Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
Continued from Third Page:l

broke away from the ignorance OF the
ages and, often at the risk OF their nves.
opened new paths for the speculations
~ their contemporaries and new means
for increasing the happiness OF their
peoples?
The last sentence brings to our minds
the indisputable fact that men OF sci
ence have been not only among the
greatest thinkers of their times, put
they have been, without reasonable
question, the greatest benefactors OF the
race.
King Francis did not take Leonardo
back to France because he was great
painter, but because he was great mill
itary engineer. And at later PERIOD
when Leverrier and Adams indepen-
IDENTIFY, by the most obtruSe calculations,
determined the position OF planet,
until then unknown except by its in
huence upon the orbits Of other planets
so that when q telescope was f1xed In
the position indicated by their calcutta
tons the planet, afterwards called Nep-
tune, was found in the field OF view,
they performed an intellectual feat not
excelled by that of any one in any
other branch of knowledge. And dur
ing the last half century the names OF
the intellectual giants who have labored
In the fields Of science and engineering
are too numerous to be mentioned here
To whom Is due the creation OF that
wealth, which, used for the aid OF
schools and colleges, has given many
teachers and investigators the time and
means to pursue research and make IN
ventionS for the benefit Of the world?
For one example: The gifts for the
advancement of the science of medi-
cine made by John D. Rockefeller and
others have been of ineStimable value
to many countries. And Ford alone has
moved more earth than that necessary
for the construction of the Panama
Canal, BY the use of his tin Lizzie,
now replaced by a more ladylike form.
whole farms have been brought within
easy reach of markets before 1nacces-
sible. The automobile and the tele-
phone, both the product OF the engl-
neer, have frightened the lives ana
saved from insanity many people
forced to live in inaccessible places.
The difference between savagery and
civilization, between ignorance and en-
lightenment has resulted from improve.
ments in means of communication and
methods of transportation. And as the
ages have passed the men OF pure SCI
ence and the engineers have been re-
sponsible for our means of communica-
ton.
Always these men have worked side
by side to give those who are ignorant
more light: to give those who are poor
more comforts: to give those who are
Ill more health; to give many persons
in many lands more leisure to work in
their chosen fields; using their great in
tellectual powers that others in other
fields of knowledge than science might
Join with them in the intellectual life.
This has been particularly the case dur
ing the last century. All fear of bodily
harm and obstruction had by this time
been removed. The rewards were and
are great. And hosts of the greatest in
tellectS of our time have been engaged
in developments and researches, ever In
creasing in volume and Importance, for
the broadening of the minds. for the in
crease in the intellectual development
of the human race.
There Is no telling where all this is TO
end. They tell the story that when
Stephenson produced his little locomo-
tive, the Rocket, some doubter asked
him what would be the result II COW
got on the track, and he is said to have
answered: 1T would be bad for the COW. "
But even he. confident as he was, could
not foresee the enormous developments
in the use of the locomotive.
When Hill suggested the inauguration
Of the postal service In England he could
hardly have foreseen the great develop
ment OF this method of communication
and certainly could not have thought
that these missives would in time be
carried through the air as well as on
land and sea- When Joseph Henry, by
the use Of a magnet. rang the little bell
over the long line of wire he could not
have foreseen the enormous value of this
experiment to the whole human race.
Who can truthfully say that the great