifths of the surveyed COM
panies in each of the electrical equip
ment, petroleum, paper and food in
dustries reported shortages of scien-
fists and engineers which were i'm
peding their research and develop
ment programs in many cases. A ma
jority of the companies in the pri-
mary metals industries also said they
did not have enough research scien-
fists and engineers.
In addition to research by private
industries, there is huge federal
program, in atomic energy and agri-
culture for example. This program is
at a disadvantage because the start
ing salaries in the government for
graduating seniors in engineering
and physical science with no profes-
sional experience are more than $50
a month below average industrial
offers.
DR.. r. r. Renne, President of the
Montana State College, says: eff the
situation at Montana State College
is typical, it would seem almost in
avitable that the great majority of
our students graduating in engineer
ing and the physical sciences, or at
east the higher caliber students, will
De attracted to industry rather than
20 the federal service. AS a repre-
sentative of one government installa-
ion put it, we have better research
facilities and equipment than any
can hope to have, but we
rave ito hire second and third-rate
Engineers to work at our installa-
ions-if we can find anyone at all'."
Meanwhile Russia has stepped up
her engineering program and is
producing more engineers than we
are. In 1854, they graduated more
than $4,000 engineers, while we
graduated $4,000. This report Gu.
S. News & World Report, issues of
September 16 and October z, 1850
from Homer and Norton
Dodge, American educators just
back from a long study tour of
Russian schools.
The Dodges report that we are still
lrning out more scientists-physi-
SITS. chemists, biologists and the
le-than the Russians are. But they
arm that if present trends continue,
ussia will overtake us here as she
ready has in the field of ugineer-
G..
1t is their feeling-a feeling shared
: many who see danger to o, r ma
On in this situation-that we must
crease the number of capable stu
nts going into science and ngi-
ering. Taking physics as an ex-
1ple, they note that of 10000 oys
d girls bright enough to bee me
ysicists, 5000 finish high sci ool
these, only so major in ply sizes.
lily Is go on to advanced wo k in
ysics and become physicists. This
not enough to meet our nat onal
eds.
Russia has many more people than
have. Their educational syst, m is
ltered on the state and is dir, cited
ward the development of state VOW
in contrast to ours, which is CEN
ed on the individual. So we rob
Y cannot expect to beat them vt
nbers game. But we can and are
npeting on the basis of qualit,
1t the same time, we must incre ase
number of graduates in engine er
and science to safeguard our "a
lal security and maintain our IL
ific supremacy.