127. Science and the Press

A few days ago at the Berlin Press Club, the economics teacher Gustav Schmoller issued a timely call for the "gathering" of the members of our nation who are involved in the further development of intellectual life through word and writing. Scholars and men of the press should "gather" for united work; and they should stand up manfully for the ideal interests of the nation. For the parties that have written the representation of purely material interests on their vividly fluttering banners are becoming all too opulent. Not only trade, industry and agriculture should be promoted, but also purely intellectual goods should be cultivated. In the end, scholars and journalists should work together in harmony. What the latter hatch in the closet, in the archive, in the laboratory for the progress of mankind, the latter should eagerly bring to the market, to the people. If words were quickly translated into deeds, there would soon be loud rejoicing in the realm of the spirit over Schmoller's demand becoming reality. But I fear that the gulf that exists between scholars and journalists will remain unbridgeable for a long time to come. Scholars will - as they have unfortunately done so far - continue to lay their hatched eggs in their journals, which are not very accessible to the general public, with a few exceptions of course. And in these journals, the unpopular scholarly tone will continue to prevail for a small eternity. Most scholars will continue to shrug off the imposition of bringing their findings to the masses in a popular form through newspapers and journals, which is so unedifying. And the journalists! They will continue to lack the time, inclination and education - not counting the exceptions, of course - to trade in intellectual goods with dignity.