毫無疑問，人類需要注重自己實際利益的人，他們努力工作，謀取自身的利益，這是與人類的普遍利益並行不悖的。但是，人類畢竟也需要具有理想主義的人，他們對大公無私的崇高境界進行追求，沒有時間去顧及自身的物質利益。追求理想主義的人因為無意於追求物質享受，因此也就沒有享受物質的可能。但是，我認為一個完善的社會應該向這些理想主義者提供必要的研究經費和個人生活保證，使他們沒有任何牽掛地潛心於自己的科研事業。
ChapterIIIAtWar
IN,ithappened,asitoftenhadinotheryears,thatmydaughtershadleftParisfortheirsummervacationbeforeme.Theywereaccompaniedbytheirgoverness,inwhomIhadallconfidence,andwerelivinginasmallhouseontheseashoreinBrittany,ataplacewheretherewerealsothefamiliesofseveralofourgoodfriends.Myworkdidnotgenerallypermitmetopasstheentirevacationnearthemwithoutinterruption.
ThatyearIwaspreparingtojointheminthelastdaysofJuly,whenIwasstoppedbythebadpoliticalnews,withitspremonitionsofanimminentmilitarymobilization.Itdidnotseempossibleformetoleaveundertheseconditions,andIwaitedforfurtherevents.ThemobilizationwasannouncedonAugustst,immediatelyfollowedbyGermany'sdeclarationofwaronFrance.Thefewmenofthelaboratorystaffandthestudentsweremobilized,andIwasleftalonewithourmechanicwhocouldnotjointhearmybecauseofaserioushearttrouble.
Thehistoriceventsthatfollowedareknowntoeveryone,butonlythosewholivedinParisthroughthedaysofAugustandSeptember,,caneverreallyknowthestateofmindinthecapitalandthequietcourageshownbyit.ThemobilizationwasageneralwaveofallFrancepassingouttotheborderforthedefenseoftheland.Allourinterestnowcenteredonthenewsfromthefront.
Aftertheuncertaintiesofthefirstdaysthisnewsbecamemoreandmoregrave.First,itwastheinvasionofBelgiumandtheheroicresistanceofthatlittlecountry;thenthevictoriousmarchoftheGermanarmythroughthevalleyoftheOisetowardParis;andsoonthedepartureoftheFrenchgovernmenttoBordeaux,followedbytheleavingofthoseParisianswhocouldnot,orwouldnot,facethepossibledangerofGermanoccupation.Theoverloadedtrainstookintothecountryagreatnumberofpeople,mostlyofthewell-to-doclass.But,onthewhole,thepeopleofParisgaveastrongimpressionofcalmandquietdecisioninthatfatefulyearof.IntheendofAugustandthebeginningofSeptembertheweatherwasradiant,andunderthegloriousskyofthosedaysthegreatcitywithitsarchitecturaltreasuresseemedtobeparticularlydeartothosewhoremainedinit.
WhenthedangerofGermanattackonParisbecamepressing,Ifeltobligedtoputinsecuritythesupplyofradiumtheninmylaboratory,andIwaschargedbythegovernmenttotakeittoBordeauxforsafety.ButIdidnotwanttobeawaylong,andhencedecidedtoreturnimmediately.Ileftbyoneofthetrainsthatwerecarryinggovernmentstaffandbaggage,andIwellremembertheaspectofthenationalhighwaywhichisatintervalsinviewfromthetrain;itshowedalonglineofmotor-carscarryingtheirownersfromthecapital.
ArrivingatBordeauxintheevening,Iwasveryembarrassedwithmyheavybagincludingtheradiumprotectedbylead.Iwasnotabletocarryitandwaitedinapublicplace,whileafriendlyministryemployeewhocamebythesametrainmanagedtofindaroomformeinaprivateapartment,thehotelsbeingovercrowded.ThenextmorningIhurriedtoputtheradiuminasafeplace,andsucceeded,althoughnotwithoutdifficulty,intakingamilitarytrainbacktoParisintheeveningofthesameday.Havingopportunityforexchangingafewsentenceswithpersonsontheplacewhowantedtoaskinformationfrompeoplecomingbythetrain,IwasinterestedtonoticehowtheyseemedsurprisedandcomfortedtolearnofsomeonewhofounditnaturaltoreturntoParis.
Mytripbackwastroubledbydelays;forseveralhoursthetrainrestedimmovableontherails,whilethetravelersacceptedalittlebreadfromthesoldierswhowereprovidedwithit.FinallyarrivinginParis,IlearnedthattheGermanarmyhadturned;thebattleoftheMarnehadbegun.
InParisIsharedthealternatinghopeandgriefoftheinhabitantsduringthecourseofthatgreatbattle,andhadtheconstantworryofforeseeingalongseparationfrommychildrenincasetheGermanssucceededinoccupyingthecity.YetIfeltthatImuststayatmypost.Afterthesuccessfuloutcomeofthebattle,however,anyimmediatedangerofoccupationbeingremoved,IwasabletohavemydaughterscomebackfromBrittanytoParisandagaintakeuptheirstudies.Thiswasthegreatdesireofmychildren,whodidnotwanttostayawayfrommeandfromtheirwork,evenifmanyotherfamiliesthoughtitwisertostayinthecountry,farfromthefront.
Thedominantdutyimposedoneveryoneatthattimewastohelpthecountryinwhateverwaypossibleduringtheextremecrisisthatitfaced.NogeneralinstructionstothisweregiventothemembersoftheUniversity.Itwaslefttoeachtotakehisowninitiativeandmeansofaction.Ithereforesoughttodiscoverthemostefficientwaytodousefulwork,turningmyscientificknowledgetomostprofit.