Evening star., 1929-06-30

Light, noIrc0rrOSlVe material, such as aluminium,
it would prolong the Life of steel structures
enormously. This has been done on a labora-
tory scale. Our future bridges may glisten In
the sunlight as great white aluminium ultimately
produce it.
In the field Of medicine We now have many
things to wish for. Again the accomplishments
of the past are guarantee of the future. No
longer is diphtheria almost certain death for
the child No longer do isolated hospitals
care for the smallpox patients In their last
days. nor is 1t often that a community is nearly
wiped out by typhoid fever from contaminated
milk or water. These breads Of our grand
fathers have been removed.
WE are now working on cancer. 1t too shah
eventually be understood and controlled
tuberculosis Is now fairly well controlled The
common cold, that forerunner TO 20 many
dangerous ills Is at least under scrutiny. They
shall plague the world not so many more years.
Perhaps even insanity win be brought some
what under control, If not by actual brain
operations. then by sterilization Of the mentally
weak.
There can be no question but that ore Of
mans present worries concerns the future
sources Of power. We see our petroleum re-
sources vanishing. II all the water power
possible were harnessed it would not supply our
present-day needs We must mine deeper and
deeper for coal. The time is sure to come
when direct power from sunlight winds and
tides must furnish our power needs.
Just what form such power devices viii take
Is dificult to say. Petroleum and other power
sources removed from the competition, many
of our preSent-day obvious methods may serve.
On the other hand, some new and entirely
unforeseen method of conversion to power Is
more likely. It is here that We should perhaps
cAf rilr nrea
earth q hundred years hence.
AT the same time. we may expect some un-
usual events In the plant and animal life.
What would our grandfathers have thought If
they had been given grapefruit for break
fast? Here Is something wholly unexpected.
But new plants or even animals, need no
longer surprise US. With x-rays producing muta-
tions in living things such fruit flies, there
is no reason to believe that such changes can
not be produced in larger animals
TT might not be surprising to find our cows
even replaced by new animal with greater
milk k-giying capacity. Or, for that matter, all
our domestic animals may disappear, and the
future generations be supplied by synthetic
products Propaganda put out by group of
squeamish individuals might bring this about,
even II 1t could not otherwise be done for eco
nomic reasons. @8
Whatever predictions for the future are made,
the question is always asked Shall we be able to
visit the moon and other planets? II we were to
base the answer to this on the criterion already
set forth, mans desire, the answer would have
to be yes. II must be admitted that there is no
obstacle which absolutely forbids this A rocket
can be propelled in interplanetary space. 1t is
a question of being able to carry enough food
and enough air to breathe for the occupants
and enough fuel to drive the rocket to its goal.
At the present these obstacles seem insur-
mountable. But they are no greater than those
that would have occurred TO the minds of our
grandfathers II contemplating transatlantic
fight. 1t Is not impossible. and If 1t Is not I'M
possible It viii eventually be accomplished by
man. This Is but experience.