Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-18
DEEDS OF OLD MEN
SERVICE RENDERED IN WORLD
BY NATURE INTELLECT.
Experience in Three or Four Genera
lions Of Great Value in PRODUCE
ing Results for Society.

In one of his most terribly realistic
poems Kipling represents the old men as
sitting in the chimney corner sucking
their gums and thinking we'll of everything
they do. But there Is something far differ
ent from this role for the worlds elderly
men. Mr.. John F. Cargill thinks that the
important uses to society Of the period Of
old age have been convincingly demon
strated by Prof N. s. Shaler of Harvard
Professor Shaler, We are assured has
shown how the presence of three or four
generations In a single social edifice gives
to 1t far more value than is afforded by one
or two. While the elders may contribute
little or nothing to the direct profit of the
association. they serve to unite the life Of
the community and bridge the gap between
the successive generations. We quote fur
ther from Mr.. Cargill's article in the Popu-
lar Science Monthly:
Professor Shaler shows that the average
man up to the age of perhaps fifty has lit
tie or no time for calm reflection; that the
necessities of existence demand that he pur-
sue the gainful life. which Is always more
or less strenuous. Whatever possible period
there may be for the individual to pursue
the intellectual life must come afterward
| And it does come. Is 1t necessary to argue
that the world needs the assistance of the
calm reflective mind? Remove this posi-
bility. and mankind may never be able to
learn whether life has either meaning or
value-in the larger sense.
Recurring wars. he says repetitiOnS OF
political follfeS and the SUGGESTIONS of COM
| mercial disasters all show the need of add
ing in every possible way to the strength of
the bond between generations, so that the
life of society may gain larger unit of ac-
ton than Is afforded by the experience of
most of its active members. If the deeds
of any single period could be the result of
the experience of three or four generations
of experienced men. rather than that of
one. civilization would be immense
gamer. There would be fewer recitals of
failure. fewer reverSionS toward Savagery.
This necessity Is made evident, he says, be-
cause, notwithstanding the resources of our
printed records, they convey only imper
fectly the quality of one time to that which
succeeds it. The real presence of the gem
erationS Is necessary to the greatest extent
that can be had.
He says that the idea of the apparent
uselessness of man in advanced years is a
survival from the time when a mans value
In warfare was the paramount cOnSidera-
ton. and he adds: The generation which
has seen an aged Gladstone guide an en-
pire Won Moltke at the three-score limit
beat down France. and Bismarck at
more than three-Score readjuSt the powers
of Europe. has naturally enough given up
the notion that seat by the chimneyside
is the only place for the elders "
Age and Science
But 1t Is In the indebtedness of science to
men of advanced years that the truth of
the whole proposition as to the value of
old age Is most strikingly demonstrated
One can specify no field in all the domain
OF science, Mr.. Cargill contends, including
astronomy, geology, biology, psychology
sociology, electro-magnetism electricity,
engineering, invention, mathematics or
medicine. that does not owe much to men of
advanced years. This statement holds
good, we are told, of the fields of mechan-
les philosophy, craftsmanship and many
others. We quote again:
"A noteworthy beginning may be made
with the five great savants who, within the
hundred years just passed have given to
mankind entirely new concepts, new under
revolutionized the greater sciences and
made 1t necessary to build anew from the
beginning. We will take them in chrono-
logical order Emmanuel Kant died in 1894
at the age of seventy-six. His Kritik
| (CritiQue of Pure Reason) was written or
appeared after he had reached fifty-seven:
work of such vast comprehensiveness
such subtle, active and far-reaching intel
leCtual reSourcefulness that the world has
produced but a handful of men since his
Cay who could fully appreciate or appraise
him. His Contest of the Faculties APP
peared when he had passed seventy. His
primary formulation of the nebular hypo-
thesis was when ne was in the thirtes; but
much of It's elaboration was concluded
many years afterward.. Pierre de Laplace,
his coadjutor In the hypothesis which
shook the world, died in 1927, at the age
of seventy-eight. Laplace issued the ear
lier portion of his great Exposition du sys-
teme du monde at about the age of fifty,
and the completion of this monumental
work containing the nebular hypothesis
was not published until he was past sew
enty years"
Field of Astronomy.
Tho next great CT on forward in