The Washington herald., 1921-11-13

II. in the selection OF a subject,
I have gone further aneld than the
profession OF electrical engineering.
or, indeed. have seemed to go even
beyond the domain of the engineer.
trust that you will not lose sight
of the fact that whatever benefits
industry as a whole benefits the
engineer; and again. II 1 seem to
doubt the possibility Of the engineer
being competent in himself to solve
all Of the problems Of our compII-
Gated civilization. I trust you will
not consider me as holding him to
be without function. says an au-
thority.
should Engineer Advise Employer.
1t Is true that am not in entire
sympathy with what appears to be
growing feeling that the engineer
may. with advantage. invade all fields
OF effort, and I think I perceive y
growing resentment toward this con-
CeptiOn of the engineers function,
am not at all certain that the en-
gineer should presume to advise in
relation between employer and en-
ploye, nor that he should consider
himself competent to adjust the many
problems which arise in commerce
and industry. Is It not possible that
the qualifications OF the engineer have
been confused with the methods of
the engineer, and may II not be
possible that what Is desired is the
application of engineering methods
rather than the engineer in person7
However. this divergence In view
point might be reconciled-if there
be not too much Of heresy In the
suggestion-by assigning the title Of
engineer" (although OF a class not
yet provided with a distinguishing
descriptive adjective) to those who
are doing creative work In industry
and commerce based on the applI-
cation Of these same engineering
methods. II this lack OF heresy be
conceded. then its what I have to
say proper for your consideration"
Association for Common Good.
The outstanding characteristic of
the present-day civilization Is or
ganization-the almost involuntary
gathering together in groups of
those possessed of interests in
common: usually. in the beginning,
that there may be facilities for the
interchange of views on matters
which engage the daily thought.
This Is the stated object Of our
own organization. Sooner or later,
however, the possibility Of other
activities becomes evident and in
evitably the initial purpose of the
association is broadened and work
is undertaken which results in
common good. In the measure in
which the purpose Is altruistic and
the element of self-interest is lack
ing, or enlightened, the accomp-
lishment benefits not only the ac-
tual members, but industry as a
whole, the community and the ma
ton, and ultimately the world in
which we live.
From the instructive nature Of
their conception, these associations,
however well conceived for their
specific purpose, will not be formed
in accordance with some well-con-
sidered and thoroughly planned
scheme, resulting in a properly
rounded and carefully calculated
whole, but, on the contrary, will
present to = broad view the i'm
pressions Of q series of unrelated
bodies, each going forward in It's
own way, and. to an extent, ignor-
ing the interests they have in COM
mon, until consideration IL forced
by some duplication Of effort or
conflicting action.
All Embracfve Association Un-
wieldy.
This condition has long been
recognized and was under discus
sion when became connected
with the institute as an associate
member some twenty-five years
ago. The thought then was that
the institute should be the domi.
nant body in the Industry smbrac-
ing all branches of activity and
permitting the concentration, of ali
available knowledge and experience
on any given problem. The pos
sibility Of such an organization, or
at least OF a council, in which ali
might be represented, is still under
discussion. Progress, however, has
been along other lines. and today
the probabilities are that such an
organization would fall because of
Its very breadth and its conse-
quent inability to deal with other
than the broadcast problems sus-
ceptible only of the most general
OF solutions There would not be
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