Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-16
Social Scientists to Meet
Bv Frederic j. Haskin

the attention of the nation 1t will give
a symposium of current thought.
Though one of the first institutions
in the field for the study OF political
and social science, the academy py no
means is alone today. The ClYl FOR
um of New York, is another OF the
clearing houses of social service Ideas,
and speakers from all parts of the
world are brought to New York to en-
rich it's fund of information on such
topics England has found that no
matter how radical men may become In
their utterances. it is better to. nave
absolute free speech than to suppress
extreme radicalism. Even the anar-
chist there is allowed to proclaim MS
views to his hearts content, or at
least as long as he has willing auditors,
and while he may not add anything
worth while to the discussion, the very
privilege of talking disarms his crit
icism and makes him harmless crank.
Things are often proposed by mem
bers of the academy which by no
means would meet the approval OF q
majority of the members, but all
phases of every question deserve to
be presented, in the theory of the acad-
emy. And in the end they will have been
found to contribute in varying degrees
to the solution of the problems involved.
Recently, under a grant from the
Carnegie institution of Washington,
writer has undertaken to publish
who's Who" of the scientific men in
America. In gathering the names of
those entitled to be ranked among
this number, he finds that there are
about four thousand strictly high class
scientific men; and while political and
social science may not head the list,
it is shown that hundreds have made
regulations for having conducted race
benefiting studies in this branch of
science. This blue book of scientific
men is but the preliminary step In
study of the mental and physical quail
tiles of the men who make up the
scientific thought of America. 1t
doubtless will prove a wonderfully In
teresting study to know what propor-
tion of them are bald-headed what
proportion wear more than number
seven hats, what proportion of them
have rugged health, what proportion
is of nervous temperament and so on.
The avenues by which men are help
ing solve the social problems Of the
time are many. The government itself
has taken 1t up through its health
bureaus and other agencies, and
through child legislation. Mrs. Rus
sell Sage's foundation for the study of
poverty Is perhaps the most important
and far reaching private work. The
tuberculosis researches, the gifts of
Rockefeller and dozens of other insti-
ItutionS give evidence that men Of al
fairs are actually beginning to realize
that they are, of a truth, their brothers
keeper, and that "brother' is as broad
as ''neighbor" in the commandment,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self" All these activities may be di-
rectly or indirectly traced to the work
nF H8ph afsyglf he Aau dam
of Political anu Social Science.
1t is said by those who have studied
the tendencies of the times that civili-
zation is coming to realize that the in
dividual who prospers is but a trustee
for him who does not, and that this
idea has grown more in a single score
of years than in all the rest of the time
together. 1t is finding its exposition
In growing spirit of charity that is
even now beginning to extend to un-
born generations. Who ever thought
score of years ago, that the country
would be SO soon stirred by the de-
mand for the conservation of the
worlds resources for the generations
of future centuries,
"Welfare" and "uplift" are two
words that have come into general use
as a result of the activities of such in
stitutions as this academy Although
lHey may De SOHneWnhl ONeTWoTkeu To-
day, the added service which they are
compelled to render only tells the tale
of thousands of men and women who
are giving of their time and means TO
reach out a helping hand to those who
need it, The churches throughout the
country have come to realize that their
greatest hold on the people In the flu
ture win come through social service
endeavor. One of the leading churches
of Washington has a free eye, ear and
throat infirmary. Here may come the
poor of every creed and be treated
without price. The pastor is keeping
card index of the patients. and is
inquiring into the history and the needs
of each individual. He wants to help
them throw off the rags of poverty and
to grow up into decent citizenship. 1t
is but one of the thousands of in
stances coming to light where the
church is aiming to make itself a
strong and practical factor in the So
luton of the social problems that have
yet to be answered in this country.
TOmorrOw-Feats of Memory