On referees, reviewers and critics

Before assess ing the situation, and finding remedies for the suggested ills, it must first be reeognized tha t it is diffieult under an.v c i reumstances properly to balance it var ie ty of different in te res t s : o~ the one Imnd it is desired to mainta in and s t reng then , if possibie, bi~-}t professional s tandards , while on the o ther it is impor tan t to prescott s t imula t ing mater ia l to the readers and to appear responsive ted cu> rently favored trends. Why then does such a task seem more diflieu!t to carry out in our field than in some o:f the more establ ished, related areas such as mathemat ics and physics ?