The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-09-07
WAR TO STIMULATE
INVENTIVE POWERS
Americans, Excepting in Line Of
Mechanics, Are Excelled by Euro
peans Under Present Conditions.
ESPECIALLY TRUE OF CHEMISTS
Radium An Illustration of Nations
Backwardness in Developing Scien-
tiic Discoveries, Says Tavenner.
(By Congressman G. H. Tavenner)

Washington, Sept. 7.-American
inventiveness is sure to be stimula-
ted by the war in Europe. Americ-
ans for the most part consider them
selves the most inventive people on
earth, but this, self-estimate is far
from the truth. In the line OF
mechanics it is probably true that
American inventors need take back
seat for nobody, but in other scien-
ces the development has been car
ried on largely by Europeans. -
Two typical illustrations are RAJ
dunn and the heavier-than-air ma
ing machine These are probably
the two most important discoveries
of the present century. Americans
led in the discovery of the flying ma
chine-a mechanical invention. But
a French woman scientist, Nine. Gu
RE, discovered radium. Wireless
communication has also been devel-
oped chiefly by Europeans.
Leads the World.
1t is in the important science of
chemistry that Europe leads the
world, and now that Europe is ex-
pending her every energy in war it
is up to the American scientists to
step in and maintain the progress
of civilization. Americans are
only just taking up Investigations in
industrial chemistry-to Europe, and
particularly to Germany, it is an old
subject. In 1913 siXty-one German
investigators in chemistry and phys
les won mention for their achieve
ments in the British scientific year
book. Great Britain and the United
States together only had 33 scien-
lists to win recognition that year,
while France had IS and Russia two.
We do not realize the Importance
of German chemistry until German
trade is cut off by war. Then we
suddenly face the fact that some of
our textile mills must close because
of the famine in analine dyes. Hos
pitfalls are complaining of lack of ra
dunn. The price of drugs is in
creasing. The steel industry is feel
ing the scarcity of certain chemicals
used in it's manufacture. Dyes, rat
dunn, drugs and commercial chem
icals are produced largely in Ger
many Germany has had the trade
in these valuable commodities, be-
cause she had the inventiveness to
discover the best manufacturing pro-
cesses.
Germany, even though she is fin
be Frustrated for many years after
the present war. If the scientific
achievement of the world is not to
receive a setback, American scien-
lists must carry on the discovery. AL
ready many of our state universities
are developing their commercial in
vestigation laboratories to a more
efficient point.
Radium An Illustration.
Radium is an illustration of our
backwardness in developing scientific
discoveries for our own profit.
France discovered radium. America
has the largest deposits of radium-
bearing ores. But Germany who
neither discovered the precious sub
stance nor owned any supply of ore
has by developing radium refining,
practically monopolized the trade. If
the sick of America are to receive the
benefit of this wonderful substance,
this country must begin radium ex-
CONTINUED on last page.)