August 25, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



275 



restrial species, the methods of dispersal be- 

 ing different in the two classes of animals. 

 Frank Collins Baker 

 New York State College or Forestry, 

 Syracuse University 



"same"— educational experiment 

 stations 



To the Editor of Science : I have read with 

 much interest the bill of Senator Newlands 

 for the establishment of engineering experi- 

 ment stations and heartily approve " same." 



It is especially gratifying to note that bul- 

 letins giving results of investigations " shall 

 be sent to persons, newspapers, institutions 

 and libraries ... as may request same" (Sec. 

 3, Scdjnce, p. 891). 



In connection with " same " it is interesting 

 to note that the use of the word " same " 

 without " the " before it, which formerly was 

 considered a sign of illiteracy, has now so far 

 become customary that it may be allowed in 

 a bill introduced in the Senate of the United 

 States, and that both " same " and " as " may 

 be used as relative pronouns. 



The bill for the establishment of engineering 

 experiment stations should be passed, after it 

 has been improved by the Senate's grammat- 

 ical censor. It is to be hoped that some day in 

 the near future another bill will be introduced 

 in the Senate for the establishment of one or 

 more Educational Experiment Stations. The 

 government, through its Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Stations teaches the farmer how to raise 

 crops; through its Bureau of Mines it teaches 

 the mine owners how to mine coal and to avoid 

 wastes of property and of life; should it not 

 have Educational Experiment Stations to teach 

 our schools and colleges how to avoid educa- 

 tional wastes ? Wm. Kent 



SCIENCE AND WAR 



To the Editor of Science : The Boston Sun- 

 day Herald prints a feature called " Herbert 

 Kaufman's "Weekly Page." It must be popular, 

 though the writer has never heard it quoted — ■ 

 in contrast to this paper's apotheosis of Amer- 

 ican wit, the " Line o' type." The page is a 

 collection of moral sentiments in a form to 

 which no one can deny a frequent force and 

 picturesqueness. Its dominant appeal is emo- 



tional. A few issues since it contained an ap- 

 preciation of science running in part as fol- 

 lows: 



For half a century we have liberally endowed, 

 supported and encouraged the scientists. Com- 

 munity funds paid for the institutions in which 

 they were educated and underwrote their experi- 

 ments. 



And all the while, we believed that these endeav- 

 ors were promotions in the interest of civiliza- 

 tion. . . . 



To-day we stand horror-stricken before the evi- 

 dence of inhumanities only made possible through 

 scientific advancement. . . . 



Chemistry, you stand indicted and shamed be- 

 fore the Bar of History! . . . 



You have prostituted your genius to fell and 

 ogrish devices. . . . 



You have turned killer and run with the wolf- 

 pack. 



But we will reckon with you in the end. 



We can probably agree with Mr. Kaufman 

 that science has increased the amount of suf- 

 fering that war inflicts. JSTo account need be 

 taken here of the questions if this is due to 

 science or human nature, and if the compensa- 

 tions are not sufficient; the second because it 

 admits an endless argument, and the first, of 

 none. The issue boils down to whether, if the 

 encouragement of science on the broad lines 

 of the past were abandoned, the horrors of war 

 would be proportionately lessened. 



This would be conceivably so if it were hu- 

 manly possible to restrict scientific work to 

 lines of no value for warfare. But success in 

 war is as keenly desired as ever, and it is the 

 part now of every prudent nation to equip 

 itself in the best practicable manner for carry- 

 ing it on. The writer has elsewhere remarked 

 on the commonplace that victory is not to the 

 side that can exert the strongest physical force 

 with its own bodies but which can most intelli- 

 gently direct the forces of nature. If the total 

 amount of scientific work were thus restricted 

 the human result would be to concentrate the 

 work of science more and more upon warlike 

 matters with a consequently increased social 

 suggestion of war. A liberal encouragement 

 of scientific progress serves to diffuse men's 

 energies over other and more peaceful inter- 

 ests. To blame chemistry for the horrors of 



