The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-29
-Dietz on Science
U. S. SCIENTIST
DEALS EINSTEIN
THEORY BLOW
PrecipitateS Storm After
Experiments on Solar
Motion.
BY DAVID DIETZ,
Scripps Howard Science Editor


storm over the validity of the Elm
stein theory Of relatively started
recently when Dr. Dayton c. Mil
Ter, world-fa5lous physicist of
Cleveland, told the National Acad-
envy Of Sciences in session here
that after forty years of work he
had at last succeeded in measuring
the absolute motion Of the earth
around the sun.
An international discussion is
certain to follow for his statement
constitutes the most serious blow
ever aimed at the theory Of rela-
tivity
Professor Einsteins theory holds
no experiment is possible which will
detect the absolute motion Of the
earth. If scientists accept DR.. Mil
lers findings, they will have to
modify profoundly the very founda-
lions upon which relatively rests.
The Einstein theory grew out Of
an experiment originally performed
in Cleveland in 1887 by DR.. A. A.
Nicholson and DR. Edward w. Nor
ley This experiment, known to
science as the Michelson-M Morley
experiment, was an attempt to
measure the absolute motion Of the
earth through the ether Of space.
Observes Light Beam
The experiment did not give the
desired result, and the scientific
world in general took the stand that
it had given a negative result. 1t
was on this basis that Professor
Einstein built his theory of rela-
tivity.
But DR.. Miller, who succeeded Dr.
Nicholson as professor of physics
at Case School in Cleveland, was
unwilling to accept that interpreta-
ton, and ever since 1890 he has
been continuing the experiment in
the belief that it eventually would
demonstrate the motion of the
earth around the sun.
In 1925 and 1926, DR.. Miller set
up his interferometer on Mt. Wilson
in California.
The interferometer consists of a
great horizontal steel cross with
arms sixteen feet long floating on
a pool of mercury. Observations
of a beam of light are made through
a telescope as the cross revolves.
Awarded Annual Prize
During the two years, DR.. Miller
made more than 100000 observa-
tions on the interferometer. This
meant that he walked a total of
more than $50 miles around the
revolving interferometer.
In 1926, he announced his mea-
surements demonstrated that the
earth and the whole solar system
was moving through space with a
velocity of about 100 miles a Sec
ond
The American Association for the
Advancement of Science regarded
his work of such Importance that it
awarded him its annual prize of
$1,000 that year for the outstanding
contribution to science of the year
Advocates of the theory of rela-
tivity, however, were unwilling to
accept his result since nothing was
said about the motion of the earth
around the sun.
Proves Ether'S Existence
They felt that even though there
was motion of the solar system
through space, the experiment ought
to show also the motion Of the earth
around the sun. providing that Pro-
fessor Einstein was wrong in his
fundamental assumption.
Last year, DR.. Miller began a
complete new analysis of the 100000
observations which he had made at
Mt. Wilson.
This time he assumed that the
solar system was moving toward the
constellation of Hercules with a
speed of twelve miles per second
as other astronomical observations
indicated but that the entire galaxy
including Our solar system, the con-
stellation of Hercules and all the
other consultations Of the Milky
Way were moving in the opposite
direction with velocity of 100 miles
per second.
AS a result. DR.. Miller claims to
have demonstrated the motion OF
the earth around the sun, to have
demonstrated the motion of the
solar system through space. and to
have demonstrated the existence If
the ether of space. All these results
are contrary to what is possible
under the dictates of the Einstein
theory.