Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
EINSTEIN'S LATEST PAPER
PROMISES TO CLOSE GAPS
Scientists Hold Most Significant Aspect
of Equations Is in Linking Quantum
Theory and General Relatively.

paper CCIlWdIZCIlllu gave Ouc NCAy
simple solution of the Einstein equa-
very little more about their solution.
All experimental tests of Einstein's
work have tested the Schwarzschild
solution and nothing else.
The mechanics of the Schwarzchild
solution yields celestial mechanics
scarcely differing from that of Newton.
The observable differences-all Of which
have been confirmed--concern the
bending of light about the sun. the ir-
regularity In the motion of the peri
helion of Mercury, and a certain shift
toward the red in the radiation from
heavy bodies like the sun. These OBJ
many nor precise.
Einstein's Competitors Numerous.
The Einstein general relatively did
not remain long without competitors.
The first important suggestion was that
of Weyl in 1918 and involved a COM
bined theory of electrodynamics and
gravitation. Other more or less salts
factory solutions of the same problem,
namely, to reduce electricity and mag
netism as we'll as gravitation to geo.
metrical properties of space, were given
by Kaluzza, Eirstein himself, Schouten
Einstein and its predecessor of last
Summer belong to this realm of ideas.
Before we discuss the precise bearing
of this paper we must bear In mind its
setting. On the one hand we have the
quantum mechanics, enormously fruit
full in experimentaliy verifiable results,
and on the other the gravitational
relatively and it's notifications, brilliant
in conception, but sparsely and roughly
verified and with message concerning
the universe undeciphered except in the
simplest cases. At the moment preced-
ing Einstein's recent work these two
theories are in sharp conflict. Dirac's
theory amply confirmed by experiment,
contains special relatively as an essen
tial part of itself, but is wholly incom-
patible with previously existing forms
Of gravitational relatively.
illustrates by Geographic Test.
The reason for this incompatibility
Is simple. IF an electron Is phenon1e-
non indescribable without reference to
space in its entirety, then its spin must
also fill the whole of space. For this
to be the case we must have an I'M
ambiguous way of comparing axes Of
spin at different points of space The
1916 Einstein theory, while it allows us
to compare lengths at different points,
does not permit such a comparison of
directions. We can illustrate this by
simple problem in geography.
Imagine an earth covered by water
and in fog: no day. no night, but a
uniform illumination from the heavens.
There Is no north, south, east or west,
for there are no poles. A ship sails
along small circle, and its captain be-
lives the earth to be fiat. He will. of
course, have to- port Tor starboard) his
helm a certain known amount, and on
the assumption that the earth is fiat.
he can allow for this, and compare di-
rections at any point with directions at
his starting point When he comes
back to his starting point, he will be
astonished to find that his reckoning of
directions is all wrong and that he
finds his region unaccountably rotated
through some angle.
Presents Parallelism Problem.
The parallelism of directions en-
ployed by the captain is that known
by the name of the mathematician
Levi-Civita. It is the only type Of
parallelism allowable under Einstein's
1916 paper. It depends not merely on
the end points, but on the path fol-
lowed between them. On the other
hand, if we introduce meridians and
parallels, we may define all north di-
rections as parallel, all east directions,
etc. We have introduced a parallelism
between directions at remote points
We can characterize our space by the
comparison of the results of a motion
of an arrow retaining this sort of par
allel1sm with motion retaining par
alleliSm Of the Levi-Civita type.
This is what EinSfein dOeS in hic fyuO
latest papers. that of last Summer and
that recently reproduced by The Star
The meridians and parallels of our ex-
ample are replaced by four directions,
to correspond to the four dimensions
Of space-tirne. These four directions are
uniquely determined at each point Of
space-time when they are determine
ed at one. and give us an abb
solute, non-Levi-Civita parallelism.
We are now able to compare velocities
and lengths at different points and at
different times. in electrical as we'll as
in mechanical phenomena. The type
OF mathematics used to express such
conclusions has of late years been the
object of many Investigations and Is
known as the theory of linear displace-
ments. Weyl was one Of those who
started it, Professors veblen and Else
hart, of Princetown, also have taken
part in its development.
New Laws Framed.
Now the question arises. What are
the new laws of mechanics and cleo
tricity? The choice of possible laws
Is probably very considerably restricted
by our desire for mathematical SYM
metry. AS Is usual in physics. We wish
to find law which we may formulate
as law Of conservation. We may re-
mark, parenthetically, that when 4
physicist finds something which is con-
served he generally calls it energy.
These considerations, together with
considerations Of simplicity. lead Elm
stem to set up a system of equations
which he calls field equations"
Among these equations We find two
sets. one Of which bears close re-
semblance to the field equations of his
1916 paper. and to Newton's laws, while
the other part nearly comedies with
the famous electrical field equations of
Clerk Maxwell. The first system Of
equations adequately covers mechanics
and gravitation, the second electricity
and light. These equations are, how
ever, still non-linear. But the whole
of physics Is contained in this world
formula. The whole of physics; that is,
save for quantum theory.
Rely on Einstein's Intentions.
Without quantum theory. and of this
Einstein says not single word, the
present paper claims nothing that has
not been claimed by many before. As
Einstein himself hints, the superiority
of his new attack remains for the future
to demonstrate. For the present we do
not know one single solution Of his new
equations. and for all we can tell there
may be none. Einstein believes that
they are consistent. and we must at
tach the greatest weight to his intui.
tons In the matter.
We have said that Einsteins paper
contains no reference to quantum me-