THE CONFERENCE held in London last month between the Board
of Governors of flit Weizmann Institute at Rehovoth in Israel and representatives of organisations in Britain and America which support this remarkable centre of fundamental scienti- fic research completed its business quite easily in three days, thanks to adequate advance documentation. Its conclusions Will soon be published; meanwhile two decisions were taken, I gather, which will shape the future of the Institute. First, the conference endorsed the founder's original intention of making fundamental research the main business, without yielding to the critics who argue that everything done at Rehovoth must have an immediate bearing upon Israel's current problems of economic development. Next, the gap which threatens to separate revenue and expenditure during the next four years was firmly faced. The conference ruled out altogether any question of curtailing the research programme; and set about plans for making good the deficit—about $6 million—from a number of official and unofficial sources. Both decisions amount to a vote of confidence in those who direct the Insti- tute; and are largely due to the impression made upon the delegates by the information given them on such matters as the successful production of 'heavy water' very cheaply; the extraction of uranium from phosphate minerals; and other striking results of work in the past. There was, however, general agreement that the administrative side of the Institute needs to be streamlined to keep pace with the expansion of the scientific departments. Machinery which was adequate when the Insti- tute was of interest mainly to Israel is beginning to creak now that post-doctorate research attracts visiting scientists from a dozen countries.
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