ATOMIC ENERGY AS A HUMAN ASSET—COMPTON 175 
by technology seem indeed to make us more acutely aware of our 
responsibility to use these powers for human ends that go beyond 
ourselves. 
Typical of the forces working in this direction is recognized need 
that our form of society must attain its fullest strength if it is to 
survive in the fierce competition of the postwar world. We have come 
to realize however that our strength lies in the many millions of our 
citizens who are working efficiently and loyally at the Nation’s tasks. 
Widespread education, encouragement of each individual to seek for 
the place in the game where he can play best, opportunity for advance- 
ment and leadership—all these have helped to strengthen our society. 
Self-preservation demands that all possible effort be given to enable 
and encourage every citizen of the country to contribute his best to 
the needs of the Nation. To attain this result, cultivation of the spirit 
of service is of first importance. 
The evolutionary law of the survival of the fittest applies to societies 
as well as to individuals. According to this law the society of the 
future will inevitably advance along these lines of cooperativeness, of 
education, and of individual concern with service toward the common 
welfare. If selfish interests or an ill-adapted form of government 
should prevent our growth along these lines, some other nation or 
group that can develop thus more rapidly will pass us by. 
You will note that these factors which give strength to society are 
precisely those that characterize the highest type of citizen. Coopera- 
tion: he likes to work with others on a common task. Education: he 
has learned to do his own useful task and to share intelligently in solv- 
ing public problems. Service: the central objective of his life is to 
contribute to the common welfare the maximum that his abilities make 
possible. These also are the factors which make life of greatest value 
to the individual himself. 
My point is this: the release of atomic energy is merely the most 
recent important step of that steady progression of science that is 
compelling man to become human. He must pay careful attention 
to cooperation, education, and service for the welfare of society if he 
is to thrive under the conditions that science imposes. If we will let 
ourselves grow as thus indicated, the civilization of the atomic age 
promises to be the richest that history has known, not only with regard 
to material bounty, but also in its cultivation and appreciation of 
the truest human values. 
How then are we justified in describing atomic energy as a human 
asset ? 
First, atomic energy now supplies for the first time weapons which 
make it possible for a centralized world government to prevent wars 
between nations. Having made war intolerable because of its enor- 
