II, — ^THE RISE OF SCIENCE IX INDUSTRY 



It is not strange that many years ago Huxley, with his remarkable 

 precision of thought and his admirable command of language, should 

 have indicated his dissatisfaction with the terms "pure science" and "ap- 

 plied science," pointing out at the same time that what people call "ap- 

 plied science" is nothing but the application of pure science to particular 

 classes of problems. The terms are still employed, possibly because, after 

 all, thev may be the best ones to use, or perhaps our ideas, to which 

 these expressions are supposed to conform, have not yet become suffi- 

 ciently definite to have called forth the right words. 



It is not the purpose of this address, however, to suggest better 

 words or expressions, but rather to direct attention to certain important 

 relations between purely scientific research and industrial scientific re- 

 search which are not yet sufficiently understood. 



Because of the stupendous upheaval of the European war with its 

 startling agencies of destruction — the product of both science and the 

 industries — and because of the deplorable unpreparedness of our own 

 country to defend itself against attack, there has begun a great awaken- 

 ing of people. By bringing to their minds the brilliant achievements of 

 the membership of this institute in electric lighting and power and com- 

 munications and by calling their attention to the manifold achievements 

 of the members of our sister societies in mechanical and mining and civil 

 engineering, and the accomplishments of our fellow-workers, the indus- 

 trial chemists, thev^ are being aroused to the vital importance of the 

 products of science in the national defense. 



Arising out of this agitation comes a growing appreciation of the 

 importance of industrial scientific research, not only as an aid to military 

 defense but as an essential part of every industry in time of peace. 



Industrial research, conducted in accordance with the principles of 

 science, is no new^ thing in America. The department which is under 

 my charge, founded nearly forty years ago to develop, with the aid of 

 scientific men, the telephone art, has grown from small beginnings with 

 but a few workers to a great institution employing hundreds of scientists 

 and engineers, and it is generally acknowledged that it is largely owing 

 to the industrial research thus conducted that the telephone achievements 

 and developments in America have so greatly exceeded those of other 

 countries. 



With the development of electric lighting and electric power and 

 electric traction which came after the invention of the telephone, indus- 

 trial scientific research laboratories were founded by some of the larger 

 electrical manufacturing concerns and these have attained a world-wide 

 reputation. While vast sums are spent annually upon industrial research 

 in these laboratories, I can say with authority that they return to the 

 industries each year improvements in the art which, taken all together, 

 have a value many times greater than the total cost of their production. 

 Money expended in properly directed industrial research, conducted on 

 scientific principles, is sure to bring to the industries a most generous 

 return. 



While many concerns in America now have well organized indus- 

 trial research laboratories, particularly those engaged in metallurgy and 

 dependent upon chemical processes, the manufacturers of our country 



