Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-15
BASIS
IS LAID FOR TESTS
OF RACIAL VALUES
Seven Years Close Study by
National Research Coun-
Gil Summarized.
ITS DELvINGS HELPED
BY MECHANICAL BRAIN
Experiments Made in Hundreds of
Cases to Determine Peoples
influence ON One Another.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

| ~ AuOAMA6 M nENhxs
| Are some races more intelligent, OF
higher morality or physically superior
| to- others?
II so, what is the effect of racial mix
| lures such as took place in the United
States during its melting pot days, and
still continue, on the quality of popula-
| ton?
The groundwork for an answer tc
these questions has been worked out
! through the National Research Council
In laying down the basis for an inten-
sive, scientific study OF human migra-
tons.
The study was undertaken seven years
ago, when, as an aftermath of the
World War, immigration and emigra-
ton movements all over the world were
taxing place on an unparalleled scale
whole populations were being trans
planted bodily and nations were trying
TO frame laws to protect their racial
stock.
The final report of the National Re-
search Council committees has lust been
issued by DR.. Clark Wissler of Yale
University. Methods have been laid
down and machinery provided for the
biological, psychological and sociological
study OF the admixture of races.
Little Known Before.
In the past almost nothing has been
known about this. 1t has been practi-
cally impossible for the layman OF one
race to understand thoroughly another
and much of popular opinion has been
based on prejudice. The tall. blonde
Nordic has judged the short. dark Medi-
terranean from the Nordic point of
view and found him inferior. The
Mediterranean has looked upon the
Nordic and come to a like conclusion,
Both have lacked the basic, scientific
mechanisms for looking on each other
impartially.
From the first 1t was obvious accord
ing to the committees report. that a
basis for understanding the migrations
problem depended on the accumulation
and correlation Of vast amount of
data from which fundamental princi-
pies could be deduced. This involved
heavy labor.
Perhaps the outstanding practical re-
suit OF the study reported by DR.. Wiss-
Ter has been the invention of me
chanical BRAIN" comparable with the
famous brass brain" of the Coast and
Geodetic Survey which works out in
NAUTICAL formulate involved I'm obtaining
ratical formulate involved in obtaining
the "co-efficient of correlation"
This is used to obtain the exact rela-
tionship between two sets Of obserya-
tons and often requires hundreds of
separate additions and multiplications.
with the constant liability to human
error, which may render worthless the
entire calculation.
Brain" Then Invented.
The mechanical brain was invented
by DR.. Clark L. Hull of the University
Of Wisconsin, under a committee grant,
and its ownership transferred to the
National Research Council. In all three
fields Of study laid down scientific re-
suits depended on examining hundreds
of individuals and the correlation of
hundreds of sets of figures.
The machine makes no mistakes, so
long as the figures originally given it
are correct.
First the columns Of figures for which
correlations are sought are transferred
to perforated paper data slips, prepared
roughly, as on an adding machine.
Then the slips are fed through the
electrically driven calculating machine,
% by 80 inches square, which Is built
into steel table and can be driven by
one fourth horsepower obtained from an
ordinary electric lighting circuit
The machine adds, nnultiplies, squares
and cross-multiplies automatically. the
operator merely watching 1t.
In all, IL major projects were sup.
ported by the committee, all calculated
to lay down basis from which other
investigators could continue their work.
Results Are Tabulated.
The results are summed up by DR..
Wissler as follows
There have been added, in the way
of research experience and equipment.
a series of tests to minimize language
handicaps in mental measurement;
special group of tests for analysing and
rating mechanical aptitude; some
fundamental pioneering in the analysis
of personality, the most battling aspect
of the human problem, but one that
must be faced sQuarely when dealing
with migrating peoples; an attempt to
reach the fundamental psycho-neural
responses, upon the basis Of which to
project tests of social effectiveness; an
effort to develop an approach to the
organic differences In peoples through
data as to pathology. and an attempt
to test out qualitative anthropometrlc
characters as a method in the analysis
of mixed races"
The sociological side of the study, DR..
WisSler announces, has been taken over
by the Social Science Research Coun-
ell, which will cooperate with the Ma
tional Research Council in developing
two major projects-one for an anal
ysis of populations, the other for the
study of areas Of settlement or pioneer
belts, throughout the world.
Proved Weakest Spot.
The committee, says DR.. Wissler, re-
earded the subject of individual human
behavior as the weakest spot In the
situation. Notwithstanding all that had
been done in the way of mental meas
lirement, the methods available were
adapted to our own outlook on life and
our own national stock and could not
readily be readjusted to immigrant
groups.
ginning could be made In this direc-
ton, to have means of testing intel
ligence which would depend very, little
on language.
Several projects were worked out to
determine the mechanical efficiency of
various races and types, which has a
great deal to do with their ability to
adapt themselves in new environment.
One of the great difficulties was that
of measuring emotional reactions, a
method still largely tentative.
Spanish Flyers Honored.
asI