Why Doesn't Lebanon Contribute to World Civilization?

Last October Dr. Salwa Nassar returned from America, after spending seven months there studying the progress of the sciences, devoting her studies to a purely scientific field: how drops (Drops) form on an electric center — a subject with a direct bearing on the formation of large molecules (Molecules).

I asked Dr. Salwa about the progress of research in America after her five years' absence from it, and her answer astonished me. She said:

"The speed with which scientific ideas and the scientific level have advanced took me by surprise, my friend — to such a degree that I assure you: the moment you stand still for a while without studying, you feel that your knowledge of the sciences has fallen behind."

I said: "Am I to understand you to mean: how far we are from science and the sciences? But what have we to do with the past — is there any possibility of establishing a nuclear reactor from which we might 'radiate' something upon the world, and which would force us to catch up with what we have missed?"

She said: "My dear, we need the scientists before the reactor!"

I said: "Supposing we found the scientists — where would we stand with the reactor's exorbitant costs?"

She said: "The reactor can be had, God willing — and if our government wills to pursue it. America has announced that it will offer 375,000 dollars to the purchaser of a reactor, in addition to the six kilograms of uranium needed to fuel it. This is for whichever nations wish to establish atomic research in the cause of peace. In my view we should seize this opportunity and create an institute for scientific research, independent of all influences, with its own budget — having no connection with immediate material production, as the industrial institute has, for example — I mean, its aim would be pure science."

I said: "I know this idea has been on your mind for a long time — where do you stand with it now?"

She said: "I submitted a project to a committee appointed in the government for that purpose. In my project I described the broad outlines for founding a national council for scientific research. I am now waiting for the government to approve it and allocate its funds."

I remember, in the year 1945, when Dr. Salwa returned for the first time after obtaining her doctorate in physics, she was discussing with those in whom she sensed patriotic zeal the question of establishing an institute for scientific research, one that would give those with scientific inclinations scope to find a laboratory for their theories, for scientific investigation and deduction. And I remember that the Lebanese Women's Union approached the government in 1952 — His Excellency Mr. Sami al-Solh then at its head — with a project drafted by Dr. Salwa, stating its costs and requirements. Are you not amazed, my dear reader, that to this day — that is, after 12 years — this project has arrived only at the approval of forming a national council for scientific matters, and that the committee charged with this has met only twice since last year, without deciding anything?!

I asked Dr. Nassar again: supposing the institute were on its way to being established, what preparations are necessary for us to profit from its existence?

She said: The preparations, even if we are late in making them, come under the proverb: better to begin, even late.

The fact is that we need a large number of scientists; for the present we can make do with those we import and with our children who are studying in the West. The preparation of scientists begins in the elementary schools. We need a special school for the gifted. I mean, the children would be selected from all the schools by means of a special examination of intelligence (Intelligence Tests) and of inclination. This group would have a school to gather them and carry them from the elementary level through the secondary; then they would move on to a university of high scientific standard. After that they would be sent to the laboratories of the West to specialize according to need.

If we began this project today, we could hope to reap the results after ten years...

I leave this idea in the hands of the readers, that they may be the voices of continual demand from now on —