Methods in a "scientific and humanitarian program" for defense of civilian populations against submarine and air bombers were the topic of a talk by President Karl T. Compton of M. I. T. in the Adams House Upper Common Room last night.

A member of the present War Resources Board, Compton was Associate Scientific Attach to the American Embassy in Paris during the last war. He discussed the various devices used at that time for detecting submarines and bombers, and evaluated the importance of recent improvements.

Instruments for detection of submarines have been made much more accurate, he said, and the Scapa Flow attack probably happened because there were so many ships in the harbor that it was extremely difficult to detect one more. The most successful invention for finding submarines has been an "echo" arrangement, which determines distance and direction.