Evening star., 1923-08-02

There are only thirteen of US who
understand the Einstein theory-but
no matter.
| DR.. Paul r. Heyl of the United
States Bureau of Standards may be
| one-but no matter. DR.. Heyl has
been testing it. to discover whether
1t shows that Newton's laws of grav-
| ity hold good. Was that Newton
pippin, which fell on his head. sweet
pure science"
DR.. Heyl has a hunch that it by
| laying a long crystal fiat on the
| scales, or by standing 1t up. he can
note a difference in it's weight he
will prove that the apple which ex-
posed what holds the sun. moon and
stars in their orbits. was sweet or
sour. If the crystal weighs more
when fiat on the scales. than when it
stands up, then Newton was right and
| Einstein is wrong-but, no matter
This won't change the weight of ten
pounds of sugar for a dollar, for II
is only pure science" 1t won't help
the farm bloc one whit. No matter!
| X X X X
What is really interesting is the
extreme delicacy of the scales used
| by DIR. Heyl. They are enclosed in
three inches of cork and woolen
blanket and kept in one room. while
the operator stays in another room
separated by brick wall. through
which he peers with a telescope at the
| scales pointer. The separation Is 70
prevent the operators breath from
affecting the temperature of the
scales or of the crystal he is weigh
ing
When. with long iron rods. reaching
from the operators room to the
| scales in the other room. he shifts
the position of the crystals. the scales
pointer oscillateS for two hours be-
fore 1t comes to quiet decision.
Tn to date. Dr. Heyl has found no
difference in the weight of the crystal
no matter at what angle it lies.
hence Einstein Is right, and the New
| ton apple was sour. That is as clear
as crystal
The exereme delicacy of the weigh
Ing of the crystal and its negative
| results. in spite Of all imaginable pre-
ences. bring TO mind the efforts taken
within the last year or two by an
American practical scientist" OF
world wide fame. He sought to dis
cover the weight Of human soul by
weighing the body Of a man imme-
diately before and after death. The
theory was that nothing could leave
a body, and yet the body weig h
exactly the same; therefore. by nicely
Weighing before and again after
death he could prove or disprove the
existence of a soul.
-
His tests came to naught Even If
they had shown a change Of weight
that would have proved nothing, for
the soul is spirit. and spirit is no
matter to be weighed.
II his scales had shown a varia-
ion. that might have been due to the
natural gas of the body. and there
would have been no Identification of
soul.
The remarkable part Of the test
by the practical man" lay in the fact
! that man. very great in his way.
should have reasoned himself into
such An undertaking.. So far is the
practical man" from comprehending
tho scope and range of pure
science"
What practical application will
ever come from the Einstein theory
VIII water run uphill. under the Elm
stein theory, any better than it does
under Newton's laws of gravitation? ?
That does not concern the scientist.
Franklin knew nothing about the
application of the fire which came
down his kite string. but he proved a
new fact in pure science" showing
that lightning. which could rend
mountains and shake the dome of
heaven. was electricity
The science of aviation was made
/ known and was demonstrated in the
first century after Christ. Its mathe-
matical principles were worked out
| by Leonardo da Ninci about the time
America was discovered by Columbus.
but 1t was not made practical until
the Wright brothers glided, twenty
years ago. How it has changed the
destinies of the world. in its practical
application during the world war. has
not yet been comprehended. Within
the next decade II will suppressed