52 



SCIENCE 



[N. 8. Vol. L. No. 128 L 



scientists have not applied to their own profes- 

 sion the doctrine of cooperation and coordina- 

 tion so vigorously and successfully preached to 

 others. Yet the fact remains that while the 

 rest of mankind has gone far along the way 

 which we have discovered and jKiinted out we 

 still remain largely isolated and intrenched in 

 the feudal towers of our individualism. Here 

 behind moat and wall we shape and fashion 

 those intellectual darts with which at our an- 

 nual tourneys we hope to pierce the haughty 

 pride of some brother baron. Yet common 

 sense, the common-good, the very progress of 

 our profession demands that we abandon this 

 ancient outworn attitude. 



For more than four years now we have been 

 witnessing one of the greatest convulsions in 

 the inexorable march of himian evolution. 

 Again the intrenched autocracy of individual- 

 ism has gone down before the invincible march 

 of democratic socialism and we look with 

 longing expectation for the consummation of 

 that age old dream, a true league of mankind, 

 free from the blighting menace of individual 

 selfishness. 



How then shall scientific men, who often 

 and in so many ways have pointed out the 

 path along which mankind shall realize its 

 vision of common brotherhood, perfect in their 

 own relations the doctrine which they have so 

 persistently and effectively taught. How shall 

 we truly cooperate and effectively coordinate 

 our efforts and discoveries. While I must ad- 

 mit the obstacles and the difficulties which 

 confront us, frankly I see none that are funda- 

 mental or insurmountable. They are in no- 

 wise of a different sort or more formidable 

 than those which confront other men. Every 

 honest scientist must admit the desirability, 

 yes the very necessity of scientific cooperation, 

 if we are to maintain that lofty position of 

 disinterested leadership in the economic affair 

 of mankind which we so long have held to be 

 our natural heritage. ^ 



But one short year ago this body of men ac- 

 knowledged this grave necessity by their com- 

 mon effort to organize themselves for more ef- 

 fective participation in the gigantic struggle 

 then at its zenith. 



What then are some of the si)ecifie difficul- 

 ties with which we are confronted. One says, 

 " This is my idea, how shall I be protected in 

 my possession and exploitation of it " and he 

 hoists aloft the bugbear of priority, at once the 

 reward and the curse of scientific work. 

 " What," cries another, " shall I share my im- 

 mature conclusions with my intellectual in- 

 feriors," and then proceeds to contribute 

 another half-^baked fragment to the crumbs 

 that litter scientific publication. Is any truly 

 scientific man so poor in ideas that he can not 

 afford, forsooth, the loss of a crumb or two if 

 that the common good be better served by the 

 free and open display of his wares? I have 

 been ever free to expose my own discoveries 

 and ideas on scientific matters for the consid- 

 eration and criticism of my colleagues nor am 

 I aware that any of them has ever been inten- 

 tionally filched or appropriated. It may well 

 be of course that all of them have been like 

 the contents of the proverbial purse. No man 

 shall thus greatly lose, for by the very display 

 itself he most protects that which is truly his; 

 for who will steal cakes from the common 

 table and hope to get away with it? Another 

 invokes the shades of a jealous director to 

 justify his selfish doubts of the possibility of 

 cooperative action. Well, have we not ever 

 boasted of our academic freedom, and if we 

 choose to pool our ideas shall autocratic ad- 

 ministrators rise to say us nay? Real admin- 

 istrators most recognize the value and ad- 

 vantages of cooperation and will be the first 

 to approve our efforts in this direction. The 

 common good alone deserves consideration. 

 Will any one gainsay the fact that more than 

 half the words with which we dress our dar- 

 lings for the press are so much padding old 

 and soiled with wear? How immature and 

 verdant too, too many of them are. Then why 

 not bring them forth in all their nakedness 

 and let the eyes of all the tribe appraise them 

 at their worth, discuss them, test them, fit 

 them in their proper place and stamp with gen- 

 eral approval that which posterity may use 

 with confidence and gratitude. Think of the 

 weary hours we now must give to burrowing 

 in literature. Then shall we not forswear our 



