Albert Meets America: How Journalists Treated Genius during Einstein's 1921 Travels

10 Puzzles Harding (Washington, April 25–26)

Monday, April 25 Einstein’s Idea Puzzles Harding, He Admits As Scientist Calls WASHINGTON, April 25.—The theory of relativity of matter, which got into a Senate debate recently, with assertions by Senators Boise Penrose, John Sharp Williams and others that they did not understand it, has also vanquished President Harding. Its originator, Dr. Albert Einstein, called on Mr. Harding today with a delegation from the National Academy of Sciences. As the group posed before a camera the President smilingly confessed that he, too, failed to grasp the relativity idea. Dr. Einstein is to address the Academy tomorrow at its annual session. The New York Times, April 26, p. 1. Tuesday, April 26 Urges Scientists’ Reunion Einstein Deplores the Losses to LearningAttributable toWar WASHINGTON, April 26.—Deploring the losses to science “through the action of political misfortune,” Professor Albert Einstein, propounder of the theory of relativity, speaking in German before the National Academy of Sciences today, expressed the hope “that the field of activity of scientific men may be reunited and that the whole world will soon again be bound together by common work.” 10 Puzzles Harding ) “Prof.Einstein,Famous Swiss ScientistWho Originated Theory of Relativity,Calls on Harding. Left to Right.—Mrs.Albert Einstein,Prof.Albert Einstein,President Harding and Dr.Charles D.Walcott,secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.” The Washington Post, April 26,p.2. An almost identical photograph was published in the New York Times Rotogravure Section, May 1,with the following caption:“Is He Thinking of Relativity? President Harding,WhoAdmits He Is Not One of the TwelveWho Understand the TheoriesAdvanced by ProfessorAlbert Einstein,Receives Their Author at the White House, with Dr.Charles D.Walcott,President of the National Academy of Science,Whose Guest Professor Einstein Was.”No mistake: Walcott was both secretary of the Smithsonian and president of the Academy. Courtesy Corbis. 134 ) Albert Meets America The eminent Swiss scientist, in acknowledging a high tribute paid him by President Charles D. Walcott of the Academy, said the appreciation embarrassed him. “When a man after long years of searching,” he said, “chances upon a thought which discloses something of the beauty of this mysterious universe , he should not therefore be personally celebrated. He is already sufficiently paid by his experience of seeking and finding. In science, moreover , the work of the individual is so bound up with that of his scientific predecessors and contemporaries that it appears almost as an impersonal product of his generation.” President Walcott in greeting Professor Einstein said: “The Academy rejoices to bring its tribute of homage to the brilliant and penetrating mind which has so greatly enriched the philosophy of ultimate truth. We congratulate you on the universal appreciation of your investigations , which have outrun and overleaped the limitations and barriers associated with nationalities and with the times. To men everywhere your name, in association with the abstruse subject of your investigations, has become a household word.” The New York Times, April 27, p. 21. President Charles D. Walcott invited Einstein to the meetings of the Academy on April 18.42 He added that Gano Dunn, Columbia University professor, member of the National Academy of Sciences, and person “in charge” of taking care of the Einsteins in Washington, informed Einstein personally that a brief address of welcome would be presented to him on Tuesday, at about 12:30, just prior to the adjournment of the morning session. Aware of the fact that Einstein did not speak English“fluently”(actually at the time he did not speak English at all),Walcott sent him the German translation of the text of what he would say on behalf of the Academy to help Einstein in formulating his response.Walcott also expressed his thanks for Einstein’s having given consent to address the Academy at the dinner.The greeting sent to Einstein follows the text published in the New York Times word for word but adds the following sentence: “We welcome you to our scientific meetings and especially to the social hours which intervene , during which the members of the Academy hope to have the pleasure of meeting and learning to know you as a friend.” Harding,still a senator but presidential candidate,was very careful about his use of the word “normalcy”: “I have noticed that word caused considerable newspaper editors to change it to‘normality.’I have looked for‘normality’in my dictionary,and I do not find it there.‘Normalcy...