Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01
Where Is America Going?

'Beyond this the industrial laboratory is con-
cerned not merely with service TO industry, but
service for human good"
How" DR. Whitney was asked, "does the re-
search worker regard his possibilities for future
usefulness?"
'Ail that man has done to make life seem hap
pier or more interesting is but start in the
process of improvement.
Neither raw materials nor scientific and con-
structive principles show signs OF exhaustion. If
we fail to advance general welfare 1t Will be due
to napprecation or lassitude on our part, not to
any deficiency in the lmitless possibilities Of
Nature.
In my opinion it is reasonable to suppose that
while We have progressed with unprecedented
strides in the recent past there is no danger that
We have approached an upper limit.
There are unlimited assets in the provisions
Of creation that are entirely untouched Expert
ence has shown us that"
What the the favorins factors for industrial
research?"
'There are several Very important is the will
lingness of industrial leadership to invest money
In possibilities. In addition to school and Gov
eminent laboratories, there are 1000 industrial
laboratories in existence in America today. 1t is
becoming the deliberate habit of industries to
support the sciences on which they are based,
not only in laboratories CT their own creation,
but in those of universities and colleges. Because
q man Is president CT corporation no longer
implies that he is less interested in pure science
than Is pure science teacher.
Important. too, is the fact that never before
has the worlds outlook for intelligent apprecia-
alton OF the possibilities In research been as great
as it is today.
Through the ages only few individuals
senSed the endless discoveries that might be made
by testing the possibilities in Nature They had
to struggle against the skepticism and inertia
of the mass.
Reduction Of SkeptciSm.
Each advance in the practical application of
the findings of science has reduced the total of
human skepticiSm. new psychology has arisen
which has found expression in commonly used
expression-'What are they going to do next?'
The wonders of scientific achievement pene-
trate almost every life SO intimately that few are
left who are capable of doubling.
I'VE might say that there Is danger in over
popularizing industrial research. 1t would be
disastrous to encourage popular idea of it as a
general panacea for work or cure for all
economic ills. Nevertheless, If we control our
fears and taboos, as now seems possible, we may
for every one, mechanical work everywhere but
only for machines. That is, physical labor will
be reduced to a minimum, while we do not cease
TO labor mentally.
Perhaps we have entered upon q new era in
history when for the first time a great aggrega-
ton of human beings has awakened to a new,
faith-a faith in the truthfulnesS and reliability
OF countless natural laws and the unbounded pos
sibiliteS In their application. If this be true
even though the vast majority base their faith
on dim understandings tremendous effort for
good hes been achieved which makes the environ
ment OF research even more favorable
I'VE must hold to the proper use of these laws
OF nature. as the basis of our new faith
"As We look far ahead into the future we can
repeat that there need be no end to industrial
research"
Copyright. 1917