Evening star., 1925-07-05

In the minute details of paleontology
tthe study of piants), biology the study
or life). and other sciences from which
evolution draws it's proofs" the sci.
entists have had the field pretty much
to themselves. Neither laymen nor
philosophers could challenge them on
these findings, but when the empha sis
shifted to the question of why" rath-
er than what" the scientists had a
night on their hands. A quotation from
the great German philosopher, EN-.
manuel Kant, written in 1890, although
before the statement of the evolution
ary theory, may serve to state fairly
accurately the opposed view:
IL is quite certain that we cannot
become sufficiently acquainted with or
ganized creatures and their hidden DO
tentialfties by aid of purely mechani-
cal natural principles much less can
we explain them; and this is so certain
that we may boldly assert that 1t is alb
surd for man even to conceive such an
idea, or to hope that a Newton may
one day arise able to make the produc-
ton of blade of grass comprehensi.
bic, according to natural laws ordained
by no intention; such an insight we
must absolutely deny to man"
Natural Selection Accepted.
Many of Darwin's followers, includ-
ing Haeckel at first accepted natural
selection" as the required explanation.
But, while natural selection held it's
own, as one of the processes of evo-
luton, II fell far short as complete
and convincing explanation, and has
steadily lost in scientific prestige. Such
naturalists as the late Henri Fabre,
the great Frenchman, have shown it's
iSfa or of
causation. While the law of the sur.
vival of the fittest has Jared better,
there is still a blank in which the ex-
planation of the origin of fitness must
be written. Why these variations
among individuals which give some
creatures special endowments which
enable them to survive and propagate? B.?
The evolutionists have not answered.
The stuff of life is protoplasm. 1t is
the single reproductive celia minute
bit of protoplasm-which carries over
the inheritance. If there is a physical
basis for the organic heritage. built
into the life stream from the first cell
In the bed of the ocean. il is in this
germ plasm.
Bryan's Chance.
Mr.. Bryans profound study of evo-
luton will reveal to him here the
break in the ranks of his enemies. He
will find the evolutionists divided in
two camps-those who accepted the
"centripetal" theory and those who
accept the "centrifugal' theory The
question at issue is how do newly ac-
quired characteristics get into the
germ plasm? Those who hold TO the
centripetal theory maintain that the
process is from without inward-that
ada ptations of survival value are reg
istered In the germ plasm and new
structural or action patterns transmit.
ted. The advocates of the centrifugal
theory believe that the germ pIasm
carries all the latent and gradually
unfolding variations-that the process
is from within outward.
The latter theory is now the more
generally accepted by leading scien-
fists. They have been driven farther
back into scientific agnosticism. and
they have frankly admitted that they
do not understand and cannot explain
the mystic origins OF form and func-
ton. hidden in an almost infinitesimal
cell. Mr.. Bryan. resourceful lawyer
and controversialist as he is, should
be able 10 confound them with this
For If his opponents admit. as they