Evening star., 1928-04-28
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

What separates humanity and brings
confusion into the councils OF nations?
When the human race became too au-
dacious in defiance of God, the method
of humiliating and counteracting the
presumption was the introduction OF
many languages. That wrought such
confusion that the work on the Tower
of Babel was brought TO naught. II was
worse than a strike and lockout COM
bined. The trouble was that nobody
could understand what anybody was
saying-hence iealousieS and prejudlceS.
Ages passed and little groups or sepa-
rate families learned dialects for them
selves, and nations grew up around
those misunderstanding groups. Tnen
whole nations quarreled because OF IN
ternational misunderstanding due 10
the confusion of tongues. Today there
are peacemakers who undertake 10 set
tie international quarrels without really
setting aside and "isolating" the causes
the inability to understand what
other peoples are trying to say. II Is
like Quack doctors who profess reme-
dies In specifics for various diseases
rather than first diagnosing the condl-
tions or symptoms and then treating the
fevers or the infiammations Of the germs
which produce The diseased conditions.
As Babel confusion came not by senti-
mentality, so the overcoming OF that
confusion of tongues win come only
through actual diagnoStic methods-in
short, by intimate ntercommunication.
&& y
At the League of Nations there is a
new machine which promises just that
miracle II will listen In while an
orator is discoursing in one language
and it will simultaneously carry that
discourse in as many languages as were
spoken at the Tower OF Babel, If the
polvplot audience needs that many.
Heaven grant that the wiping out Of
the barrier of language may not make
for a rebuilding OF the Tower OF Human
Presumption Though Science now de-
fies Nature by producing artificial dla-
monds and rubieS, when Will IL actually
make synthetic language, more pre-
ciouS than rubieS"?
~ IS
The multi-language machine now be-
ing tested at the League of Nations
convention at Geneva S not super
natural contraption: 1t Is simply prac-
tical application of scientific handling
of real need. Hitherto, when an
orator stood upon the tribune OF the
League Assembly he spoke few SEN
tences in his own language, and then
stopped while several interpreters. in
turn, translated what he had said, so
that the representatives of all the ma
tious of the League might follow the
argument. That took up time. and
broke the continuity of the discourse
Now. instead of such interruptions.
the orator will proceed just as II ne
were addressing homogeneous audi
ence OF his own nationality. but each
Interpreter will listen in. In a closet
like a telephone booth, whence will run
wires communicating with earpieceS
upon the heads of the respective ma
tionalities In the audience. The sew
eral interpreters will follow the orator
with simultaneous interpretations,
given. In their respective tongues all
in whispers, heard through the various
headpieces A member may choose any
language he understands best, and
while he Will hear the words OF his
own interpreter. and no sound OF the
other interpreters speaking in their
veritable Babel OF tongues, each OF
which Is comprehended by its own ma
tionals. all win witness the gestures and
tribune, and viii forget that they are
hearing interpretations instead OF the
original speech. The several whiS-
pered interpretations will synchronize
With the orators gestures and facial
expressions, like nlOvietone upon a
screen. What would now have been
the height of the Tower Of Babel II It's
builders throughout the ages had had
the guidance of such a polyglot appa-
ratuSg
There have been many efforts 10
leap over language barriers, AZ the
outbreak of the World War. certain
scientists Of Germany appealed 60 other
scientists of all nations 10 Join in oppoS-
ing war, ON the theory that science was
universal Vet they demonstrated that
each group was willing only 60 influence
deGeattsm In other nations. but was
sterile OF influence In restraining itS
own nation, Science Is not universal
In It's personal SympathieS. the effort
proved that 1t is as inSineere as uuack
doctor.
Socialists hoasted that Socialism Is
antt~nAtionaliSttc and that all Socialists
could unite IN stopping war; but Ger
man, French and English Socialists
remained German, French and English.
while crying "reacel rcaeel" when
there was no peace, Socialism falls 90
bring actual sympathy across national
limits. when the individuals cannot
understand each other.
Vet travellers md that every people
possesses IN common noble qualities and
love OF families and devotion to what
each takes 20 be the right, Now II
peoples can anly Interchange THEN
thoughts In whispers which reach their
respective eemprehensians the world
VIII forget the Tower of Rahel and re- i
"Nemher NoahS Ark when all we're In
the same beat What grand and
glorious feellnH" viii come when the
Geneva Invention becomes as common
ls the telephanel
- &A
The airnlane Is already accomplishing
NaetiY the saAe function as that whlS-
nering multi telpreter, hyara~headed
and yoluhle saThis has never had