Evening star., 1934-12-18
tn the Editnr Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your editorial of December IS cap
toned Endowment for Science" has
set up in my mind long train OF
thoughts. I am in favor Of a six
year program of scientific research,
all right: but I am disposed to en-
large upon the program suggested
by DR.. Karl T. Compton, president
of Massachusetts, Institute of Tech
nology, and approved by your edi-
torial. To be sure, public works,
new industries, public health and a
more economical and efficient use OF
lands are objects worthy Of research
underwritten by either State or Fed
eral Government.
through your paper, the public, that
we are far behind in two sciences in
particular and that something should
be done about them without further
delay. The mechanical, physical
and chemical sciences are about a
century ahead of the social and po-
litical sciences, and I use here the
term political science as including
political economy. Unless there is
a delay in the progress Of the me-
chanical, physical and chemical
sciences until the social and po-
litical sciences can catch up, rea-
sonably at least, we are likely to be
literally undone by the accomplish
ments Of the former group. As an
illustration, I submit the record of
accomplishment within the past three
decades in transportation by land
and air. The automobile and air.
plane are the products Of the me-
chanical, physical and chemical
sciences, and they stand without
parallel in known history. But we
have not developed correspondingly
our social science, without which the
continued use of the automobile or
airplane may become q hindrance
rather than help to mankind. The
indiscriminate ownership Of the au-
tomobile has already bankrupted Its
thousands, and hundreds Of thou
sands of such will follow, while the
reckless operation of the automobile
is causing the slaughter Of other
hundreds of thousands upon our
streets and highways.
But the thing that battles me most
is the chaotic condition of our polit-
ical science. I have stopped all study
of the sciences of which the automo-
bile and airplane are products, for
they are so well developed that we can
let them rest for u season.
But here are some Of the nuts of
the political science that I can't crack,
though, barring the law, have
majored in this science all these years:
Last Monday night I listened to the
chairman of the Federal Power Com
mission, Mr.. Frank r. McNinch, in a
speech over q Nationwide hook-up,
argue that the reduction Of the cost
of electric service would result in a
graf increase in the consumption OF
electricity, with sure and certain
resultant profit to the owners and
operators of the public utilities.
Well, I found myself in complete &C.
cord and sympathy with such argu.
ment. But I had hardly got COM
fortably seated with the idea that We
are really getting somewhere in the
science Of government and economics
before was tripped, my chair knocked
from under me and 7 found myself
sprawled upon the floor; for tonight
the press carries the result Of the cot
ton control poll showing 9-to-1 VIC
tory for q restricted yield-the very
antithesis In theory to what McNinch
advocated on Monday night, but bear
ing the approval Of both the Presi-
dent and Secretary Wallace.
Furthermore, the conviction that
we were making progress had been
added to by the expression Of Gen.
Hugh s. johnson to the effect that
the N. r. A. was as dead as q dodo,
that 1t was extinct. But the general