The American foundations which promote research and spiritual progress were extolled here this afternoon by Professor Albert Einstein at a formal reception to him by the New Jersey State Legislature
Members of the New Jersey Senate joined Assemblymen in a joint session at which Governor A. Harry Moore was present. The committee responsible for arranging the reception was headed by Joseph Altman of Atlantic City.
Professor Einstein’s address, translated and read by Rabbi Julius Silberfeld, follows in full:
“I consider myself happy to live and to be permitted to labor in this free and blessed land. Many before me, who had found a new home and a safe refuge in this land, experienced the same sensat.”But this is not enough: I am today the recipiant of a festive official welcome from those men in whose hands are entrusted the lawmaking and the administration of the State of New Jersey. I appreciate this honor so much the more, since I am enabled to judge for myself how much depends especially in these times upon your activities.
ESTEEM SCIENTIFIC STRIVING
“This reception demonstrates how much you esteem the striving after scientific knowledge. The individual, even if good fortune is with him in his labors, can contribute but little to the whole, to that wonderful spiritual structure, at which the investigating minds, in the course of the centuries, have labored with ever renewed devotion and surprising success. These usually timid and impractical men, through their advancement of our knowledge of our natural laws, have, during the last centuries, given the first line impetus to the technical revolution of our existence, even though they but seldom were the propelling forces to carry it out. And therefore, even from the standpoint of practical life it is perfectly justifiable that government and laymen cooperate in the furtherance of scientific research.
“This takes place in all truly cultured lands, but nowhere in such large proportions as in the United States. For here there exist powerful foundations which promote research and spiritual progress in all the lands of the globe.
“This spirit manifests itself in a beautiful way in today’s demonstration. My joy therein outweighs the consciousness that I, as an individual, am unworthy of such a great distinction.”
Professor Einstein was honored by Governor Moore at an informal reception in the Governor’s office before going to the Assembly chamber. He was greeted there by the Speaker of the House, Joseph Altman, of Atlantic City, and by Senator Clifford Powell, president of the Senate. The galleries were packed with spectators.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
