THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 17 
science, but of more science—psychology, which holds out hopes 
that, for the first time in his long history, man may be enabled to 
obey the command ‘ Know thyself’; to which I, for one, would 
like to see adjoined a morality and, if possible, even a religion, 
consistent with our new psychological knowledge and the established 
facts of science ; scientific and constructive measures of eugenics 
and birth control ; scientific research in agriculture and industry, 
sufficient at least to defeat the gloomy prophecies of Malthus and 
enable ever larger populations to live in comfort and contentment on 
the same limited area of land. In such ways we may hope to restrain 
the pressure of population and the urge for expansion which, to my 
mind, are far more likely to drive the people of a nation to war 
than the knowledge that they—and also the enemies they will have 
to fight—are armed with the deadliest weapons which science can 
devise. 
This last brings us to the thorny problem of economic depression 
and unemployment. No doubt a large part of this results from the 
war, national rivalries, tariff barriers, and various causes which have 
nothing to do with science, but a residue must be traced to scientific 
research ; this produces labour-saving devices which in times of 
depression are only too likely to be welcomed as wage-saving 
devices and to put men out of work. The scientific Robot in 
Punch’s cartoon boasted that he could do the work of 100 men, 
but gave no answer to the question— Who will find work for the 
displaced 99?’ He might, I think, have answered—‘ The pure 
scientist, in part at least.’ For scientific research has two products 
of industrial importance—the labour-saving inventions which dis- 
place labour, and the more fundamental discoveries which originate 
as pure science, but may ultimately lead to new trades and new 
popular demands providing employment for vast armies of labour. 
Both are rich gifts from science to the community. The labour- 
saving devices lead to emancipation from soul-destroying toil and 
routine work, to greater leisure and better opportunities for its enjoy- 
ment. ‘The new inventions add to the comfort and pleasure, health 
and wealth of the community. Ifa perfect balance could be main- 
tained between the two, there would be employment for all, with 
a continual increase in the comfort and dignity of life. But, as 
I see it, troubles are bound to arise if the balance is not maintained, 
and a steady flow of labour-saving devices with no accompanying 
steady flow of new industries to absorb the labour they displace, 
cannot but lead to unemployment and chaos in the field of labour. 
At present we have a want of balance resulting in unemployment, so 
that our great need at the moment is for industry-making discoveries. 
Let us remember Faraday’s electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s 
Hertzian waves, and the Otto cycle—each of which has provided 
