918 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. 859 



tion. First there are the results which 

 may not have proved valuable to the labo- 

 ratory in which they were obtained, but 

 which would be of immense value to some 

 one else working in an entirely different 

 field. Second, there are those results of 

 value to the laboratory possessing them, 

 but which could be published in an unap- 

 plied or "pure" form and which would 

 make an important contribution to science 

 and at the same time the publication would 

 work no injury to the company or corpora- 

 tion most interested. And finally there 

 are those results of operations and proc- 

 esses, machines and apparatus, which, if 

 the truth were known, are possessed by a 

 large number of concerns, but are held as 

 valuable secrets by each. Every one would 

 profit and no one be the loser by so far- 

 sighted and generous a policy. Germany 

 is very justly held up before us as a shining 

 example of marvelous industrial progress 

 and prosperity. A very great deal of the 

 credit for her present position is due to 

 her splendid educational system. But no 

 small factor in her national progress is the 

 helpful attitude which her industrial or- 

 ganizations take toward the publication of . 

 scientific data. The individual does not 

 suffer, while Germany both from a purely 

 scientific and an industrial standpoint is 

 rapidly advanced. But too often with us 

 the president and his board of directors 

 are alchemists ; they fail to see why, if they 

 pay the salaries of their research men, they 

 should give to the public, or their competi- 

 tors, any part of their results. They ex- 

 claim "what has posterity done for usi" 

 They would have their laboratories remain 

 the secret chambers of the alchemists, and 

 continue to improve their methods of 

 changing baser materials into gold with- 

 out regard to the obligations which they 

 owe to their fellows. 



It requires no extensive mathematical 



calculation to prove that the manufac- 

 turers themselves would be the ones to 

 profit by such , a liberal treatment of the 

 results of scientific work. Of one hundred 

 manufacturing concerns each one would 

 give but one per cent, of the whole contribu- 

 tion, while he would receive the remaining 

 ninety-nine per cent. He could not in the 

 long run be the loser. But of vastly more 

 importance, he would feel and know that 

 his organization was taking part in a world 

 movement toward that increase of human 

 knowledge upon which all real progress 

 depends. Why become selfish and sordid 

 so soon as one's scientific work becomes of 

 immediate value to one's fellows? The 

 greater sense of satisfaction, the greater 

 success even of an industrial organization, 

 lies in a fuller, freer, more generous pub- 

 licity of the scientific results of their labo- 

 ratories. Would that each such industry 

 might benefit by the experience of Solo- 

 mon, King of Israel, who, when asked, 

 "What shall I give unto thee?" replied, 

 "Give me knowledge and wisdom," and he 

 was answered, ' ' Wisdom and knowledge are 

 granted unto thee; and I will give thee 

 riches and wealth and honor." 



Wm. H. Walker 

 Massachusetts Institute 

 or Technology 



APPBOPEIATIONS FOB THE DEPARTMENT 

 OF AGBICULTVBE '■ 



The growth of the National Department of 

 Agriculture during the past ten years has far 

 exceeded that of all of its preceding history. 

 This was pointed out by Hon. Charles F. 

 Scott, chairman of the House Committee on 

 Agriculture, in submitting the new agricul- 

 tural appropriation bill last winter. Its 

 growth as marked by a decade has been phe- 

 nomenal, viewed either from the standpoint of 

 its scope and authority, its material re- 

 sources, or its personnel. 



' From the Experiment Station Becord, April, 

 1911. 



