Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-01-13
Scientists
Making Good
Politicians
BY CHARLES p. STEWART
Central Press COlumniSt

Washington. Jan. l3.-Washington
mas been the scene in recent days OF
a number of conventions OF sclen-
lists of various sorts. They've con-
iucted round tables, forums and mis-
el!aneouS gableStS almost without
nd. They were interesting, too. But
ID the argue-fierS have any prac-
cal idea OF :.,e subjects that they
il talked about?
Did they concentrate on the Spe-
.iulties that they're variously eX-
}crts in? Yes. Of course.
But they didn't. They all discussed
.olitics OF one kind or another-the
jtate of our own union, Pan-Amer-
canism. poiitico-econCmicS in gen.
raj. wars causes, Uncle Sans and
he worlds future, all that assert
nent OF stuff.
Now, historian may be entitled
0 draw conclusions from the past as
20 what's coming. But is he entitled
TO an opinion concerning the 1910
presidential election? Id say that
James A. Farley or John D. NJ.
hamilton would be better guesser.
low competent is an eminent clergy
nan to make business predictions?
What are an astronomers CONNER
:ial forecasts worth? If d physician
understands germs, does that qualify
lin to advise us how to vote next
November?
Offhand, I'd think not These birds
did it, though. They talked politics
and finance, which I'm darned if l
think they know a thing about. II l
want to get the loW-doWn on 1910
l consult John N. Gamers manager
Or Paul V. McNutt's, or Senator Ar
thur H. Vandenberg's or Senator
Robert A. Taft's. I don't 60 to the
Smithsonian institution.
And Yet!
In the early days of our depres-
lion delegation of Cleveland money
moguls visited Washington to find
out, if possible, what could be done
1t happened that had a Cleveland
connection which led these callers
to ask me to show them around the
:apital, introducing them to lawmak-
ers they were anxious to talk to. Out
of sociability, l did my best.
All but one of the members Of this
party were very obvious financiers.
The exception was DR.. John H.
Quayle, physician of international
reputation. He struck me as an odd
Individual to be included in such
lineup. Yet l couldn't but notice that
his associates listened to him most re-
spectfully concerning business sub
jects that they were supposed to be
super-eXpertS on.
Best Businessman.
If the chats had related to, let's
say, appendicitis or thrombosis or
some such thing, I'd have expected
them to defer to his superior wis
dom. But what" asked myself, sis
the notion-these prominent bankers
and investment sharks taking off
their hats to a mere distinguished
medico on questions Of stocks and
bonds?" 1 queried one of his asso-
!ates. "Why," said the chap, "the
'oc is the best business man in this
bunch"
Finally 1 put it to the "doc' him
self. isn't it most unusual" 1 in
quired, "for a man of science, like
Yourself, to be such an adept in
economic affairs?"
''Perhaps it is" admitted the "doc",
but it isn't inconsistent. You see, as
Z medical specialist Pm diagnos-
ican. l observe symptoms and, rea-
soning beyond them, determine
N;at's the matter with the patient
basically. It's perfect training for an
economic diagnostician. I note eco
ncmic symptoms. From them l de-
termine what's the nature of the
economic disease Any good medical
ought to be able to do
the same thing Doubtless he could:
However, not many of us think OF
it; that's all"
Partly Wrong.
doc" Quayle was wrong in one
respect, though.
He said that it hadn't occurred to
many purely scientific scientists that
they were qualified to be business