388 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1269 



ideals of the present. To extend the bound- 

 aries of knowledge as weU as of political 

 domains can no longer be done adequately by 

 casual individual effort, as one plays golf, or 

 goes duck hunting, or responds to the love of 

 adventure. There are, however, administra- 

 tive officers, in fact I am not sure but that 

 the impression is quite general among other 

 persons, who believe that the pleasure of 

 achievement, especially if combined with the 

 approbation of associates, shotdd be considered 

 ample reward for research, even the most pro- 

 longed, laborious and costly. The life of the 

 ascetic, comparative poverty, and overwork are 

 preached as the lot to be accepted by the man 

 who delves for hidden lore. It is a musty 

 notion which we as " companions in zealous 

 research " need not countenance. 



But the modem world only pays for things 

 that are worth while, not for lore because 

 it is curious or interesting, even when strictly 

 scientific. We hear much at present regard- 

 ing the value of science. It has been called 

 upon to aid every department of action in the 

 recent war. The very immensity, destructive- 

 ness and decision of the conflict rested upon 

 marshaling the achievements of science. It 

 was Germany that led the way, and the rest of 

 the world has opened its eyes to the de- 

 sirability of cultivating the acquaintance of 

 this much neglected handmaid of national 

 success. Do not forget, however, that Ger- 

 many's progress in fostering and utilizing 

 science has not been projected over very many 

 years, indeed it has been entirely within the 

 lifetime of the speaker, dating from Liebig's 

 applications of chemistry to agriculture. 

 Leadership is not to be left in German hands 

 unchallenged, if any one may judge by such 

 indications as the establishment in the United 

 States of a National Eesearch Counsel, in 

 England of the Committee of the Privy Coun- 

 cil for Scientific and Industrial Eesearch, and 

 of similar organizations in France, Italy and 

 Japan. 



But it would seem that the movement to 

 exploit science more fully is directed chiefly 

 to what may be called industrial or applied 

 science, and what is designated pure science 



must be content to be praised while begging 

 for a crust. As to the distinction between pure 

 and applied science and their relative im- 

 portance in the welfare of a pieople I wish to 

 present two illustrations. 



I well reijaember the teaching of my college 

 professor in undergraduate days, showing how 

 organic compounds had such complex mole- 

 cules, that it would be impossible ever to make 

 them without the aid of the living organism. 

 But eventually indigo was formed synthet- 

 ically, a most wonderful achievement of pure 

 science, the culmination of more than half a 

 century of effort, and the independent work 

 of hundreds of research chemists. Starting 

 with this result the Badische Company spent 

 seventeen years and five million dollars in 

 industrial research before a jwund of indigo 

 could be put on the market. 



The indigo of commerce to-day is a possi- 

 bility realized tlirough the unpaid labor of 

 many men devoted to pure science extending 

 over a long period, followed by the paid labor 

 of fewer workers in industrial science during 

 a much shorter period. It is not necessary to 

 multiply examples to demonstrate what every 

 one knows, that the products of pure science 

 are the material with which applied science 

 works, and that both are needed for advancing 

 the wealth and convenience of the world. It 

 would seem to be the part of wisdom to give 

 equal and abundant encouragement to the 

 workers in both classes of science. 



Again I remember the published accounts 

 of the repeated efforts of Professor Langley, 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, to produce a 

 heavier-than-air flying machine. It was diffi- 

 cult to secure funds and even more difficult 

 to awaken intelligent interest. Finally a ma- 

 chine was constructed that flew several hun- 

 dred feet, and then ignominiously fell into the 

 mud of the Potomac. The daily press found 

 no end of amusement in this episode, and Pro- 

 fessor Langley was not able to secure further 

 backing. He was greatly dispirited and mor- 

 tified, and not long afterward died. Once 

 more, when the "Wright brothers of Ohio had 

 so far developed their machine that its capa- 

 city for successful flight could no longer be 



