Abstract
RATIONALISATION, especially in reference to the chemical industry, was the subject of a paper by J. Davidson Pratt, general manager of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers, read at the University of Bristol on Feb. 6. The general principle that exact knowledge should be the basis of industrial policy was most clearly stated: and of course the principle is in practice recognised more generally in the chemical than in other industries. Imperial Chemical Industries and the German I. G. are well known. Chemistry involves so obviously the problem of research and co-ordination of results that the tendency to large scale and long range thinking in the industries dependant upon a knowledge of chemistry can scarcely be resisted. Mr. Pratt was in fact preaching to the converted. But the conversion, as he pointed out, has not gone far enough. Besides the important issues with which he dealt there are others. National ‘rationalisation’ on the basis of amalgamation or association of firms gives the group so united a great political influence, which in practice has been used for the introduction of protective tariffs and the maintenance of high prices within the tariff-wall. It is quite useless to say that the consumer should not suffer. He will, unless policy prevents it, and the policy of a national amalgamation in any trade is never in favour of the consumer at home, unless competition is feared from abroad. But even international agreements may be aimed only at keeping prices up.
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News and Views. Nature 125, 246–251 (1930). https://doi.org/10.1038/125246b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/125246b0