86 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1308 



logical perfection of a consistent set of 

 theories. He constructs the electromagnetic 

 theory of light and must needs adhere to it 

 on many occasions, yet with fidl knowledge 

 that it can not be correct. He rejoices in the 

 existence of the universal constant, h, and 

 the appearance of the quantum, h^, in reson- 

 ance and ionization potentials, in photoelec- 

 tric X-ray phenomena, and in the theory of 

 heat radiation, yet he can not be reconciled 

 to the existence of the quantum in the phe- 

 nomenon of the passage of light through a 

 vacuum. He builds an atomic structure 

 which will not only provide a clear picture, 

 but will also furnish quantitative results in 

 striking agreement with experiment; and yet 

 he must, in his building, reject certain prin- 

 ciples which elsewhere he adopts without 

 hesitancy. He rejoices in the achievement of 

 the general theory of relativity, which, unless 

 proved untenable, gives a logical consistency 

 at present— and probably for many, many 

 years, unattainable by other means; yet in 

 his constructive thinking he sometimes uses 

 the ether which the general theory of rela- 

 tivity ignores, and he lives in his old Euclid- 

 ean world which the present developments 

 from this theory deny. 



In short, the physicist can not be consist- 

 ent. Moreover, he can not progress unless 

 this inconsistency is a stimulus and not an 

 annoyance. He must live as if in several 

 compartments, enjoying in each one the con- 

 sistency possible therein, and being not dis- 

 tressed but rather interested and invigorated 

 by the failure to unite these compartments 

 into one consistent whole. If he " believes," 

 he must be inconsistent. If he progresses, he 

 must adopt a set of dogmas in the small com- 

 partment in his immediate problem. If he 

 follows with full sympathy modern progress 

 in physics, he must have not one, but many 

 dog-mas, and these not wholly consistent with 

 one another. 



I refer not merely to the multiple-theory 

 method of attack upon a problem, for the 

 dogmas are not even altogether similar in 

 kind, but more especially to the ability to 

 appreciate thoroughly not only " constructive 



theories," but also "theories of principle" 

 (quoting from Einstein) It is not merely 

 the approach from a different viewpoint in 

 the same universe, but it is the ability to live 

 in more than one imiverse. 



All of this may be obvious, but yet, in 

 point of fact, now and again there appears 

 evidence that even physicists of note are 

 pained by this role. They seem to resist by 

 objections which do not aid in the extension 

 of these compartments, or by a rebellion 

 against the obviously advantageous policy of 



G. W. Stewart 

 State TJNrvEEsiTT op Iowa 



totem' poles for museums 



Fifty years ago some of the best totem 

 poles of the Haida Indians of Queen Charlotte 

 Islands cost the Indians several thousand 

 dollars each. To-day many of these may be 

 purchased for a dollar and a haK or two 

 dollars a foot. That is, an average totem pole 

 can be purchased, crated and put aboard a 

 steamer at Masset for about one hundred 

 dollars. 



Many of the Haida totem poles have dis- 

 appeared. A few have been taken to mu- 

 seums where they are preserved; some have 

 been burned; many have decayed. Several, 

 seen during the past summer, at Yan opposite 

 Masset, have recently been blown over by the 

 wind. In a few years all will have disap- 

 peared unless means are taken to save speci- 

 mens of this art for the future. However the 

 other tribes having totem poles may feel at 

 this date, the Haidas have come to the point 

 of neglecting the poles and being willing to 

 sell them. They are owned by families, and 

 negotiations as with an estate are necessary 

 for properly obtaining them. 



This ISTorth Pacific art is one of the treas- 

 ures of Canada and the United States. Ex- 

 amples of it should be preserved in each large 

 city of the continent. It may not be gen- 

 erally known how easily this can be done. 



In the summer the Haidas of Masset are 

 busy fishing. In the spring they have less to 

 do and some are in need of money. Mr. Al- 

 fred Adams or Mj. Henry Edensaw are trust- 



