New-York tribune., 1917-06-08

(F rom me fFcStdcNttdt fuu' Geo -
chemical
Democracy demands something more than
government to which the governed consent.
II should be controlled by the individuals and
social groups of which it is composed ana
should be for what these consider conduces
best 70 their happiness. In order, then, tna'
democracy shall be successful, the indl-
yiduals and social groups must take para
mount interest in governmental problems
We are learning that this is necessary, ana
that its lack is one Of democracy's most
serious weaknesses. The lesson is being
driven home all the more rapidly by the great
struggle between democracy and another sys-
tenn OF government characterized by far
higher efficiency, according to its eXponents
How. then, can a social group like our
society serve in strengthening that form Of
government which we consider necessary to
preserve the rights of Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Happiness?
The creation of the committee on public
relations is an attempt to answer this ques-
ton. There appear to be three main
classes of subjects in which the committee
public relations should act:
/. Subjects dealing with public questions
which are referred to the society for action
either by members or outsiders.
2 Subjects on which advice is asked for
by the government.
8. Subjects Of public interest and relating
to electro-chemistry should be studied by the
committee, and steps taken to initiate action
fboc k--t he hare
In the past year subjects in each of these
classes have been dealt with by the COM
mittee.
As regards certain questions in the first
class which have been submitted to the So
cety, the committee has advised that no
action should be taken, on the ground that
these are not related directly to the socety's
activities, or are not subjects on which the
societys opinion is of exceptional value. A
good example of this kind of question was a
resolution on the subject OF Preparedness"
which was sent to the society with a request
that it should be submitted TO the members
for action. The committee decided against
taking any action, not because il op
posed in any way to the sentiments ex-
pressed, but because this particular resolu-
tion covered a question that obviously was
one for the public in general to pass on, and
not for particular technical society.
1t was felt that if the society passed reso-
lutions on all kinds of public questions that
were not particularly related to its actiyi-
ties, this would weaken the effect of any
resolutions it passed on subjects about which
II could offer really expert opinion.
Not Appreciated Correctly
Incidentally, this resolution called atten-
. 81 ar aIssico fOr IN
one clause il offered an opinion as 10 the
size Of navy which the United States ought
to have Possibly heterogeneous mass of
citizens might find an excuse for offering an
opinion as to how big our navy should be,
on the ground that this expression was based
on the expert advice of those competent 10
give it; but a society composed of indvd-
uals presumably more or less expert in their
particular branch OF technical work should
understand the value of expert opinion, and
therefore recognize its own limitations.
One Of the special weaknesses Of democra-
cies is found in their appreciation Of expert
advice. The expert is not ignored, but he is
not appreciated correctly. On the one hand
we find frequent examples Of the hired ex-
pert whose advice is ignored By his employ
ers probably because Of a perverted demo
cratic instinct which dislikes all submission
to authority. In private affairs those who are
called on TO act as experts could give numer-
Gus examples, and in public matters do we
not continually see the impudent ignoring OF
expert advice in highly technical matters by
Congress, On the other hand, we must ad-
NIT that your expert is too apt 10 think that
special knowledge in work of one kind en-
titles him to promulgate ex cathedra opn-
ions on subjects about which his utterances
are far from authoritative and he is taken
seriously. Thus. while tacitly agreeing with
the fippsnt treatment of expert opinion by
our political representatives, our democracy
is apt 10 swallow respectfully the opinions of
great mechanical and electrical inventor
on the physiological effects of cigarette
smoking or the historical and ethical con-