Book Reviews and Notices : Modern Arms and Free Men. By VANNEVAR BUSH. (New York: Simon and Schuster. 1949. Pp. 273. $3.50.)
| Author | Carl Q. Christol |
| Published date | 01 March 1951 |
| Date | 01 March 1951 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/106591295100400154 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
177
mittees
and
the
lists
of
prominent
members
from
all
over
the
country.
The
third
part
of
the
book
suggests
that
the
remedy
for
banker
con-
trol
lies
in
re,applying
the
anti-trust
statutes
to
the
railroad
industry,
and
in
restoring
control
to
the
operating
officials.
The
fourth
part
provides
the
texts
of
some
fundamental
documents
affecting
the
industry,
of
which
the
most
interesting
is
undoubtedly
that
shown
in
Appendix
G -
Associa-
tion
of
American
Railroads
Plan
of
Organization.
Powell,
Wyoming.
LOWELL
O.
STEPHENS.
Modern
Arms
and
Free
Men.
By
VANNEVAR
BUSH.
(New
York:
Simon
and
Schuster.
1949.
Pp.
273.
$3.50.)
Dr.
Bush
has
written
for
Americans
who
believe
in
the
democratic
way
of
life.
He
has
written
so
that
the
citizen
may
understand
the
relationship
existing
between
modern
science
and
democracy.
His
prin-
cipal
thesis
is
that
although
science
may
permit
the
creation
of
destruc-
tive
forces,
yet
free
and
democratic
science
will
create
both
defensive
techniques
against
such
forces
and,
in
general,
keep
ahead
of
totalitarian
science.
Mankind
therefore
need
have
no
fear
of
extermination;
rather,
science
may
contribute
to
world
stability.
Our
way
of
life
is
not
endan-
gered
by
recent
scientific
developments,
but
it
will
be
greatly
endangered
if
state-inspired
limitations
upon
freedom
of
scientific
development
are
imposed.
Dr.
Bush
has
made
it
clear
that
our
people
need
not
give
way
to
unremitting
fear
owing
to
the
destructive
power
of
modern
arms.
He
concludes
that
the
atomic
bomb
is
by
no
means
an
absolute
weapon.
Modern
Arms
and
Free
Men
can
be
divided
into
two
parts.
The
first
nine
chapters
deal
in
detail
with
the
types
of
weapons
which
are,
and
have
been,
available
for
military
use.
Their
availability
is
a
result
of
scientific
development,
and
the
military
personnel
is
not
entirely
aware
of
their
full
implications.
Further,
this
personnel,
is
and
should
be,
subject
to
civil
authority
in
the
choice
of
certain
arms.
Since
bacteriological
war-
fare
is
revolting
to
mankind,
it
is
unlikely
that
it
will
ever
be
used.
The
last
nine
chapters
are
particularly
noteworthy,
for
there
a
trained
scientist
is
dealing
with
such
political
concepts
as
democracy,
totalitarian-
ism,
dictatorship,
and
subversive
war.
His
chapter
entitled
&dquo;Education&dquo;
contains
an
ardent
plea
for
continued
scientific
development,
unimpeded
by
bureaucrats
in
the
government,
either
civil
or
military,
or
by
bureau-
crats
in
the
universities.
Dr.
Bush
believes
that
ultimate
control
of
state-
financed
educational
policy
should
rest
in
the
hands
of
a
representative
body
of
citizens
who
may
deal
directly
with
Congress,
as
provided
for
in
the
National
Science
Foundation
Bill.
University
of
Southern
California.
CARL
Q.
CHRISTOL.
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