The Washington times., 1921-03-20

IL am very glad to learn that Nine.
Curle Is to visit this country In May
and that the women of America plan
to present her At the time OF her visit
with Q gramme of radium for her use
in carrying on her investigations.
Nine. Curie is the foremost living
woman OF science, and her work has
been not only Of great scientific i'm
portance but Of immense immediate
value to mankind Any recognition
and support Of this wonderful woman
and her work that can be given by the
women of America meets with my
earnest approval"
|. Mrs. Calvin Coolidge. wife of the
Vice President, 10 now a member of
the committee raising the purchase
fund. which also includes Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait. Mrs. willard Straight.
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt and Mrs.
Frederic r. Coudert.
The fund Is growing rapidly and
10 now moro than half subscribed.
for II Is said that few of the mil
lionaires made wealthy by the discov-
cry of radium have given generously
TO 1t and there have been contribu-
tions from patients who have derived
beneht from the radium treatment.
1t 10 the purpose to- raise more than
just enough money for the gift. for
Nine. Curie Is to have such vaca-
tion as she never imagined could
como in the course of her busy life.
She IL reported to have expressed the
wish that when she came to America
she might see the Grand Canyon OF
Arisona and--Pittsburgh! Why Pitts
burgh? Well she Is to have all her
wishes gratihed even to the utter
most part OF the country and 30 the
fund 10 to cover travelling expenses
for tours to all places OF special In
terest to the famous guest.
-
Among the women Identified with
the work Of raising the fund are
Mrs. John ID. Rockefeller. jr, Mrs.
William Vaughan Moody, Mrs. Robert
Mead. Mrs. v. Everitt Macy. Mrs.
Arthur Woods and Miss Florence
Marshall. 1t is hoped that $160,0OO
be . surplus for the many expenses
attending the tour of the United
ENTIRE NATION TO
AID IN WELCOME.
II IL Significant that this visit of
Nine. Curie is in response to an invi-
tation from Mrs. William Brown
Meloney, editor of the Delineator. and
Washington. During the war Mrs.
Meloney was hero part Of each month
and then made many friends who
found her a forward-looking woman.
alive to all that is progressive.
While In Europe she made many
valuable contracts and obtained valu-
able material for her magazine. II
is cnursrierisr,c vf Mrs Meloney that
in preparing to entertain Nine. Curie
she has secured the interest and CO.
operation of the whole nation. 1t is
not enough that the greatest woman
scientist should be welcomed in the
usual way. even though American
hospitality Is SO generous. The ma
tion that has recently enfranchised
its women should express something
more than mere fricndliness. 1t
should show it's appreciation and
gratitude. So in every part OF the
United States committees are prepar-
ing to receive Madame Curie probably
as no woman has been received
previously, as a scientist and scholar
whose achievements place her at the
very heights Of fame-in a place that
few men have reached.
-
DR.. F. c. Wood, OF the crocker
Memorial Cancer Research Labora-
tory, heads the committee Of scien-
lists which will receive Madame
Curie. Associated with him Will be
DR.. Will ]. Mayo. president of the
American Medical Association: Dr.
william Duane. OF Harvard Univer-
sity; DR.. Robert Able, the nrst Amer
ican surgeon to work with radium;
Or. william Taylor, president OF the
College of Physicians, PhiladelphiaI
DR.. James Ewing, Of Cornell Uni
vcrsity; Prof. George B. Pegram, Of
Columbia University; DR.. Charles
Powers. of Denver. Col; DR.. william
II. welsh. DR.. Howard Kelly. and DR..
versity, and DR.. Charles ID. Walcott,
OF the Smithsonian Institution. This
committee later will have many ad-
ditionA
Madame Curic has number Of
friends in Washington, among them
Mrs. Bliss. who with Mrs. Vernon
Kellogg. will organize the local COM
mittee and will arrange the program
for the visit here. Madame Curie has
the honor Of having twice received
the Nobel prize. 1t was first bestowed
on her in 1908 when she was less than
thirty years old and again in 1911.
Now, at the age Of forty-six, Madame
Curie is at the zenith OF her wonder
full powers and may yet be admitted
to membership in the French Acad-
cmy, for which she was nominated
and for which she failed to be
elected by only two votes. She is a
professor at the Sorbonne. having
succeeded her husband after his
death in 1905. Her appointment as 4
lecturer in the famous French Uni
versity broke all precedents.
Madame Curie was born in warsaw.
-hara her father John SklowdOvski
was q professor of physics In the uni
yersity. Her father was Jew and
her mother Swede. Just before
her birth her father was converted to