New-York tribune., 1921-05-29

have presented to Nine. Curie? We
-. heard. of course, that radium is cure
sor cancer; but how many of us realize that
as;s discovery, mainly due to woman, may
.sarce the whole fabric Of human history?
With the discovery Of radium and the
..uh Of newer discoveries that have FOL
,.n.oa the recognition and investigation of
...,rsl radioactivity, science has crossed a
-, Rubicon. To-day we are in the presence
= new world, confronted by giantlike pri-
NV manifestations Of energy which proceed
= .bsolute indifference to ,.ny of the pygmy
.s,,d.order influences of the world external
- themselves. the old world of chemistry and
physics
We stand today where primitive man stood
.,forc ne had taken the first step in the long,
inward Journey out of barbarism to civili2a-
before he had learned the art of kindling
sre To-day only few pioneering scientists
W. Nine. Curie and the patient investiga-
tors Of radioactivity, apparently, are aware of
,be amazing possibilities of an entirely new
n,sterjal civilization suggested by these newly
recosnized internal stores of energy in matter.
This new science may open the gates of
nov Garden of Eden, may direct the entire
h,,man race to an earthly paradise, may free
mankind from the physical struggle for ex-
;stence and inaugurate an era IN which there
w;Il he no further need for men and women to
earn their bread by the sweat of the brow.
Reality and myth may exchange places. If
humanity learns to draw st will upon vir-
taallv infinite supply Of energy, mn may
truly become gods"
II this appears like cxaggeration, scientific
rsrHcation of these views may be found III
tro recently published works of one Of the
rrestest international authorities on radio
activity, Professor Frederick Soddy, Of the
4 University of Oxford. These two books are
I 8 rew and revised edition of The Interpreta-
4 tion of Radium and The Structure Of the
Atom (Putnam) and Science and Life (Dut
tcn) collection of papers and addresses
presented while the distinguished scientis,
4 wss professor of chemistry at the University
4 o. Aberdeen.
To the ordinary non-scientifc layman Pro
i tessor Soddy's Interpretation of radioactivity
and atomic energy not merely illuminates
j new and dazzling future, but opens entirely
a new vistas of thought concerning our world
d and our universe. No Jules Verne, no Fl. G.
j Wells, can quite equal this distinguished and
sober scientist in kindling the ordinary imagi-
G nation. Every page is radiant, not merely
with suggestion and stimulation to thought,
. but with vision and far-seeing hope. The new
science, as interpreted by Professor Soddy, is
no mere bread-and-butter materialisIn. 1t is
q rather the expression of "divine curiosity
n that may unearth for US unheard of treasures
81 # energy and create for US new Eden. Yet
he is no Pollyanna of science, but often a
uenchant critic of our present apathy to the
aims and ideals of this "divine curiosity"
Tracked to earth the clew to a great
secret for which thousand telescopes might
have swept the sky forever and in vain, lay ir
Il scrap of matter, lowered with something OF
TIE same inexhaustible radiance that hitherto
has been the sole prerogative Of the distan
~ stars and sun" But once this discovery
y made, the great scientist exclsims with some
bitterness, wildcat radium mining scheme
are foated, the public are invited to get ricl
qlickly and every quack and charlatan, wifi
his radium ointment, radium pills and radiun
waters, refurbishes his familiar propaganda
Z The charitable and benevolent, to whom thu
4 cry Of suffering and the dying ever makes it
irresistible appeal, raise the funds to buy th
4 Tadlum. The genuine scientific investigate
ean no longer afford to and goes without"
It will be the privilege of American wome
remedy this injustice to Mime. Curie, t
support the discoverer of radium in what d.
"ddy describes as ''the modern duel" strue
q gle which is world wide and never ending, tn
Struggle against external nature for contrC
sad mastery. "The millions take no part
s are hardly aware that it goes on, and woul
surprised if they were told that their futur
lale and prosperity depended upon it rattle
more intimately than upon the issue Of til
@ugnty conflicts of the parliamentarians SON
them send up 10 Westminster
ms struggle is by duel rather than by armie
sad the issue of the duel the millions accel
blindly and dumbly a decree {
Providence"
. here is an eloquent tribute to the "spir
the divine curiosity to know" as typifs
!, y Nine. Curie:
i 10 be the first human being to make
d 4scovery Of incalculable and, possibly, neve
= aelng consequence to humanity is in itself J
mean reward for an investigator, witho
%a0f glory and power being added. The m
A others, who never make discoveries, ca
''er know the mental exaltation and sati
q @ten, far above the worth of rubies, that Il
all 80 70 re