Universities, Research and Brain Waste 17 



take this work in addition to their regular work. There is no eight-hour 

 day for the research worker. For overtime he does not receive time 

 and a half pay. He gives the extra time gratis. The layman may 

 think that the scientist is paid for the articles he publishes in the tech- 

 nical journals. This, however, is not the case. He does this work gratis 

 also. The editorial work on the scientific journals is, in general, done 

 without remuneration. I may add furthermore that there is no money in 

 the publication of a scientific treatise or a more advanced text-book. 



The man on the street will say any one who does so much work 

 gratis is not practical. There is this side of it, however, that when a 

 man has toiled a lifetime to make a fortune, the very best that he can 

 do with it is to endow research. His benefaction to the race is then of 

 the same effect as that of the research worker. The man of wealth 

 contributes indirectly to the welfare of mankind. He first acquires his 

 wealth and then uses it to subsidize the research worker. The latter 

 makes his contribution directly. Why should we say that he is 

 less practical than the business man who has accumulated wealth? 

 It may be that, under stress of circumstances, he consents to accept 

 less than a decent living salary. The business administration of the 

 university which is willing to take advantage of his position, however, 

 can hardly be called practical for its policy is, in the long run, detri- 

 mental to the university, to science and to the best interests of the 

 nation. 



In European universities the position of research is less incidental 

 than in the general run of American universities. In Germany the 

 university is essentially a research institution and every member of the 

 teaching staff, as we have already indicated, is appointed on a basis of 

 research qualifications. Practically the same result is secured in France 

 in another way. The professoriate there is recruited from the most 

 select of the select material which is admitted to the schools for genius 

 to which I have already made reference. In certain of the English 

 universitier the professorial standard is safeguarded by a system of 

 so-called electors. For those who are not familiar with the system I may 

 say that when a chair becomes vacant a number of men are named whose 

 duty it is to select a man to fill the place. These are known as electors. 

 They are usually men of technical knowledge. Certain of them are 

 from the institution concerned. The others are outsiders. The princi- 

 pal evil the system is intended to guard against is appointment by 

 local pull. The voice of the outsiders, I am told, is usually the deter- 

 mining factor in making the selection. I have in mind a case where 

 there were five electors of whom three were from outside the institution. 

 The two local electors felt under obligation to support a colleague who 



