Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-01

III gathering or professors or 30
litical science. such as was
assembled in Washington last weel
for the same purpose.
At the first the flag waves and The
eagle screams. Every impassionet
orator has a certain remedy for the
ills OF mankind. If only the voters are
Intelligent enough to grasp his point
of view.
Al the second the flag droops and
the eagle is silent. Few of the rene
dies are held out as more than posi-
bile palliatives. There is much out
spoken cynicism. Through the pa
pers runs an unmistakable thread OF
distrust of democracy. The men who
have devoted their lives to an inten
sive study of political problems rather
than to seeking Office have escaped
from many illusions.
Few Are Politicians.
The more a man knows. it would
seem. the greater is his uncertainty
of everything and the greater his re
luctance to make positive statements,
He is cursed with the faculty of seeing
the other Side-a great destroyer OF
enthusiasm.
4 few of the political scientists. of
course. also are politicians and office
holders, but they are the exception
rather than the rule. For the most
part they are college professors with
no interest whatsoever in proclaimlng
theories that will appeal to the vanity
or shallow reasoning Of the populace.
Politics is a little sunshine girl.
Political Science is her silent, somber
studious older sister. who stays in her
room and doesn't try to show OF be-
fore the company.
These men who know-as the pa.
pers read at the annual session of the
American Council Of Learned Societies
prove neutrality-suspicious. cross
the border of downright pessimism.
They seem particularly pessimistic
over the prospect of settling anything
correctly by majority vote, unless II
be by the merest accident.
They delight in raising analogies
between political science and exact
science. They regard the govern.
mental structure as an even more
complicated mechanism than the hu
man body, and hold that when it goes
wrong the treatment should be decided
upon by a consultation of physicians
rather than by the within Of the pa
tent. One of their favorite compari
sons is with the science of physics
Some men who have spent their live:
in laboratories engaged in intensive
mathematical calculations believe tha'
the law Of gravitatiol propounded 20(
years ago by Sir Isaac Newton is cor
rect. and that If properly applied il
answers perfectly every question as Il
the physical structure Of the universe
Discount Newton's Theory.
rsr M TarnFn.rpf
believe that Einstein is right and tina
the Newtonian theory is only plausi
bic approximation Of the truth. The.
may look upon their opponents a.
bigoted and old-fashioned.
Now, there are only few hundred
men in the world at the most capable
OF forming an intelligent opinion as Il
which Of these groups is right, ant
even these would be very hesitan
about rendering decision.
Why not. ask the political scientists
decide It by making 1t a party issue
between the Democrats and the Re
publicans next Fall? Let the Demo
cratic convention insert plank up
holding Newton and the Republican:
take their stand in favor of Einstein
Then let the voice of the democrac,
settle the issue according to which
the UESl presumably vi
Is able TO make the best bargains.
This, they remark cynically, woult
be about as sensible as asking dec!
sion FROM the voters upon a compli
Gated issue of political science which
may approach the abstrusity OF thu
Einstein and Newtonian theories
which have dozens of variables to b.
calculated and equations which schOl
airs admit they are unable to solv,
after years of study.
The rights of man; open, above
board diplomacy: the ideals of thu
fathers. liberty, equality. fraternity
blah. blah, blah: remark the scientists
They are physicians OF the body poll
tic. but the physicians I'm the dissect
ing room and not at the sickbed.
Opinions Voiced at Meeting.
The American citizen has been pam
pered and idealiZed into something
like an incarnation OF the Unknown
Soldier. said Prof. William Bennett
Munro OF Harvard University, sound
ing the keynote Of this sort Of think
ing in his presidential address before
the American Political Science Asso
citation Wednesday.
international hatred is a product o.
the progressive characterization o.
governments and open diplomacy in /;
breeder Of wars. said Henry Kittridg.
Norton
The simpler taxes are made. tn
more unjust they become, said Repre-
sentative william II. Green. chairman
Os The House ways and means com
Yaittee
Communism In the logical conclusion
OF all Marian rsiios0pfy. with which
the present conservative Socialism o
Europe IN bat "A cornprofni&e. gn3usti
fed ny the fundamental assumptions
sAld I,1-sr JssZI " OfSerlin College
formerly member III Count Karoiy1'
short lived Hungarian cabinet
The Iist might he continued aimos
Indefinitely from the papers u n
political economixts
The socIoiogiHts. celebrating on tn
pathological conditions In the body o
soelefy, presented a picture no NOR
OPTIMISTIC. Crime. poverty and pei
version they were inclined 10 trea
much as physicians treat the problem
OF cancer. AZ body cells run wild ~
en- unknown caUss ana with no know
cure. although II may be possible /
make tbs patient more comfortable
The pa pers presented q constant pie
for more dissection of social corpse
in the laboratory.
The Stun, said Or. Seis Anderso
OF Columbia University, il an iney
table part " HE big city. sDd IL IL
removed IN one place IN bound I
break out in another.
The individual. declared others.
the Inevitable pfoduct, for good q
evil, ~ hrFe0lsy snd environment, an
J5oi5odY fhDWs enough about the part
there play ~ presume ~ bring aLOt
Ht$sesj lfnprD ytfneEi.
Tue scieHce III government, sal
JFaf Munro. IN ths most important .
~. the branches III knowledge, b.
has made the Ieast prog ress. becaus
there has been an 0n@iIiingness
apply @Aset methods 10 the soiutiD
ofFtbe difficulties which IL offers.
Effect u Environment,
1T .s the national habit 10 think I
aarszI ~ YT OtHt3ai fPH%dHi