A program for the engineering profession

BEYOND THE NECESSITY for technological preparedness in the military sense, the engineering profession is faced with the challenge of increasing the productivity of industry and improving the material standard of living. Either in itself constitutes a ringing challenge, but when the two are superimposed the necessity for aggressive attack upon the problem becomes even greater. In this period of our history it is not merely essential that technology develop and produce the weapons and equipment essential to the maintenance of military superiority, but that, at the same time, it carry out its major share in the development and production of articles of such attractiveness, usefulness, and serviceability to the civilian economy that the cost of military preparedness can be borne. The wreck of our civil economy would be as disastrous as military defeat. Maintenance of strength in our civil structure as well as in our military establishment is essential. In both, the role of the engineer is a dominant one, supply of engineering manpower is a critical problem, the failure to make full utilization of available engineering skills is a wasteful procedure which must be eliminated.