Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-10
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Relation of Relatiyity to the World.

Relation of Relativity to the World.
Omaha, June S.-To the Editor Of
The Bee: After a careful and, / be-
lieve, an impartial investigation, l
am still an agnostic on the Einstein
theory of relativity, the new theory
Of the universe formulated and an
nounced by Prof. Albert Einstein. !
believe the theory has some strong
and also many weak, points IN 1t.
But whatever we may think of 1t, We
must admit that this unique theory.
even with all its complications and
apparent paradoxes is greatly stir
ring many Of the thoughtful people
Of every land A large per cent Of
the scientists do, however, not yet
believe in it.
The vital questions concerning It
are: % Is it true, (2) can it be
learned by ordinary effort. and CD
can we make practical use of it in
our daily life?
To the first, We may answer that
the advocates of the Einstein theory
claim that it has been confirmed by
three independent tests, as | have
explained by the illustrations. BY
the slow shifting of the oval orbit of
the pldlleI McTCuiS Dy tne ueIicC-
tion OF the light rays during the total
eclipse of the sun of May %, 1919.
And by the shifting of spectral lines
toward the red end of the spectrum
But all these tests are of such an
extremely delicate nature that the
operators may be mistaken in their
calculations and minute measure
ments. Practically all its other
principles and claims are still un-
verified.
Is it sufficiently simple so that it
can generally be learned with ordi-
nary efforts? This seems doubtful
to me. Some time ago Einstein said
himself that perhaps not more than
dozen persons in the world under
stood his theory. That is, indeed. a
very weak point.
The following are some of Elm
STEMS claims He says parallel lines
may meet. No action can exceed
the velocity of light. No absolute
time and space. Yardsticks may
vary according to how we hold them.
The weight of body may depend
on its velocity. A straight line may
not be the shortest distance between
two points, etc. Can they be learned?
Finally, is the Einstein theory
practical? Can we apply it to our
daily life? Einstein in one Of his
articles says: y.
THE new theory of gravitation
diverges widely from that of New
ton with respect to it's basal princi-
pie. But in practical application the
two agree so closely that it has been
difficult to find cases in which the
actual differences could be subjected
to observation"
Perhaps practically all knowledge
and experience is worth knowing,
but only the practical part is worth
learning. Differential calculus may
all be true. and can with much time
and effort be mastered by most any
one. But for the average man and
woman is it worth the price Of learn
ing it? So it seems to me it is with
the Einstein theory Of relativity
| am, however, willing to concede
that | have already derived certain
intellectual benefits from the study
Of the Einstein theory. I may say
that for the last 40 years have been
a keen and open-minded student Of
nature, and this Einstein investiga-
ton has made me even more so, so
that l can truthfully say that on this
particular point has the Einstein
theory already benefited me in
practical as well as in a theoretical
way. am now living in a slightly
different and also slightly better
mental world than I was before
investigated Einstein's theory of
RELATIVELY, and perhaps every other
student can say the same.
But would we not receive even
much greater benefits from the same
amount Of study along the lines Of
the more practical problems Of daily
life? How to cope best with the
struggle for existence: how to
eliminate war, poverty. famine, dis
ease. superstition, unemployment,
profiteering, etc.
So it may not be possible, as some
believe, that the Einstein theory
when fully developed and understood
will harmeniously combine gravita-
tion, electricity. light, heat, energy.
INSTRUMENTATION. etc, into one
grand. unified system of nature. with
a promise of incalculable benefits to
humanity? Who can tell?
HENRY OLERICH,
Fundamentals Urono