12 GEORGE FERDINAND BECKER— MERRILL IMbmo, "[vo"xsi; 



A striking feature of Doctor Becker's career was his versatility, which he seems ever to have 

 cultivated, rather than held in check. An interesting illustration of this is afforded in a paper 

 (lecture) prepared by him in 1904, entitled: "How small an Army we need." The purport of 

 the paper can not here be further elucidated than to state that a copy of the same being sent 

 Brig. Gen. J. F. Bell, then at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., received the following indorsement: 



Infantry and Cavalry School and Staff College, 



Office of the Commandant, 

 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Sept. IT, 1904. 

 Dr. George F. Becker, 



Washington, D. C. 

 My dear Doctor: I have received the article entitled: "How small an Army we need," which you have 

 kindly sent me for criticism. I not only have no criticism to make, but am astonished that a man who has never 

 been a professional soldier could have written so soundly on the subject you have selected. I have submitted 

 this article to many of my assistants on duty with this college, and it meets with the hearty concurrence of all of 

 them. We find the matter of which it treats so clearly and cogently set forth that we would be greatly gratified 

 to see it published in some form or periodical where it could reach the masses of our non-professional fellow 

 citizens. You have not even made any technical error in the statements of fact or deductions. We only hope 

 that there is a respectable percentage of our fellow countrymen who may be able to see this matter in the same 

 light that you do. 



Hoping you may continue your studies and efforts on behalf of the country in this line, believe me, 

 Trulv and sincerely yours, 



(Signed) J. F. Bell, 



Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, 



Commandant. 



It is difficult to write of the purely personal side of Doctor Becker, since few of those who 

 were associated with him and knew him at all intimately are now living. That he was of more 

 than ordinary affectionate nature both as boy and man is evident from his correspondence; 

 this is particularly conspicuous in his letters to his mother. Few but his most intimate friends 

 could see in this seemingly unemotional man, absorbed in problems of science, one whose daily 

 letters to wife and mother were concluded in language of the tenderest endearment. 



" I owe him a debt," writes his one time assistant, H. W. Turner, " for his rigid requirements 

 of exact notes on all geological matters ... In camn we found Dr. Becker always a good 

 sport and an interesting companion." 



"In thought and manner," writes Doctor Day, "Dr. Becker was a true pioneer, absolutely 

 fearless, impatient of limitations, quick to get at the heart of the problem, direct and vigorous 

 in its prosecution, and with an untiring spirit even under the strain of protracted illness which 

 clouded the closing years of his life." And again, "Like most pioneer thinkers, Dr. Becker 

 was by necessity the master of several fields of scientific research. He possessed an excellent 

 working knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and geology, and used all these with 

 the greatest freedom and effectiveness throughout all his work. With the possible exception 

 of Gilbert, there is no man of his time in the Washington geological work who possessed greater 

 versatility in discussion or such breadth of view." And still again, in a personal note to the 

 present writer he says: "I cherish Dr. Becker's memory as that of one of the finest men, one 

 of the soundest scientists, and one of the best friends I ever knew." 



Highly commendatory is the following extract from a letter written by General Bell to 

 Mrs. Becker — the mother — under date of February 21, 1901: 



Your son and I were strongly drawn toward each other, because we lived here together at a time of great 

 distress, and we found our ideas accorded respecting the propriety and impropriety of matters in general. We 

 easily became indignant at abuses committed by Americans and worked hard together for the credit of our 

 land and nation. His strong conviction and determination was a support to me in many cases of doubt and 

 uncertainty. His companionship on the battle-field was inspiring. Bravery is expected in a soldier. He gets 

 no credit from having it, but great discredit if he has it not, but brave^' is not expected from those whose bus- 

 iness is other than fighting. They have nothing to gain and all to lose from being killed; whereas a soldier 

 may gain undying fame by losing his life on the field of battle. Therefore, when a man takes his life in his 

 own hands, as your son did, inspired solely by an interest in his nation, and the manly instinct antagonistic to 

 cowardice, he is deserving of credit indeed. No bond of affection is so strong as that which is created by the 

 sharing of mutual dangers. I think our satisfaction might have been more complete had we had your strong 

 intellect and sympathy to aid us at a time when much hardship and sufering was visible on every side. 



