Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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McCORMICK MESSENGER. McCORMICK. S. C.. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1937 A PEEK AT TOMORROW’S INVENTIONS National Resources Committee Recommends Careful Planning to Take Fullest Advantage of Scientific Innovations. ./ By WILLIAM C. UTLEY O UR country might have pre sented a vastly different scene if, at the turn of the pres ent century, the government had been able to foresee the de velopment of the telephone, the automobile, the airplane, the motion picture, rayon and radio. Likewise, if we today can fore see the future development of some inventions we already have and some we probably will have, then we will be equipped to build for • ivXvX*:*:-:: iv: One of the most important inven tions which will be developed in the next few years is the mechanical cot ton picker, shown at left. Another is television; a broadcast is shown above. plan and act in time, once the spread of this invention is certain? “The influence on negroes may be catastrophic. Farm tenancy will be affected. The political system of the southern states may be greatly altered. “In another field, science has gone far on the road to producing artifi cial climate in all its aspects, which may have effects on the distribution of population, upon health, upon pro duction and upon the transformation of the night into day. ourselves and our posterity a fuller existence. This, according to the federal na tional resources committee, is the reason for its recent 450,000-word report on the “social implications of new inventions.” The report, says President Roosevelt, “holds out hope that we can anticipate some of the effects of major inventions and make plans to meet new situations that will arise as these new inven tions come into widespread use.” With this White House benedic tion, it is expected that the recom mendations of the laborious docu ment will become a guidepost for the co-ordinated, long-term planning to prevent or reduce future depres sions with their economic mal adjustments and social upheavals, that characterizes the New Deal. Cites Thirteen Inventions. To apply its theories, the commit tee recommends that another com mittee, to be known as the natural resources board, be created. This would be a sort of “technological telescope,” which would constantly peer into the future and predict what scientific advances would be made. Its qualified observers would be commissioned to co-ordinate the work of the many special planning boards which exist in 47 states, 400 counties and 1,100 cities. This board and the many other planning boards throughout the na tion ought immediately to concern themselves with the study of 13 in ventions, the report declares. These are the mechanical cotton picker, air-conditioning equipment, plastics, the photo-electric cell, artificial cot ton and woolen-like fibers made from cellulose, synthetic rubber, prefabricated houses, television, facsimile transmission, the automo bile trailer, gasoline produced from coal, steep-flight aircraft planes and tray agriculture. Dr. William F. Ogbum, director of research for the report, tells a few of the ways in which govern ments, individuals and industries suffered because they failed to fore see the development of certain in dustries. “Highways are too narrow,” he contends. “The metropolitan area could have been planned better; much crime could have been pre vented. Industries could have been located to better advantage.” Here he injected a little of the political philosophy of the present administration. “The growing inadequacies of small local governments could have been foreseen,” he said, “and the transfer of some of their functions to a more capable centralized gov ernment would have been facilitat ed. Century’s Most Important Invention. “The question that naturally arises is: Will the second third of the Twentieth century see the rise of such great industries based on new inventions as was seen in the first third? There may very well be equally significant inventions during the next phase of our rational growth as in the one just concluded. “For instance, all are agreed that one such invention is the electron tube, said to be the greatest inven tion of the Twentieth century. Its most brilliant form is the photo electric cell, popularly known as the electj’c eve. “This eye sees everything that the human eye- can see and more. It is even said to be able to detect certain types of counterfeit money. It will distinguish colors better than human beings can do. “When it is joined with another form of the electron tube, the vacu um tube, it becomes able to act on what it sees. Thus it sees a waitress approaching a door with trays in both hands and at once swings the door open for her to pass. “Unlike a human being, it does not suffer from fatigue. For in stance, in a factory it can watch the tin cans go by on a belt, pick out the defective ones, letting only the good ones go by. This monotonous work can be done without strain for as long hours as the manager wishes. Find New Uses Constantly. “That it will cause unemployment is obvious, but it will also lighten the tasks of the workmen. Indeed, it brings the automatic factory and the automatic man one step closer. It may be used to regulate automo bile traffic, to measure the density of smoke, to time horse racing, to read, to perform mathematical cal culations. “Hardly a month passes without some new use of the photoelectric cell being reported. Indeed it will require decades to learn the many things this versatile instrument can do. “There are other such new inven tions—inventions which will carry the nation on to even greater achievement during the years to come. “The full effects of artificial fibers have not yet been felt. The influ ence of the airplane has just begun. “Even the familiar telephone will have many new and profound ef fects, when long distance telephon ing becomes more widespread, upon the distribution of population be tween metropolis and smaller city, upon the physical separation of management control from produc tion, upon remote controls in gen eral. Trailer May Alter Living. “The telephone wire may be used to record messages, bulletins, even newspapers, in the home and office. “Nor are the influences of the very common automobile matters of past history either. The new scial and economic unit of population called the metropolitan area, so en couraged by the automobile, is in its infancy, while the trailer may be destined to change the habits of living and working of vast numbers cf the people.” Dr. Ogburn points out that there is little advantage in planning the use or distribution of our natural resurcts unless we know what uses technologists will find for them. We must be able to foresee whether oil will be made from coal, whether plastics will take the place of wood, whether alcohol will be used as a motor fuel, whether more foodstuffs will be produced chemically. “The nation now faces the second third of the Twentieth century,” he says. “What may be expected of technological development? “How far-reaching will be the ef fects of the mechanical cotton pick er? Will the surplus labor of the South flood the northern and west ern cities? Will the governments Talking Books for Blind. “Then again television may be come widely distributed, placing theaters into millions of homes and increasing even more the already astounding possibilities of propa ganda to be imposed on a none too critical human race. “Talking books may come as a boon to the blind, but with revolu tionary effects upon libraries and which, together with the talking pic ture and television, may affect radi cally schools and the educational process. “The variety of alloys gives to metals amazing adaptabilities to the purposes of man. “The use of chemistry in the pro duction of new objects in contrast to the use of mechanical fabrication on the basis of power continues to de velop with remarkable rapidity, in the production of oil, of woolen-like fibers, of substitutes for wood, and of agencies of destruction. “So the immediate future will see the application of new scientific dis coveries that will bring not only en ticing prospects but uncertainties and difficulties as well.” The report continued: “The air- conditioning developments which lower inside temperatures during hot weather may or may not within the next generation affect Southern cities and stimulate the growth of factories in warmer regions. “Or again, tray agriculture, which produces a high yield per plant when the roots are suspended in a tray of liquid chemicals instead of in the soil, may or may not be used suf* ficiently to be of much social sig nificance within the reader’s life time.” Technological Unemployment. The report said that while new inventions often save labor and therefore cut down the number of jobs, their developments often re quire new industries, creating new; jobs. $ “The question whether there will be a large amount of unemployment during the next period of business prosperity rests only in part on the introduction of new inventions and more efficient industrial tech niques,” says the report. “For instance, even if industrial techniques remained the same, the volume of production would have to be greater in the future than in 1929 in order to absorb the increase in the working population and keep un employment to the level of that date.” One of the greatest necessities for planning in anticipation of the de velopment of inventions arises in the time lag between the birth of an invention and its full application, the report declares. It points out that for the 19 inventions voted most useful and introduced between 1888 and 1913 the following intervals were an average: Between the time the invention was conceived (which may have been centuries before) and the first working model or pat ent, 176 years; from that point to the first practical use, 24 years; thence to commercial success, 14 years; and to important use, 12 years, making it roughly 50 years from the first real work on the in vention. “The time lag between the first development and the full use of an invention is often a period of great social and economic maladjustment, as, for example, the delay in the adoption of workmen’s compensa tion and the institution of ‘safety first’ campaigns after the introduc tion of rapidly moving steel ma chines,” the report said. “This lag emphasized the need for planning in regard to inventions.” © Western Newspaper Union. "Way Back When By JEANNE GENERAL WAS SCHOOL TEACHER COMETIMES one small incident ^ changes a whole life’s trend, and leads to prominence beyond all previous dreams. We all recall one or two unexpected happenings in our own lives which changed their whole course. John J. Pershing, who rose to be general of all the United States army, might have had an entirely different life had he not taken ad vantage of a lucky opportunity. He was born in 1860 at Laclede, Mo. His father was boss of a railroad gang and, later, a farmer. John quit school when he was thirteen to work on the farm, digging fence holes, herding sheep, planting corn, all the usual jobs that are the lot of a farm boy. Ambitious to be a law yer, he studied night after night. In 1879, he got a job as teacher in Prairie Mount, Mo., and saved most of the $40 per month he re ceived to study law at Kirksvillt. Normal school. Then came the incident which changed his whole life. Jack Persh ing saw an advertisement announc ing competitive examinations for West Point. He had only two weeks to prepare, but he won the appoint ment. At West Point he won prom inence as president of his class and as first captain of the corps of ca dets. Possessing the characteristics of a perfect soldier, his assignments after graduation into the army were marked with success. While a military instructor at the Univer sity of Nebraska, he resumed his law studies and took his degree. Since the army conducts its own military courts, this gave Pershing an opportunity to combine his busi ness love with his soldierly success. When the World war broke out, he was made general of the U. S. army. * * * FAMED TENOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CLERK COMETIMES parents despair un- ^ necessarily about their children. Just because a youngster shows no aptitude for the job his parents may choose for him is no indication that failure awaits him. If John McCormack had followed the plans of his father he might have been a Catholic priest. The famous tenor was bom in Athlone, Ireland, in 1884, fourth of eleven children. His father worked in the woolen mills of the town and the family was very poor. John at tended the Catholic schools and was an excellent student, winning a scholarship to college. There he studied for the priesthood. At an early age John McCor mack’s voice showed promise and, at the age of nine he sang in a school entertainment. Music was not one of the subjects offered at college, and so John had no oppor tunity to receive training for his voice. It did not occur to him at that time that singing would be his profession. However, he did decide against becoming a priest, which must have been a hard blow for his father. But the man did hot lack understanding and he encouraged the boy in his desire to become a civil service clerk. When John failed in the entrance examinations at the school where he would re ceive his training, and when given a second chance forgot the appoint ment, his father must have truly despaired. Then it began to dawn on John McCormack that singing was his true vocation. He had loved to sing all his life. He went to Dublin and got a job in the Marlborough Street cathedral choir at $125 a year. He began to gain more and more rec ognition, sang for recordings of the Edison and Gramaphone compa nies, and eventually became a star of opera. Today he is known the world over for his golden tenor. ©—WNU Service. Prints Tune to School Girl Needs By CHERIE NICHOLAS jV/f YRIADS of gay little print frocks wending their way schpolward is the picture fashion is flashing on the screen for fall. There is really no danger of overdoing the print collection for little daugh ter, for there are so, many varieties of textures and design in the realm of washable prints this season mothers can assemble a wardrobe of prints ranging from playtime and classroom frocks to pretty-pret ty party dresses, and then not have too many for occasions that may arise. From mother’s standpoint the new print collections should and will prove all that they should be in supplying fabrics which will in sure her child the joy of - being well-dressed whatsoever the occa sion, because fabricists are bring ing out cottons and rayons and linens that have the “looks” of choicest challis and fine crepes. The thing that intrigues the little folks in regard to prints is that many of the nicest, prettiest prints have been especially designed for them with pictorial motifs that make direct appeal to childhood. Not only are the patterns charm ing to behold but they are in many instances instructive and entertain ing as well. For smaller children there are prints with the letters of the alphabet scattered designful- ly in allover patterning. Mother Goose figures too, and boats and ships and birds and animals, fruits and flowers done in a way to cap ture the fancy of a child. The washable prints developed this season are unique and lovely. It’s a series of perfectly charming prints that we have in mind—ar tistic creations each of which has been inspired by a song. There are fifteen designs in this collection nine of which have been adapted to cot ton fabrics and six to rayon. The unique part of it is that these theme song designs use titles of copy righted songs. What a grand cho rus of prints there will be in class room, at home and in the highways and byways that little girls tread during the coming tangy autumn days! Not that children have a monopoly on these intriguing mu sical prints for designers are mak ing them up into the smartest-ever housecoats, pajamas and daytime dresses for grown-ups. Does your little girl love mu sic? If so she’ll adore the heruf- fled frock of new chintz-type print (centered in the illustration) the motif of which is based on “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” a song children know and love. Cleyerj little girl and boy figures holding balloons and other bubble motifs following the position of the notes on the scale with tiny clef signs make the design of this print which is fascinating for young and older folk. The crisp white organdy ruf fles and buttons add winsome ac cents. The dress to the left is also made of a theme-song “bubble” print. It is a pleasing type for the growing girl. Three narrow ribbon bows po sitioned on ribbon crossbars set row and row march soklier-like down the front of the bodice. Pleat ed skirt and demure Peter Pan collar complete this smart style. The dress to the right reflects a quaint spirit in the lacings up the front, the close-fitting bodice, and the now-so-fashionable “swing skirt.” Any girl would love to wear this dress “first day of school.” The scattered daisies is a patterning in spired by that familiar song, “Daisy, Daisy, Tell Me Your An swer True”—enough to inspire any little girl wearing this dress to be come a prima donna. • Western Newspaper Union. CASUAL COSTUMES SLATED FOR FALL “Look casual,” is the latest slo gan being broadcast to women who are pre-occupied with the question of what to wear for early fall. Al though both tailored tweeds and softly-feminine garments will con tinue to be style-right for particular occasions, it’s the casual costume that is slated for high-style accept ance. x Suits are always an early-fall favorite but they were never better calculated to make women want to cast aside their summer clothes. Al ready the shops are beginning to display scores of casually cut mod els ranging from classic two-piece ensembles complete with blouse and topcoat or fur cape. College Girls in Favor of Low-Heeled Daytime Shoes Increased interest in sports is giv en as the chief factor in the college girl’s inclination toward lower heel heights on daytime shoes but her choice is also influenced by other considerations such as comfort and the suitability of low-heeled foot wear to sports clothes. The prevalence of “girls of more than average height” was one of the reasons advanced for the in creased popularity of low and me dium-heeled evening shoes. Shaded Stockings Boon to Woman With Bulky Calves The woman with oversized calves can buy shaded stockings which gradually darken in color at the largest part of the leg and thus have a very slenderizing effect. These stockings shade from a light tan at the foot and ankle to a dark brown at the calf and upper leg. For slim mer legs, there are stockings of sun tan color with feet of dark brown. PLAID TAILLEUR By CHERIE NICHOLAS Plaid’s the thing for your new fall suit if you are seeking the smartest. The one pictured is of heavy plaid linen. It’s a real Scotch tartan plaid done in dark green, dark blue lined with white, red and yellow. Black velvet binds the edges, pocket flaps and cuffs. This makes a stunning costume for early fall and later on you will be wanting to copy it in plaid wool. We are quite sure you will for these stunning plaid jacket suits are the “last word” in chic. Black and Sand Black velveteen is worn with a tailored coat of sand-colored wool.