Evening star., 1936-01-02

particles-thus adding to their own
substance. Nearly all plants absorb
photons in the form of energy. This
process of photosynthesis is the key
stone of the structure of life on earth
BY means of the light energy absorbed
plants are able to convert the carbon
dioXide of the air and water into
carbohydrates. which constitute the
food of other living things.
Tests Evolution Theory.
He undertook the experiment, DR..
Spessard told the biologists, to test
hypothesis on the beginnings of varia-
ton and evolution in the living world.
He reasoned that primitive protoplasm,
from which life arose probably had
quite different properties than the
highly differentiated and complex ma
terlal which now forms the substance
of all living things. The process of
photosynthesis. for one thing, hardly
could have been completely efficient
at the start. The protoplasm mole
cules were absorbing light. They
could not have used all of it in the
form Of energy. Hence there must
have been some mass left over.
The three major elements of pro-
toplasm, wherever it is found, are
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and car
bon. The latter element is known
on earth only in association with pro-
toplasm. DR.. Spessard reasoned, he
told the biologists today, that if proto-
plasm did have the capacity of abb
sorbing the mass of sunlight the
minute photons eventually would form
atoms. This, in turn, might account
for the origin of carbon within living
matter.
Nobody knows what the original
organic molecules were like. nor
whether they were formed on earth or
came here from some other planet.
But, according to DR.. Spessard's rea-
soning, the substance of the most
primitive living things would be more
likely to react like the original mate
rial than that of more advanced forms
of life. Hence he used the algae in
his experiments.
Test Must Be Verified.
Upon verification of his tests by
repetition of the experiment in other
laboratories, biologists attending the
meeting pointed out, depends any
conclusion on the significance of the
results.
A call to battle of biologists for
freedom to teach the truth-which he
claimed now is almost non-existent-
was sounded before biologists of the
association today by DR. Oscar Riddle
of the experimental evolution labora-
tory of the Carnegie Institution of
Washington.
The churches, he said, have forced
upon the public schools and even the
colleges everywhere an "emasculated
biology" with five States actually pro-
hibiting the teaching of evolution and
with text books deliberately distorted
for fear Oh religious opposition.
Declares Schools ShackIed.
Biologists in nearly all countries
and particularly in our own" he said
''have tried a compromise with reli-
gious creedS. That compromise has
failed. Most youth of 1885 leave our
schools without having opportunity to
learn that worthy facts concerning
mans origin and destiny come not
from traditions, but from biological
investigations made within the time
OF men now living. That compromise
now robs most modern youth of oppor-
tunity to learn what is known con-
corning his or her place in nature.
The issue, DR.. Riddle concluded. Is
whether ignorance of many funda-
mental and now satisfactorily ap-
praised biological phenomena shall
continue to foster divergent and ir-
reconcilable thought among great
biological human populations which
must live together, whether the case
and course of civilization is to be
guided by knowledge or by. the dead
hands Of the past"
He urged at least a flve-fold in
crease" in the teaching of biology in
public high schools.
Mars found Like Earth.
Mars is more earthlike than as
tronomers have been willing to admit
Vast, bright clouds covering hun
dreds of thousands Of square miles
light snow falls that blanket areas
as large as continents and great storms
that sweep rapidly from Equator te
poles were reported to astronomers
Of the association yesterday by DR.. E.
c. Slipher of the Lowell Observatory.
DR.. Slipher's observations. taken
during the 1885 opposition yof Mars
when the north pole of the planet was
turned toward the earth, shows that
the earth's neighbor-often held to be
.the only other possible abode of life "