Science: DuBridge's Exit

"Science and engineering," Dr. Lee DuBridge once said, "are tools in man's eternal struggle to achieve his highest spiritual ends." As President Nixon's science adviser, the former Caltech president has watched those tools become increasingly blunted. Forced to economize, the Administration has sharply reduced federal support for scientific research. In some areas—radio astronomy, for example, cancer experiments and even DuBridge's own discipline, physics —allocations have been cut 20% or more. Unable to reverse the trend, DuBridge last week did some cutting himself: he resigned.

DuBridge said that he was quitting because of age (he will be 69 next month). But his friends had a more pointed explanation: he had become intensely dismayed by attacks from fellow scientists, who blamed him for what they considered the Administration's lukewarm attitude toward science. He was especially stung a few weeks ago when the prestigious scientific journal Nature described him as "too shy, even gauche —not the kind of fellow who is able to create the illusion of being a means by which the scientific community can make its voice heard in high places."

To some extent, DuBridge invited such criticism. Although he had initially warned the Administration that the economies could turn the U.S. into a second-rate scientific power in some areas, he later seemed too willing to accept the cuts. Still, DuBridge could be an effective behind-the-scenes advocate. He was particularly influential in persuading Nixon to curtail the use of defoliants in Viet Nam. He also played a key role in the President's decision to announce a ban on germ warfare, and he helped to focus attention on environmental problems. But in the face of the Administration's tightfisted mood, it is doubtful whether he could have staved off the research cutbacks even if he had protested more vigorously.

Nor is his successor likely to do much better. As DuBridge's replacement in the $42,500-a-year job, Nixon picked Dr. Edward E. David Jr., 45, the director of communications systems research at the Bell Telephone Laboratories. A relative unknown in scientific circles, David says that he will try to bring the benefits of science and technology more directly to the people. But before he can effectively close that gap, he will have to bridge another: the one between the scientists and the Administration they feel is neglecting them.