The Washington times., 1922-05-02
A. ACCOMMODATE .
R|D|CULED BY
. dc. SCIENTIST
DR.. C. E. Seashore Calls All His
Spirit Proofs Result of
Mere Trickery.
BY JOHN GOLDSTROM,
IS Universal Service.

OF the National Research Council
and member OF the National Acad-
emy of Sciences, today character
lied Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's
proofs OF spirits communication as
..the result of trickery" and ''crass
evidence which is, certain to be ex-
posed"
DIR. Seashore, one OF the foremost
psychologists OF the United States,
attended Sir Arthur's lectuye here
Sunday night, and after seeing his
spirit photographs" and hearing
his statements, declared that the
mentality that offered them to the
public is different" from that
which created Sherlock Holmes.
He asserted that every type of
evidence brought forth by the Brit
ish author had been Investigated
and exposed. and said that the rec.
lures are having dangerous ef
feet on simple-minded people. When
asked to give his impressions of
Sir ATthur's message. DIR. Seashore
authorized the following statement:
Scientists Puzzled.
'The psychologist listening to Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle is naturally
puzzled in the effort to explain the
man. How can a man Of his ex.
perience maintain the stand that
he does in this lecture? This ques-
ton is difficult to answer. The
mentality exhibited is certainly diff
ferent from that which produced
| Sherlock Holmes. The impression
is rather painful
"A scientific demonstration of
spirit communication other than
Through the channels OF sense
would be Of more interest and value
| than any discovery OF material sci
ence. But those who are best quail
fled to judge the evidence have
| found no conclusive evidence of
such communication.
MANY assert that they have such
| evidence, but II is in a field sat
urated with trickery, and the type
of proof employed does not COM
mend itself to the scientific thinker.
Every type of evidence which
| Sir Arthur brings forth has been
investigated and exposed as either
the result OF trlckery. as in trick
photography and sleight of hand, or
as normal, though little known
wonderful. but natural manifesto
tions of the human mind.
ITO the latter class belong auto
matte writing, whether II takes the
form Of writing with the pencil,
| through the Ouija board or plan
chette, in table tipping, or in the
latest fad by means OF the type
writer.
"These may be genuine phenomena,
revealing many wonderful powers of
the human mind. The same Is true
OF illusions and hallucinatiofs, the
wonderful realization of which has
scarcely any bounds.
Common Fallacies.
"One of the commonest fallacics
in this field is the assumption that
II the observer cannot see how it
is done by natural means. then II is
done by spiritual action.
THE impression that Sir Arthur
leaves upon the audience is one
which is very dangerous, because
he speaks on a subject in which the
audience, as a rule. is not qualified
TO Judge.
Those who believe in spirits find
comfort in their belief, and those
who do not, find no evidence.
These doctrines are very danger.
Gus to serious, often religious but
simple-minded people who base their
religious faith on such Grass evil
dence which is certain to be ex-
posed"
DR.. Seashore's statement Is the
first denunciation of Sir Arthur's
campaign in this country which has
come from an official source, al
though the psychologist said that he
spoke only for himself and not fer
either the National Research Council,
which is a Government institution,
or the National Academy Of Sciences.
the foremost scientific organization
in the United States.
His attitude, however, is general
ly held by his colleagues In both the
council and the academy.
DR.. G. c. Abbot, astrophysical eI-
pert Of Smithsonian Institution and
home secretary OF the National
Academy OF Sciences. said today that
Doyle's "ectoplasm," which he de
scribes as the link between material
and spiritual bodies, has no
scientific standing before the
academy.
Sir Arthur left Washington today
for Philadelphia.