The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-08-15
BRITAIN GIVES
SCIENTISTS OF
WORLD A JOLT
Says Old Views on Forms of Life
Should Be Reversed

Melbourne. Aug. 1.-THE scientific
world today received its perennial
shock when Prof. William Bateson. as
president OF the British Association
for the Advancement Of Science. de-
clared, in an intensely interesting ad-
dress before that organization at its
first meeting in Australia, that the old
view Of variations in forms OF life pro-
ceeding from the simple to the COM
pick might be completely turned
about. The true process Of evolution
might be from the complex to the
simple.
Prof. Bateson's subject was Heredity,
or this he has made particular study
FOR many years. He will be remembered
by some in the United States as sill
man lecturer at Yale University seven
years ago. The stand he took in his
address today was not that Of a pro-
FOUNDER OF a theory The time for the
development Of theories OF the origin OF
life had not yet come, ne said; the
student OF genetics would rather stick
to the seed pan and the incubator"
Scope Must Be Reduced.
But in the face OF what had been
learned since the time OF Mendel, who
was the first to apply the process OF
real analysis to the offspring OF plants
and animals, the scope claimed for
Natural Selection, as a determining
factor In the nIibility OF the species,
as propounded by Darwin, must be
greatly reduced"
The doctrine OF the survival OF the
fittest," he said, lis undeniable so long
as II is applied TO the organism as
whole but to attempt by this princi
pie TO find value in all defniteness OF
parts and functions, and in the name
OF science To see fitness everywhere is
mere eighteenth century optimism.
Yet IL was in application to the parts,
10 the details OF specific difference, to
the spots on the peacock's tail, to the
coloring OF the orchid flower and hosts
Of such examples. that the potency OF
Natural Selection was urged with
strongest emphasis. Shorn OF these
pretensions the doctrine OF the survi-
val OF favored races is n truism. help
diversity Of species.
New Forms BY Loss Proven.
The appearance OF contemporary
variability proves TO be an illusion.
Variation from step to step in the Sc
ries must occur either by the addition
90 L.. ha 81,
origin Of new forms by loss there
seems 10 me to be fairly clear evil
dence. but OF the contemporary ac-
QUESTION OF any new factor l see no
satisfactory proof. though admit there
are rare examples which may be so
interpreted. We are left with picture
Of variation utterly different from that
which we saw at first. Variation now
stands out as n definite physiological
event. We have done with the notion
that Darwin came latterly to favor,
that large differences can arise by ac-
emulation OF small differences. Such
small differences are often mere ephe-
neral effects OF conditions OF life, and
as such are not transmissible.
THAT primordial life may have
been OF small dimensions need not dis
turb. Quantity Is OF no account in
these considerations. Shakespeare
once existed as speck OF protoplasm
not so big as a small pins head. To
this nothing was added that would not
equally well have served To build up
baboon or rat.
Cites Grab -Appls a. Example.
Let US consider how far we can get
by the process OF removal of what we
call 'epistatic' factors in other words
those that control mask, or suppress
underlying powers and faculties.
When the vast range Of form, size,
and flavor found among the cultivated
apples is considered. it seems difficult
TO suppose that all this variety is hid
len in the wild crab-apple. l cannot
positively assert that this is so, but
think all familiar with the Mendelian
analysis would arree with me that it
is probable, and that the wild crab
contains presumably inhibiting ele-
ments which the cultivated kinds have
lost.
Il have confidence that the artistic
gifts of mankind will prove to be due
not to something added to the makeup
0f nn ordinary man, but to the alb
sence Of factor. which in the normal
person inhibIt the development OF
these gifts. They are almost beyond
doubt to he looked upon as releases OF
power normally suppressed The in
strument IL there, but II is stopped
down."
Prof Bateson will continue his ad
dress nett Thursday at Sydney, TO
which city the association adjourns
after its initial meeting here.