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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Random Thoughts of ’a Lay Chemist Francis P. Garvan
HREE years ago I broke down. Some say that breakdown was the result of my endeavors to establish independent and sufficient chemical educat,ion, chemical research, and chemical industries in America, not only to insure our own national health and our national well-being, but, if God was willing, to give of our youth and our genius to the peoples of the world that we may lessen the chances of war and raise the standard of living throughout the world. I hope that endeavor was the cause of my breakdown. Rut a t any rate for three years I have not been able t o give my all to the cause. I have done what I could or what my loving guardians would let me do, and now I am promised that in the fall if no upset comes I can return to you and to our cause on full time. Therefore, though my vanity called me to this meeting, I felt it would not be square t o you and our cause to endanger in the least my full recovery. Not coming in person, and having heen notified of your radio limitations in time, I can astutely and safely say I had prepared an address worthy of you. However, in addition to thanking you for the greatest, honor of my life, I will only set down crudely two or three of the random thoughts I hope some day to clarify.
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Vol. 21, No. 10
discoveries would be hastened which would multiply even the present wonderful services of electricity and other forms of power, and make life easier and nobler even for our present generation. The Chemical Foundation stands ready to bear all the expense of any commission the President may care to appoint to inquire into the vast possibilities of chemistry as an agent of peace, outlawing war by its terrors, advancing health and prosperity by its humane discoveries. Third Random Thought
Why this state of affairs? The failure of a realization of personal responsibility, not only by men in power, but also by you chemists and by us lay-chemists who include every man, woman, and child in the land. What an appalling and universal thing is personal responsibility? Jeanne d’Arc, staunching the hearts of the lads of France hundreds of years after her death-Pasteur, saving the lives of endless generations unborn-Henry Ford and his great discovery that Christ was the greatest economist and the Golden Rule the most enlightened, selfish, business principle. No more will labor be exploited. Soon no longer will it be good business to exploit the trust funds of the widow and orphan. Never again will China or India be exploited. It has dawned that they might all be consumers. Kot only for Trotzky and Lenine, but also for the bankers who financed their trip from America and Switzerland to First Random Thought Russia-three hundred millions of peoples and centuries of consequencesCan the development of American what an eternal measure of personal chemistry do anything for the peace of the world? I beiieve that modern chemFrancis P. Garvan responsibility! The examples are endistry plus modern aeronautics has made less. None more pointed and helpful war impossible. I am convinced that in case of a modern than the occasion of this presentation. It means that mar between great powers it would be foolish and useless you think that, situated as I was in public life and in for a floating battleship or cruiser to leave its dock and private life, in wealth and in mental attainments, I, in for an army to take the field. The common people of the some measure a t least, tried to meet my responsibility world, as well as our wisest rulers, President Hoover and to my God. All right. Could I have done so without your Prime Minister MacDonald, realize the horror of war and enIightenment as to the importance of chemistry? Some of its tremendous wastage of life and of the means of living. of you met your responsibility and I get the medal. In They are bending every effort to safeguard the peace of America before the war no one guessed the true relation of the world by treaties and by agreements. Should not the chemistry to modern life except you chemists. I n Germany terrible powers of chemistry, as we know them, and its war chemists had taught its importance to every man, woman, messengers, the airplanes, on sea and on land, strengthen and child. German chemists had met their personal retheir hands? Should not the dread possibilities of chemistry sponsibility; you had not met yours. However, when the support the convictions of the common people that there war came you awoke and happy the American people ever shall be no war of the future, and rule out the poli- will be in that awakening. But your work is not done. ticians and the greedy who are aiming to defeat these high It is your duty and personal responsibility to make every man, woman, and child in America a lay chemist who realizes DurDoses? as I ’ d o what chemistry can do for man. And you willSecond Random Thought each will seek to share with me the joy of serving and, if We all know chemistry also as the friend of peace, the lucky, suffering, in that glorious struggle against war, disease, source of vast industries, the more important source of and poverty. On behalf of Mrs. Garvan, to whom in simple justice I health-giving, health-protecting discoveries. Side by side with chedistry stand the other sciences-physics, biology, must transfer this medal, and on behalf of my six children, and medicine. If the politicians would give to research I thank you again from the depths of my heart. For I in chemistry, in the other sciences, and in medicine a fraction interpret your presentation to mean that we all can feel as of the huge cost of navies and armies, created to destroy one with you all in your patient sacrifices in search of truth, life and property, the world would see discoveries of the t#hat perhaps you mill feel like telling us of your needs and greatest moment to the well-being of its people. Such burdens and giving us the chance to help and feel ourdiscoveries ns the cause and cure of cancer, of cures for tuber- selves a part in the great works you are to do for the Glory culosis, and other ills of mankind would be acceIerated; of God. I
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