224 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1288 



by education to do this very thing. Sir 

 Eobert Hadfield, F.R.S., has said, after Eng- 

 land had been struggling with belated prep- 

 aration for nearly two years: 



Until quite recently many mistakes were made, 

 either because the scientific man had been in- 

 stalled in view of his special knowledge, or, at the 

 other end of the scale, the practical man was given 

 the preference. In a general way neither of these 

 types has been a success. 



Admitting Sir Eobert's conclusion, how can 

 we produce the leaders who shall adequately 

 combine both qualifications? That is one of 

 the greatest and most interesting problems 

 awaiting solution by our educators, and on its 

 correct solution depends in a larger degree 

 than many imagine, the future of successful 

 and contented industry in this country. I 

 shall not attempt in the presence of so many 

 educators of acknowledged ability, to show the 

 way, even if I felt persuaded that I knew it, 

 as the matter is of too great consequence to 

 run the risk of an amateur indicating the 

 wrong road. I shall content myself by point- 

 ing out the need, with the hope of turning the 

 attention of the great public to its existence. 

 In our free country, the people generally get 

 what they really want, and it is worth while 

 to lead them to want the greater things, and 

 not to be satisfied with the lesser. 



There are certain frmdamentals, however, 

 that all will agree to, if it be true that the 

 leaders of the future will have far greater 

 problems to solve than have yet been con- 

 ceived. 



1. The candidate for leadership should have 

 a healthy body. Great things have been ac- 

 complished by men and women of fragile 

 physique, but they would have accomplished 

 greater if they had not been thus handi- 

 capped. 



2. He should have good habits, which in- 

 volves good character. This is vital if we 

 would have leaders who would be a blessing 

 and not a curse. "We can easily call to mind 

 men of splendid health and intellect who used 

 these gifts to the injury of their fellows, and 

 not to their advantage. Do not waste time or 

 energy in educating for leadership a man of 

 bad or doubtful character or whose aims are 

 selfish. 



3. Of course he should have a good mind, 

 educated to the highest degree attainable. 

 This education should be specialized in the 

 desired direction, while good all around. No 

 really great leader can be lop-sided if he would 

 avoid being a " crank." 



4. He should have a thorough knowledge of 

 himian nature. To play on the " harp of a 

 thousand strings " requires on unusual ac- 

 quaintance with the instrument. How many 

 men otherwise great have broken down here, 

 sometimes because they have given too much 

 confidence, sometimes not enough, sometimes 

 because they did not know how to select assist- 

 ants. The knowledge of human nature is a 

 great gift in itself, which can be acquired and 

 increased. It lies at the foundation of wis- 

 dom, which King Solomon pronounced the 

 " principal ' thing." 



With the qualifications enumerated and 

 others which will occur to you, the candidate 

 for leadership is well equipped. To direct 

 him to full fruition is a noble task. Let us 

 proceed to fill our high places of every kind 

 with the men and women specifically prepared 

 to fill them, being assured that the effort to do 

 so will produce an army of those not quite 

 qualified for the top, but of the greatest value 

 to assist those who are, and who without such 

 aid would resemble " faith without works," 

 we are told, is " dead being alone." 



Research leads to discovery, discovery to in- 

 vention, invention — no one knows where. Ap- 

 plied and supervised by those prepared for the 

 task, the strides of progress will be long, and 

 the benefit to the human race in proportion. 

 Let us educate for living — certainly — but let 

 us also educate for leadership — that superla- 

 tive leadership of which civilization will stand 

 more and more in need, as it increases in com- 

 plexity, and reaches higher and higher planes. 

 Wm. H. ISTlCHOLS 



THE INTERALLIED CHEMICAL CON- 

 FERENCE! 



The delegates of the Federated Chemical 

 Societies .of America, Belgium, England, 

 France and Italy met in London, July 14 to 



1 Based on advance sheets from Journal of Iii- 

 dtistrial and Engineering Chemistry. 



