Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20

formed society, and found that
good.
BY their own leaders, they were told
that their mechanization of civilization
is tending to destroy the self-reliance
of people, that the nerves of man are
breaking down under the modern pace,
and that the higher standard of living
has not brought a commensurate In
crease in the happiness and welfare OF
humanity.
Their duty now, they were told, must
be to master the problem Of man and
machinery. They must save this
mechanical age from self-destruct1on.
Rather than strive to perfect the robot,
the engineers must seek to reawaken
in man a love of work and to develop
more spiritual culture. They must
alleviate the excessive wear and tear
of mans machinery on man.
These warnings were given by dis
tinguished engineers who came from
Is different countries to receive medals
and to address the fftieth anniversary
celebration of the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers. Hundreds Of
the engineering fraternity attended the
sessions and thousands more gathered
at local celebrations throughout the
country.
'What is not yet may be" was the
slogan of this great convocation of
engineers, who sought not only rev.
erent evaluation of achievements, but
also wise formulation of principles
for increasing the influence of engineers
upon the well-being of mankind and
the enrichment of life.
The humanitarian note dominated the
spirit of the convention. 1t found
highest expression in the awarding to
President Hoover, engineer and hui
manitarian," of the first Hoover Gold
Medal, which the society has insti-
tuted to commemorate his services to
mankind and to award from time to
time to engineers for distinguished
public service.
DR.. Conrad Matschoss, director of
the Verein DeutScher Ingenieure, who
described engineering progress in Ger
many, was one of those who urged the
engineers to aid in the development of
q more spiritual culture.
Engineering and natural science have
created a new age into which we, with
our short span of life, have been trans
planted" DR.. Matschoss ssid.
Human Existence RemOdeIed.
"In the last few centuries the engi-
neer, more than any other, has con-
tributed to the remodeling of the whole
of human existence. 1t Is therefore
readily understandable that, having
such powerful influence on his fellows,
he lays himself and his work open to
criticism.
I'VE, who in our own lives feel more
and more distinctly the far-reaching
effects of the great technical revolu-
ton, which began with the invention Of
tho stAam engine, are also greatly ex-
posS>. " this criticism today. During
the last two centuries enormous guam
titles OF printers ink have been used
and whole Libraries have been written
TO damn engineering from top to bot
tom and TO make 1t responsible for all
the unhappiness of life, or else to praise
1t as the delverer and savior from all
evil
But engineering, with its most char
acteristic symbol of the age, the
engine, Is far above good and evil, and
It's development passes over praise and
blame without leaving a trace. En-
gineering is like some gigantic force Of
nature which, unmoved by human love
or human hate, goes its own prede-
termined way.
Need for Definite Attitude,
ION the other hand, however, It is
not enough for us merely to point out
these two opposite poles of opinion as
facts, and to make a note of them We
must adopt a definite attitude. Philo-
sophical considerations and intellectual
renectionS are not enough to remold
the world and to guide our confused
civilization into the right paths. Here
We need the will to decide and to act.
we must recognize - to use the
language OF science-that there is no
question here of a reversible process.
There can be no going back to any
Imaginary good old time
We must strive to master the prob
lem OF man and machinery. We need
q pellef In civilization of the future.
1t is not sufficient to be satisfied with
improving machinery. Is the increas-
Ing deterioration of human character
designated by the French philosopher.
LeBon In 1910 as sign of the times,
real fact?
The nerves of man cannot stand the
pace OF modern civilization. the new
achievements have not been digested,
salvation can only come by adapting
ourselves to the new world around us.
we must try to reawaken in mankind
the love Of work for its own sake. and
we must realize that work in itself
counts as one of the greatest moral
forces In the world.
I'VE. must learn to appreciate the
ethical value OF our work, with equal
sincerity we must learn to plav a re-
sponsible part in the spiritual culture
OF our age. We must strive after an.
ethical synthesis. This is the only
road. which leads to new culture COM
plete In itself, which, by training and
employing our mental and moral DOW
ers, raises US above our natural level.
"A great French thinker divides men
into optlmistS and pessimists, the opti-
mists being the actors and the pessi-
mlsts being the onlookers. We enQi-
neers-and this attitude is based on
our work and on our love for our pro-
fession-wil rank ourselves among the
born optimists. who do their work in
the f1rm belief that there is still a bet
ter future for mankind
we refuse to believe in the decline
OF the world, we believe rather in the
great future which is in store for man
kind. We want to form a single Gre
alive will, uniting with all the peoples
of the earth who are of the same mind.
and with the members of all profess
sions, In order to bring about an ethical
co-orolnatlon OF all civilizing forces"
Sees Independence Menaced.
The ease with which factory-made
goods are obtainable, as a result of the
ingenuity Of engineers, is DESTROYING the
independence of the peoples of ali ma
tons, Loughnan st. L. Pendred, editor
and president of the Institution of Me-
chanical Engineers in Great Britain.
declared in his address.
The happiness of a nation is to be
sought in its homes, and with the ces-
sation of household duties with their
enxieties and pleasures, the attachment
to the home diminishes The life of
the home has its repercussions upon
public life, and the loss of self-reliance
which has been engendered in the fam
lily may account for the increasing