The Washington herald., 1922-05-01

Evening session. $50 O'Clock.
Four scientific papers.
J
THE PRESENT WORLD
As SEEN BY A SCIENTIST.
When biologists Of washinrtoa
heard DR.. william Z Ritter Of thso
scripps Institution for BioloEical
Research talk on The Usefulness
and Peril OF the Laboratory Method
in Biology" Saturday night they
also were presented an analysis of
the present state Of human life a.
the scientist sees Il and the par
that the men. women and institu
tions OF learning should play ir,
the future OF the world
Basing his conclusions on per
sonneI data obtained from the bio
logical bureaus OF the Departmer
OF Agriculture. DR.. Ritter ssis
Most highly trained men In sr
ence are in the main devoti'
themselves to making other train
men rather than to applying tht
knowledge to problems needinky
such knowledge. 1t is as though
physicians and engineers devoted
themselves chiefly to training other
physicians and engineers rather
than to the treatment of disease
Aand technical problems Of industry.
4 In many phases of the national life
(which are dependent upon science.
that life does not get the service
of the best product of our scien-
ltifc training.
Along side Of this statement. he
placed the following: Civilization
particularly the portion Of Il called
Western or Christian. Is in an ex-
tremely unhealthy state. As 20
Europe. Informed people are gener-
ally accepting this diagnosis. SO
numerous and variousiy skilled are
the specialists who have examined
the patient and reached essentially
the same conclusion. But that
America is in real danger few.
Especially few Americans, seem TO
believe. Many are well aware that
our country is siling somewhat-
that 81 is not quite up TO normal
after the acute attack Of i've years
ago. But the general sent men sp-
pears 10 he that a few more months
Of convalescence, OF dieting and
plenty Of sunshine and fresh air.
and all will be az well as ever
with US. Normally is now only a
few miles of. the prevalent belief
seems to be. I doubt ~ any broad
ly thoughtful American man OF 4
science shares wholeheartedly this
radiant confidence"
Il do MOI believe any consis-
tent devoted student OF natural sell
ence. no matter iH what branch.
can examine human nature and
preSent-day civilization by q
rigorous application OF the intel
lectual methods which have en-
abled him to succeed in his ape
ciaI field without reaching the 90,
Niction that this civilization y
come to a parting of the way.
said DIR. Ritter. To 60 straig
ahead in the direction we have bee
travelling for the last half century
especially is impossible. Speaking
broadly. two alternative courses are
open to us. One leads toward
nobler type of culture. or civilizs-
tion, IL the measuring stick applied
be human welfare, than any the
world has even known. The other
leads toward the deterioration of
personality and the decay OF social
and national life
This conclusion IS drawn, so far
as it is my own, from observations
on human life in the world today
made in the light Of certain princi-
Piles OF all life of the world. I can
be sufficiently specific for now in
the following language: The indus
trial affairs Of the present-dsy
world are being conducted on the
basis of a serious preversion OF one
| of the most fundamental OF all hu-
man instincts: that name fsmflisrly
known as self-preservation. An
other and perhaps more cogent eN-
preston of the same idea Is this
The Industrial affairs Of the pres
| ent-day world are not being com
Quoted on the basis OF the absolute
necessities and legitimate needs OF
man kind. but on the basis OF two
| largely uninhibited and imperfectly
| guided desires. those namely Of ma
terial gain and personal power.
Both these aspects Of industrial de-
/ fectiveness can be shown TO involve
very fundamental psychological
4 principles.
The signs o fthe times: in other
words. the observations which have
contributed most to the conclusion
are these: 1. The elevation Of what
should be recognized as the secon-
dairy Industries (manufacture and
transportation above what should
be recognized as the primary indus
tries agriculture. fisheries. mining
and forestry); 2. The excessives ur-
banization Of population and cul-
ture; 3. The increasing precarious-
ness Of industrial enterprises: 4.
The deteriorating effect upon radi-
cal stock of excessive detachment.
of the people from their naturs
environment. and excess in the pos
session Of and in the deprivstic
of the fruits OF industry; 5. II
uncertainty OF income Of cultur
institutions, depending a. th'
must upon accumulated wealth.
capital"
In discussing the biologist and
hts work. Dr. Ritter said that scien-l
tific Imagination has been running
In analytic channels almost exciu-
sively. The scientist has forgotten
temporarily, to imagine syntheti-
cslly. He urged the proper COM,