EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. 38. January, 1918. No. 1. 



It is a sign of the spirit of public service pervading the American 

 experiment stations that their workers should feel an insistent desire 

 for a real tangible part in the country's supreme effort. Living in 

 the midst of the greatest war ever waged, and in the most momentous 

 period of the world's history, it is difficult to understand how any 

 man, much less a scientist, can escape being brought under the spell 

 of its appeal. To many of this class it has been a call to service under 

 arms, to others for special expert service under the Government, and 

 to many it has made it difficult to long hold their minds on work 

 which is not definitely related to the situation. It has aroused the 

 spirit of public usefulness. 



The war has not only given every one opportunity to help, no 

 matter what his walk in life, and stimulated action by emphasizing 

 the common interest, but it has created an obligation and an expec- 

 tation which have a new force in our lives. As a speaker at the 

 winter meeting of the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science well said: "There has never been a time in the world's 

 history when every individual, every nation, organizations of every 

 kind, every science, and every other intellectual discipline have 

 been under such compelling necessity of demonstrating their use- 

 fulness." 



And he added that " the most savage assault ever made on civiliza- 

 tion, wrecking universities, bombarding churches and schoolhouses, 

 burning libraries, destroying orchards and forests, ruining labora- 

 tories and scientific apparatus, has compelled every nation, every 

 department of knowledge, to become as useful as possible." Hence, 

 " society is justified in asking of every scientist as of every other 

 man, of what use can you be in the body politic?" 



This question has stirred the forces of the experiment stations 

 from the outset. Sometimes the glamour of war makes the oppor- 

 tunity seem to lie afar off, outside the ordinary walks of life. And 

 this makes men restless and impatient of work which seems remote 

 from the field of action. It has led some away from the institutions, 

 and created uncertainty in the minds of others as to what they ought 

 to do. The provision for deferred classification of agricultural 



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