I suspect that if I changed the question and asked, "Do you know what's what in engineering?" you might do a better job of answering. For anyone who pays much attention to current news, certainly, anyone who reads current technical news, knows what large engineering projects ;ire under wav. Even our daiiy papers follow the big jobs and give news of them from time to time. Especially do the rotogravure sections picture the progress and give popular accounts of things of public interest.
For the moment, however, I am interested in my first question. Do you know who's who, in engineering? Especially, would I say, in that branch of engineering in which you are most interested?
Engineers are not very active self advertisers, which is as it should be. A recent vote to determine the most outstanding engineers of the day resulted in a list of names of men concerning each of whom you probably can tell at least a little. The ten greatest engineers of the past twenty-five years are presented as—Herbert Hoover, mining engineer. Charles Proteus Steinmetz, electrical genius. Thomas Alva Edison, inventor. John Frank Stevens, civil engineer. John Hays Hammond, mining engineer. George W. Goethals, chief engineer, Panama Canal. George W. Westinghouse, mechanical and steel engineer. Gugliaimo Marconi, inventor. Henry Ford, production engineer. Ralph Hodpeski, civil engineer.
Another list of five names gave the results of a poll for the greatest engineers of all time, as follows—James Watt. Leonardo da Vinci. Thomas Alva Edison. James B. Eads. Ferdinand de Lesseps.
Not everyone would agree with all of these selections. They are the results of a vote. But, certain it is that these names belong high in their respective li.sts. If we are allowed to increase the numbers, we can easily do so. In fact it becomes difficult to stop.
Take, for example, the first group, active during the past quarter of a century- If I give a few more names, can you tell why they appear?
Elihu Thomson, Arthur N. Talbot, Samuel Fortier, Harrington Emerson, Alfred D. Flinn, Glen Curtiss, Samuei Insull, Archibald Black, John R. Freeman, Orville Wright, Elmer Sperry, A. E. Kennelty, V. Karapetoff, John L. Harrington, Michael Pupin, John A. L. Waddell, B. G. Lamme, H. M. Hobart, Anson Marston, Charles F. Scott, D. W. Mead, Frank B. Jewett, Mortimer Cooley, John J. Carty, George F. Swain, Percy H. Thomas, W. L. R. Emmett, C. E. Grunsky, Charles F. Kettering, etc.
These are all names which have had news value in connection with engineering achievement. Thev have bad a distinct place in the technical advancement of their profession, in both theory and practice.
The engineer is not a self advertiser, as we noted before. But he is easily found, if we look for him.
Mr. L. W. Wallace, Executive Secretary of Ameri-can Engineering Council, states that, "Of the 28,805 notable men and women named in the 1928-29 "Who's Who in America," 2,858 are engineers and architects. They hold 4,785 official positions in 3,928 organiza-tions, of which 2,993 are industrial and commercial companies. They occupy the position of president in 1,128 industrial and commercial organizations, 72 engineering firms, 68 banks and trust companies, and 2J colleges and universities.
"Among these 2,958 engineers and architects there are or have been, 10 governors, 13 members of Con-gress, 2 members of the Cabinet, and a President of the United States."
Engineers have many representatives in responsible work, both technical and non-technical. Do you know who's who in your field?
A notable event is the establishment of a National Hydraulic
Laboratory, at the Bureau of Standards. Washington, D. C. This is the long-sought
result of persistent effort made by engineers, and comes about through
direct congressional action.