Evening star., 1923-03-15

The coral bugs" work for MAN.
years under the surface of the ocean
and no results are apparent to tie
passerby until the foundations Of the
reef are all laid deep and strong. At
last the coral begins to show in the
sunlight.
In much the same way scientific re-
search goes on and the general public
knows nothing about it's progress nor
guesses Its aims. 1t is quite possible
that much of its slow building goes
FOR naught. some efforts are dupli-
Gated, and therefore largely wasted
is rising which may some day inclose
safe harbor.
X y
The layman often sneers at science
ridicules microbes and bacteria, and
the peasuring of the heat of invisible
stars at infinite distances from the
earth. He wonders what that has to
do with the price of bread.
Yet the science of health has SO pro
gressed that the average length of u
mans life today is double what 1t
was in Shakespeare's time and has
increased 40 to SO per cent since the
reSsnt generation was born. A hun
age, 100 years before they retire from
active business. This is not chance:
II Is the fruit OF pure science" In
India, where today the millions are
no more enlightened than were the
masses OF England in Shakespeare
day, the longevity is no greater than
it was in Shakespeare's England
twenty-five years. In America it now
exceeds fifty years. European savants
know lot of science. but Europeau
! do M - ice n "a N e..
do the Americans. In no country j.
applied science SO potent as here.
There are in Washington at least
three councils of scientific research
devoted to delving into knowledge
not Yet known, if such an expression.
, may be used. They are, like d..
Coblentz of the bureau of standards,
weighing the distant and the inyisl
| BILE. but they. too. are getting results.
which will become of great value in
the next decade.
How much are these searchers Gu
plicating effort? The National Re
search Council asked that quest;oh
| two years ago and appointed a com
mittee TO find the answer. That com
mittee has now made it's report. l.
| finds that in America there arc %"
| separate cooperative projects win
! !. 100 scientific undertakings. Of Il,
| $50 projects. tWo-thirdS are SeCkli2
new knowledge by scientific invest
CATION: others deal with routine test-
ling and technical service, gatherInz
statistics. etc
This scientific research is rostiuA
| s4EO00,000 a year, of which s14.OoD.01"
| is borne by the government. The res.
| comes from outside sources and sup
tport. as from the great Foundations
! of Carnegie and Rockefeller
| The chief of the government sc!e!.
tifc activities are those of the De
partment Of Agriculture. The De
par,ment OF Commerce, in its burears
| of standards and geodetic survey, i
next III rank.
Closely allied with the scientific re
search above referred to comes th'
practical application Of sanitation and
health work by the National Counc!i
of Social Work, which will hold !ts
next annual meeting in Washington.
May 16 10 %. This organization takes
the broadest view OF social condi-
tions and applies the most advanced
means of combating the evils and
diseases fighting against the health
prosperity and peace of mankind
The officials are appealing for volun-
teer helpers in the work OF spreading
knowledge of sanitation. health and
social work. Its officials are presi-
dents of universities. college profes-
sorS. medical men and social workers
of the highest rank.
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