II. — 'THE RISE OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRY 



the natural home of pure science and of pure scientific research is to be 

 found in the university, from which it can not pass. It is a high func- 

 tion of the universities to make advances in science, to test new scientific 

 discoveries and to place their stamp of truth upon those which are found 

 to be pure. In this way only can they determine what shall be taught as 

 scientific truth to those who, relying upon their authority, come to 

 them for knowledge and believe what they teach. 



Instead of abdicating in their favor, may not our universities, stimu - 

 lated by the wonderful achievements of these industrial laboratories, 

 find a way to advance the conduct of their own pure scientific research, 

 the grand responsibility for which rests upon them. This responsibility 

 should now be felt more heavily than ever by our American universities, 

 not only because the tragedy of the great war has caused the destruction 

 of European institutions of learning, but because even a worse thing has 

 happened. So great have been the fatalities of the war that the universi- 

 ties of the old world hardly dare to count their dead. 



But what can the American universities do, for they, like the pure 

 scientists, are not engaged in a lucrative occupation. Universities are not 

 money-making institutions, and what can be done without money? 



There is much that can be done without money. The most impor- 

 tant and most fundamental factor in scientific research is the mind of a 

 man suitably endowed by nature. Unless the scientific investigator has 

 the proper genius for his work, no amount of financial assistance, no 

 apparatus or laboratories, however complete, and no foreign travel and 

 study, however extensive, will enable such a mind to discover new truths 

 or to inspire others to do so. Judgment and appreciation and insight into 

 character on the part of the responsible university authorities must be 

 applied to the problem, so that when the man with the required mental 

 attributes does appear he may be appreciated as early in his career as 

 possible. This is a very difficult thing to do indeed. Any one can recog- 

 nize such a man after his great achievements have become known to all 

 the world, but I sometimes think that one who can select early a man 

 who has within him the making of the scientific discoverer must have 

 been himself fired with a little of the divine spark. Such surely was the 

 case with Sir Humphry Davy, himself a great discoverer, who, realizing 

 the fundamental importance of the man in scientific discovery, once said 

 that Michael Faraday, whose genius he was prompt to recognize, con- 

 stituted his greatest discovery. 



I can furnish no formula for the identification of budding genius 

 and I have no ready-made plan to lay before the universities for the 

 advancement of pure scientific research. But as a representative of engi- 

 neering and industrial research, having testified to the great value of 

 pure scientific research, I venture to suggest that the university author- 

 ities themselves might well consider the immense debt which engineer- 

 ing and the industries and transportation and communications and com- 

 merce owe to pure science, and to express the hope that the importance 

 of pure scientific research will be more fully appreciated both within the 

 university and without, for then will come — and then only — that sym- 

 pathetic appreciation and generous financial support so much needed for 

 the advancement of pure scientific research in America. 



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